Skillet Frontman Is ‘Sick’ of the ‘Negative’ Influence Hollywood Has on Children + More

Two-time Grammy nominated Skillet are set to release their new album, 'Rise,' on June 25. The lead single, "Sick of It," was released on iTunes and radio on April 9 and in the meantime, the band has released a short teaser video of the track.

Noisecreep spoke with Skillet frontman John Cooper about the anthemic new single and the rest of the album, too!

John, how do you feel just before new work is released? Do you get nervous?

I do. But I also get very excited. With 'Sick of It' in particular, I feel great about the song and I feel very happy with the sound of it, the mix - everything. I know what it's like to be a fan of something and everyone has their expectations and so as an artist, I absolutely get a few butterflies about how people will react.

It seems people are getting more and more fed up with the state of the world. Does 'Sick of It' reflect that?

Absolutely. I try to write my songs about the way I feel and what I see around me and there is this feeling and most of us, I think, feel it. We see something like the Boston bombing and it's shocking, but not as shocking perhaps as it might have once been because of all the terrible things that happen today. And I think, 'you have got to be kidding me!' We are all sick of all this tragedy. The song is very angry sounding and very aggressive but that's real - that's how I feel about these things.

Are there other cuts on 'Rise' that get to this same idea of being frustrated?

I can tell you this the record is a concept album - each song has its own story but put together. Songs 1 to 12 tell a story about a basic everyday American teenager coming to grips with the all the terrible things happening in the world - the bombings, the shootings all these large-scale events. Then, of course, all of the things closer to home - pressures, bullying, fighting with parents. Then the concept deals with the teenager wanting life to change - to rise above. It's about finding faith and looking for a positive way out of these many messes in life today. It's very rallying and inclusive. I want people to rise together and make the world of better place.

Where the some things that you're personally sick of?

School shootings - of all the terrible things, that is the one that makes me the craziest - the one I can't deal with the most. The thought of innocent kids becoming targets - my God. In my own life, I'm sick of stress and listening to so many voices - all of them coming at you - trying to find the right one to listen. I'm also sick of Hollywood - the influence they have on our kids and the negative way that many films and things affect our kids.

John what were the records that you waited for growing up?

'Dr. Feelgood' by Motley Crue was a big one. Bon Jovi's 'New Jersey,' too. And anything that Guns did after 'Appetite.'

Skillet's ninth studio album, 'Rise,' will hit stores on June 25 via Word/Atlantic.