In a bold move, Skillet, the long-standing Christian rock band, has parted ways with their record label Atlantic after nearly two decades. This is a big shift for the group as they are currently gearing up to release new music independently through their Hear it Loud imprint.

The band's upcoming single, "Unpopular", will see its debut on August 9, followed by their new album, Revolution, which is scheduled for release on November 1.

Skillet's frontman, John Cooper, talked with Billboard and shared a mix of apprehension and excitement about the transition:

"After this long, we’ve learned enough about our audience to know what they want to hear. We have a pretty good handle on that now, so it’s time for us to be pushed out of the nest, or maybe jump out of the nest.

There’s a part of me that didn’t like it because I don’t like new things. I don’t try new food. I don’t like going to new destinations. My wife makes fun of me.

I had some really good relationships, so that was the hard part is that I liked the people that I worked with a lot and learned a lot from them. But it just felt like a new season. It just feels like it’s time for a change.”

The decision to go independent was driven by the desire for quicker music production and release timelines. By eliminating the traditional approval processes that often slow down the industry, Skillet wanted to adopt a more fast-paced approach to their ideas:

One of the things about being independent is being able to make quick decisions. There’s not this chain of people that need weigh in on it. The system takes a really long time. Instead, I wrote a song and we recorded it eight days later. That is a huge benefit. With the change in pace of technology and of the industry, that was important to me to be able to make quick decisions.

Additionally, the group admitted that increasing international popularity played a crucial role in their decision to take on the indie route. The realization of their broad global reach was a big factor in band's motivation to embrace the independent route and seize an opportunity to connect more directly with their fans.

Looking ahead, Skillet seems to have ambitious plans for their new phase, including potential expansion of their Hear it Loud imprint to include other artists. Cooper's immediate focus remains on the launch of "Unpopular", out this Friday, which sets the tone for their upcoming album, Revolution.

1. Showtime
2. Unpopular
3. All That Matters
4. Not Afraid
5. Revolution
6. Ash In The Wind
7. Fire Inside of Me
8. Defector
9. Happy Wedding Day (Alex’s Song)
10. Death Defier