Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

On their first album the band hit the scene with a powerful grunge rock album. For the second, they started introducing synths, industrial heaviness and electronica-grooves. For their third album, Skillet make the giant musical leap which is destined to propel them into the major league. Not simply because this band rocks big time but because beneath the whistles and bells of an in-yer-face, take-no-prisoners production, these are songs that penetrate the soul with a cry for spiritual intimacy and the life-changing power that only God brings. No mean feat to manage to be hot musically and spiritually all at the same time but Skillet do it. Line up changes mean that the band creatively now centres on husband and wife team John and Korey Cooper. Thematically 'Invincible' is all about the power of the Kingdom Of God and it's exciting to find a band willing to tap into radical faith and express that! There isn't a duff track on this album but the standouts for me are "Best Kept Secret" with its anthemic, uncompromising declarative chorus and the completely stirring, strident title track. Even in quieter moments like the poppier "Each Other", the passion is still there whilst the excellent "You're In My Brain" explodes with the fire of faith. The closing vibe of the bonus cut "Angels Fall Down" stands as a rock praise song that makes me want to hear a Skillet praise album - maybe next time eh? For now though, radical faith meets radical music springing out of radical lives. If you only buy one rack album in 2000, make it this one!

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