Singer/bassist John Cooper leads his comrades through a set of ballad-heavy tracks filled with spiritual conflict and romantic anguish. Cooper’s throat-searing vocals drive home the desperation within “Forgiven,” “Monster,” and “Hero” (the latter featuring some equally urgent singing by drummer Jen Ledge). Though many of the tunes here are decidedly dark, “Awake and Alive” offers a God-centered battle cry as stirring as any Skillet has recorded.