One of the more popular Christian rock bands of today, is Skillet. They have a unique style that ranges from grunge to nu metal and electro- industrial to alternative rock. You may even pick out a little goth metal if you listen to the right parts in the right songs.

The one cool thing about Christian rock music, much less Skillet's lyrics, is that they don't throw God and religion at you. The lyrics were "God's here. Love him," I don't think they'd be as popular.

You don't want to talk to people who are going to push religious believes on you, much less listen to a band that will. This is just another reason to like the band. You have to actually listen to the lyrics in order to pick out the images and religious ideals.

Currently, the band includes:

• John Cooper- vocals and bass
• Korey Cooper- guitar, keyboard, and backing vocals
• Jen Ledger- drums
• Ben Kasica- guitar

When the band started off, with their self- titled CD, Skillet, in 1996, the band consists of John Cooper (vocals and bas), Try McClurkin (drums), and Ken Steorts (Guitar). All three members coming from three other bands. It was this group of three that chose the name of the band.

Together the group recorded the second CD, Hey You, I Love Your Soul, and with the third CD, Invincible, Korey, John's wife, joined the band on the keyboard, Steorts left, and Kevin Haaland joined.

After the release of the third CD, McClurkin, also, left the band, which is when Lori Peters joined as the new drummer.

Haaland left before the band Alien Youth, and Ben Kasica took the position as guitarist.

Then in January of 2007, Lori Peters was announced that she was retiring from the band, and during Christmas, she trained Jen Ledger to take her place as drummer.

Ledger had just turned 18 at the time.

Cooper and Steorts' pastor convinced the pair to start the band in 1996. At the time Steorts was playing for Urgent City and Cooper was playing for Seraph.

But, when both of the band broke up, Steorts and Cooper decided that it was time for Skillet to make its appearance. Steorts was an older style rock musician, while Cooper a new- style musician, so their pastor had to give them the name- Skillet- in hopes that the music would just fall into place.

About a year later the pair added McClurkin, but they all knew that he wouldn't stick around. He had made that clear from the start.

After a month together, they signed with Forefront, a major Christian music record label, and later that year, their first CD was produced.

It's been a rocky road through guitarists and drummers, but what band doesn't have a loss here and there.

Today, the band has produced 7 hit CDs.

• Skillet- 1996
• Hey You, I Love Your Soul- 1998
• Invincible- 2000
• Ardent Worship- 2000
• Alien Youth- 2001
• Collide- 2003
• Comatose- 2006