So this is a new one on me -

I have had this album in my iPod for about three months.
I listened through it once right after I picked it up and didn't think much of it at all.

Why?

Too over-produced. Too heavy on the heavy chords. Too loud. Too heavy on the beats. Too cliche' in the lyric department. Too much of a flat blast of sound. Too congested. Too overdone. Too much.

On my way home from work tonight, I flipped my iPod from the King of Fools album by Delirious to this album entitled, Awake by Skillet....

WHAM!

The first track, Hero, blew through my speakers and knuckle-punched me in the chest and kick-started my heart.
Suddenly I was rooting, shouting, yelling, screaming along with the song and my soul woke up.

That's right, all the way home this album woke me up.

This album is all I originally thought it was:
Over-produced. Heavy on the heavy chords. Loud. Heavy on the beats. Cliche' in the lyric department  A flat blast of sound. Congested.  Overdone. Much.

But oh, it is done so right and is so much what you need when you feel like this - when you are wide awake or need to be woken up.

This is all about your need for God in the midst of your inborn, undeniable and unavoidable failings.
This is all about longing and searching.
And trying.
This is all about striving, falling short because you just cannot help yourself but to, and finding redemption despite yourself outside yourself by the only One who can redeem you.
This is all about trying to fill you heart and finding the only One who can.
Ever.

That's right - 
An album entitled, Awake, woke me slap up.

Skillet homepage.