AtlanticWhen an artist puts out a deluxe version of an album, it often includes songs left over from that record’s writing sessions. However, Skillet‘s new Victorious: The Aftermath collection — an expanded version of the band’s 2019 effort Victorious — includes frontman John Cooper‘s favorite song written for the original project.
That song is called “Dead Man Walking,” and is one of three previously unreleased new tracks included on The Aftermath. Speaking to ABC Audio, Cooper shares that “Dead Man Walking” has a bit of an “industrial” feel that may remind you of artists such as Nine Inch Nails, Rob Zombie or Marilyn Manson.
“It’s heavy, but it’s also got a groove and a little bit of a swagger to it that’s maybe like Rob Zombie or something like that,” Cooper explains. “It’s got a little bit of that disco metal that I really like, and it’s kinda comic book-y in the lyrics, and it’s fun.”
“That is actually my favorite song on the whole record,” he adds.
Another one of the unreleased songs is a cut called “Dreaming of Eden.” That track references Skillet’s Eden graphic novel series, which Cooper describes as a story of “light and love and hope changing the world.”
“It just kinda felt appropriate because of the times we live in to put [‘Dreaming of Eden’] on [the deluxe],” Cooper says. “I was, like, ‘We have to add that to it,’ so that’s kinda special for me.”
Along with the new songs, The Aftermath includes several remixes, as well as piano-based, “reimagined” versions of songs from the original album, which Cooper feels shines a greater light on the lyrics.
“People connect with it, I think, on a more emotional level,” he says. “You hear what the song is about.”
Victorious: The Aftermath arrives this Friday.
By Josh Johnson
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