Christian rock powerhouse
Skillet have
announced that they will be opening for mainstream rock staple Breaking Benjamin on a 2019 spring tour. Also opening the night will be Skillet frontman John Cooper's metal side project,
Fight the Fury. Cooper announced the project earlier this year and debuted the EP,
Still Breathing, in October. This will mark the first official US tour for the new side project.
The tour is also set to feature Underoath, who have a long relationship with the Christian rock market. Headliners Breaking Benjamin have never been officially affiliated with the Christian Rock scene, although many have picked up on some spiritual themes in a number of their songs.
It is currently unknown if Skillet will debut any new songs on the tour, as members have teased that a new full-length album is likely forthcoming sometime in 2019. Skillet drummer and backing vocalist Jen Ledger will spend the first months of the year touring on the Winter Jam Tour Spectacular as the lead of her side band, Ledger. With a tour of Russia also on tap for April, this additional tour will ensure that one of the hardest working acts in music will continue to mark another whirlwind year. Tickets for the tour go on sale December 14.
In addition, the band's latest effort,
Unleashed, just garnered RIAA Gold status selling over 500K copies. The distinction follows suit with the lead single, "Feel Invincible," which was RIAA Gold certified last year.
Unleashed is the fourth consecutive Skillet record to receive certification of either gold, platinum or double platinum. Likewise, "Not Gonna Die" just earned gold distinction, as found on their RIAA Gold certified album
Rise.
The multi-platinum selling group will close out 2018 with over 1 billion streams worldwide. Skillet again claimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Year-End Christian Streaming Songs Artist Chart -- an honor they have held since the chart's inception in 2014. The now RIAA Gold certified album
Unleashed placed No. 9 on Billboard's Year-End Top Christian Albums Chart. The band's double-platinum track "Monster" topped the Christian Streaming Songs Year-End Chart, while also claiming the No. 7 and 8 spot with "Hero" and "Feel Invincible" respectively. Skillet was No. 5 on the Top Christian Albums Artists Year-End Chart.
