kingdom bound

Skillet doesn’t appear to be mellowing with age. Over a 15-year recording career that includes 10 previous studio albums, the Christian crossover band has firmly established their stylistic credentials within the metal/alternative rock universe.   

Eleven albums into a career that began in 1996, Skillet is back with the decidedly hard-hitting new album, “Dominion,” and songs like “Beyond Incredible,” “Surviving The Game” and the title track that mix thick guitars, aggressive beats and grimy industrial-ish tones sweetened with big melodic choruses. 

“I always laugh and tell people that as an artist I seem to have a really hard time knowing when something sounds different than the last record,” Skillet singer/guitarist John Cooper observed in a recent phone interview. “But my feeling is that this record is, it’s heavier...Some of that might be because of the Churko influence. That’s kind of what they do, isn’t it?”

The Churkos would be Kevin Churko, who produced and contributed to the songwriting on “Dominion,” and his brother, Kane Churko, who was also involved in the songwriting and production of the album.

“There’s something about Kevin’s production that’s just very big on the low end. It’s very, very punchy,” Cooper said of his producer, who has worked with Ozzy Osbourne, Five Finger Death Punch and Disturbed, among others. “He’s just a really, really great producer, and I’m a huge fan. So I was like ‘Kevin, do what you do. We want people to hear this music and feel like they’re coming out of the gate, coming out of the gate from pandemic and depression and sadness and despair, and they are coming out of the gates ready to take the world on. Whatever the world brings, they’re going to crush it. That’s what I want people to feel when they hear this music. And he’s like ‘Yup, I’m on it.’”

Skillet is taking that energy, spirit – and volume -- on the road, playing a variety of festival dates this summer, including Kingdom Bound 2022 at Darien Lake Amphitheatre on July 24.

“We’ll play a couple of new songs, and then, of course, you’ve got to play the songs that you know people are going to be really mad if you don’t play,” Cooper said.

Photo courtesy of Skillet

Press release:

DARIEN CENTER -- The Kingdom Bound Festival, one of the nation’s largest and longest-running Christian music festivals, is set to return to Six Flags Darien Lake in Darien Center this summer, featuring a full slate of top Christian artists, including Crowder, for King & Country, and Skillet.

Joining the star-studded lineup for their first-ever appearances at the festival will be worship heavyweights Bethel Music and Passion Music.

The 33rd annual festival is set to take place July 28-31 with thousands of Christian music fans from across Western New York, Pennsylvania, Southern Ontario, Canada, and beyond expected to attend.

A limited number of on-site accommodations are still available, as well as full event and single day commuter passes.

All tickets include access to all festival activities as well as admission to Six Flags Darien Lake Theme and Water Park.

Kingdom Bound 2019 will featuremore than 50 artists and speakers from across the United States and Canada including headlining performances from GRAMMY® nominated multiplatinum rockers SKILLET, two-time GRAMMY® winners and longtime attendee favorites for King & Country, and worship veteran Crowder.

Joining them will be worship music pioneers Bethel Music and Passion Music, two of the leading worship groups in the country. They’ll be joined by American Idol finalist Danny Gokey, radio hitmakers Unspoken, and more.

Also joining the 2019 lineup are worship ensemble North Point InsideOut, along with Paul Baloche, We Are Messengers, I Am They, and Western New York’s own Brothers McClurg.

Other festival events include Kids programs for ages 4-8, Amped Tent for 9-12 year olds, a special morning program for high school students, and late night activities, including bonfires, dance parties, and movies.

The festival will also feature more than 40 inspirational seminars including: national communicator Reggie Dabbs; Kevin Lehman, Ph.D.; Ben Stuart; Carol McLeod and more.

Single-day tickets for the festival are $64 nd include admission to Six Flags Darien Lake Theme Park and Waterpark. Four-day festival passes including park admission are available for $154.

Tickets are available online at www.KingdomBound.org, by calling 716.633.1117, or in person at the Kingdom Bound office – 8550 Sheridan Drive, Williamsville.

About Kingdom Bound

Kingdom Bound Ministries produces one of the nation's leading Christian music festivals that has been in operation for more than three decades. With a focus on Biblical truth and a reputation for excellence in ministry, Kingdom Bound is more than a music festival, as they’ve tackled relevant subject matter such as depression, youth, the opioid epidemic, health and wellness, parenting, self-esteem, the influences of modern media, and a host of other contemporary topics.

Dozens of volunteers converged on Watson Street in Batavia this morning for an act of mercy and ministry.

The volunteers from Eight Days of Hope are in town because of Kingdom Bound at Darien Lake Theme Park but their mission this morning was to rehabilitate the home of an 85-year-old widow, Miss Rose, on Watson Street.

"Our whole big thing is love and serve those in need," said Steve Tybor, director and founder of Eight Days of Hope. "There is so much need across America, so much discord right now in our country, we want to give people a glimpse of hope."

Eight Days of Hope is based in Tupelo, Miss., but Tybor said a satellite ministry will open in Buffalo in August. The focus of the ministry is serving those touched by natural disaster, such as residents of Houston after Hurricane Harvey. In Houston, 4,692 volunteers, over back-to-back eight-day periods, rebuilt more than 800 homes, doing more than $10.5 million in work for those victims.

"This is what we do after a natural disaster but this, in essence, is like a human disaster, where somebody has a need and nowhere to turn," Tybor said.

This morning, two hours into the work, the volunteers were more than halfway done with the home of Miss Rose, so the volunteers were turning to other tasks in the neighborhood.

They were in front yards up and down the block and on Jackson Street pulling weeds, cutting grass, trimming edges and looking for anything else they do could help out a neighbor in need.

"We're also doing landscaping door-to-door and helping the neighborhood take it up a notch as far as the looks," Tybor said. "They’re beautiful homes but sometimes people need an extra hand and that’s what our volunteers are doing."

The volunteers come from nine states, including from as far away as Texas.

"We’re a faith-based ministry but it's nine-different denominations," Tybor said. "It’s the Catholics and the Baptists and the Pentecostals coming together, setting aside our differences and just loving and serving people in need."

The home on Watson was identified with the help of Pastor Marty Macdonald at City Church. Last year, the ministry helped a Batavia veteran whose home had been flooded. Tybor said the ministry will be back in Batavia during next year's Kingdom Bound.

"We love Batavia," Tybor said. "We’re glad we’re here. We’re glad to be part of Kingdom Bound. It’s a great ministry and we’re going to do this every year during Kingdom Bound, find somebody in need in Batavia and just love and serve them."

A volunteer prays for Sgt. Dan Coffey after Coffey stopped on Watson to check out the work.

From a press release and other sources:

Tetelestai, an alternative metal band with members from Genesee County and Buffalo, will be performing at next week's Kingdom Bound festival at Darien Lake Amusement Park.

Founded in 2015 as a worship project, the band consists of: Ronnie Shrock, from Buffalo -- vocals; Andrew Perkins, from Stafford -- rhythm guitar; Paul Mitro, from Buffalo -- lead guitar; Marci Jonathan, from Batavia -- bass; and Nate Jonathan, from Elba -- drums.

Tetelestai will be playing on the Awaken stage inside the park at 1 p.m. on Monday, July 30^th.

The band's name derives from the Greek for “It is finished,” which is found only twice in the New Testament: In the Gospel of John (19:28 and 19:30) and nowhere else in the New Testament. According to John's Gospel, those were the last words spoken by Jesus of Nazareth, uttered before his death by crucifixion at Golgotha.

The band spreads a message of hope and love through their music and works to tear down the stigmas associated with mental illnesses.

Their music features heavy guitar riffs, breakdowns, double bass, and the occasional scream, although at heart there's the stillness of the worshipper. Their message of forgiveness, self-worth, love and hope is relayed with high energy and remarkable brashness that would be hard to forget.

Their sophomore album “Anxiety,” which is set to release this fall, delves into issues such as depression, suicidal thoughts, and of course, anxiety. The first single release from that album, "Good for the Soul," is out now.

Their music, including the new single "Good for the Soul," can be found on any music streaming platform or through their website at www.tetelestaiband.com

The Christian music festival at Darien Lake, which runs from July 29 to Aug. 1, will also feature top national Christian artists Toby Mac, Casting Crowns, Mandisa, Danny Gokey and for King & Country -- a total of more than 40 artists and speakers. Organizers expect the largest crowd in over half a decade to attend, bringing people in from across the United States and Canada, not only for the music but also lots of family-friendly activities.

About Kingdom Bound: 

Kingdom Bound Ministries Inc. exists to present the Gospel through a variety of art forms including concerts, outreaches and an annual performing arts festival; to bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and to encourage believers in their walk with God.

To purchase tickets or find out more information about the festival go to www.kingdombound.org/festival