First Impressions is a segment where we let you into our early thoughts on a highly anticipated album, This week, we have our early views on Skillet’s Portals. It drops August 25, 2009.

Given their last record was entitled Comatose, the decision for Skillet to entitle their new record, Awake is only fitting. Not only does it flow with the record titles [which I’m sure only us music nerds care about], it allows for people to make a more obvious connection between the works. Starting off with the unedningly heavy, “Hero,” Awake wastes not time giving fans plenty to cheer about. Much like the last record, stringed orchestral instruments do make a lot of appearances, but it’s not to the point it feels like an album we’ve heard before. In fact, I would say this record easily stands out as the best work the band has done in years, possibly of their career. Tracks like the soon to be released “Monster” as well as “One Day Too Late” and the amazingly titled, “Should’ve When You Could’ve” all resonate long after they’ve ended. In fact, the majority of the album plays in a very compelling fashion and of course carries brilliantly worded talks about the group’s beliefs and the love of Christ. You know what? I know I’m going out on a limb here, but I predict this record will be at least twice as successful as the last. This is it. This is the one that will fully bring Skillet into the mainstream spotlight.