Creed

"I'm pleading as you're leaving/I'm begging you to stay/I'm not the man I used to be/I've changed." "Away in Silence"

Five years ago, Wind-up Records recording artist Creed disbanded in what turned into an acrimonious split that left lead singer Scott Stapp and the rest of the band—guitarist Mark Tremonti, drummer Scott Phillips and bassist Brian Marshall—on opposite sides, each pursuing separate careers, with Stapp as a solo performer, the other three forming Alter Bridge.

After, multi-platinum albums in 1996's My Own Prison (6 million), 1999's Human Clay (11 million) and 2001's Weathered (6 million), the last two debuting at 1 on the Billboard Top 200, selling a total of more than 26 million in the U.S. alone, with hits like "My Own Prison," "Torn," "What's This Life For," "One," "Higher," "With Arms Wide Open," "My Sacrifice" and "One Last Breath," Creed had hit a roadblock.

A meeting at an Orlando hotel, where Stapp and Tremonti exchanged pictures of their families, resulted in a reconciliation and a decision for Creed to tour with its original line-up. Not wanting the shows to spotlight just their past "greatest hits," the reunited band entered the studio with noted producer Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Daughtry, Flyleaf, Motorhead, Papa Roach), and the resulting album was aptly dubbed Full Circle, indicating Creed's long journey to the present, or as Stapp and Tremonti both put it, "a second chance to make a first impression with each other and our fans." Indeed, Full Circle represents the band at its best, with the first single, "Overcome," spotlighting Creed's remarkable transformation and welcome comeback onto the rock scene. "Everything we are and used to be/Is buried and gone," claims Stapp. "I'm entitled to overcome."

"In order for us to write and create as truthfully and honestly as we did in the past, we needed that bond, that trust, to exist between us again," says Scott. "The sincerity of these songs reflects the rebuilding of the friendship."

They may be renewed, but the band's brand of melodic rock, with its anthem-like choruses and wide-screen canvas is both harks back to their prime and points the direction into the future. "It's funny how times can change," sings Stapp. "Rearranging distance makes/The pain fades away."

With a tour on tap after starting the album, Creed knew they had to seize the opportunity and work as hard as they ever had. "This is a brand-new Creed," explains Stapp. "We kind of lost our individual identities along the way. We've had a chance to establish our lives outside the band, growing as men in terms of life's responsibilities, taking care of our wives and children. We all have a renewed sense of self-confidence and security in ourselves."

Songs like "Away in Silence," written by Stapp to his wife to mark the day back in November, 2006, when she almost walked out on him, an event Scott claims was the turning point in changing his life.

With Full Circle now complete, Creed is ready to move on to the next phase, which involves keeping their individual outside projects, such as Alter Bridge, going in between gigs with the band.

"I would hope Creed is still our 1 priority," says Stapp. "We won't let anything get in the way of that. The group comes first with me."

He explains that new songs like "Overcome" and "Song You Sing" ("Woke up and had a face-to-face/Guess my reflection had a lot to say"), like "My Own Prison," are actually inner dialogues. "I'm finally at ease with myself," he says. "No matter how far you get knocked down, how numb you are, you're entitled to a life, to make the right decisions and choices to overcome those obstacles. Working on this album together helped cultivate and was a catalyst in dealing with certain things we maybe didn't have the words to talk to one another, but it comes out in the music.”

"Close the door/And don't look back" "Full Circle"

"We're just as passionate about the music we make as ever, maybe more," concludes Tremonti. "Going forward, we want to continue to make better and better records. We certainly haven't gotten comfortable with where we're at. We're all driven, especially now, to make the best music we've ever done."

On Full Circle, Creed have done just that. And this time, it appears they're here to stay

Skillet

The Grammy-nominated alternative outfit scored three top 40 singles on Billboard's Mainstream Rock charts, earned a pair of BMI Songwriting Awards and released its first ever concert CD/DVD combo pack in support of the season called Comatose Comes Alive.

Aside from the commercial accolades, the Grammy-nominated modern rockers are rapidly approaching gold sales status, backed by both public adoration and critical praise, making the brand new Awake (Atlantic) the band's most anticipated album to date. Not only does Skillet continue in the tradition of bone crunching rockers and melodic power ballads that comprised the last trip to the studio, but there's a noticeable evolution sure to connect with longtime listeners and open the floodgates of its fan base even further than ever before.

"We found Comatose scoring the most acceptance in terms of album sales, ticket sales and radio airplay out of any of our albums so far, so there's certainly a continuation of that direction," unveils singer/songwriter/bassist John Cooper of the current collection. "But we never want to make the same record twice and that's why Awake keeps it fresh and surprising. We've built off several of the epic elements, orchestration, piano parts and male/female vocal trade offs on several songs, but there's also a balance of straight up rock stuff and tunes that are a little bit stripped down in comparison." In addition to the increasingly cohesive chemistry by the famed front man, keyboardist/vocalist Korey Cooper, guitarist Ben Kasica and drummer/vocalist Jen Ledger, having all-star producer Howard Benson (Daughtry, My Chemical Romance, P.O.D., The All American Rejects, Hoobastank) behind the boards helped the band reach its most compelling conclusion to date.

"We're living in crazy times right now between the news that seems to get crazier every day and all the uncertainly throughout society in general," concludes Cooper. "Sometimes it doesn't seem like there's hope, and sure you can choose to give up, but why not face it 'Awake and Alive'? Why let what's going on around you keep you down when there's so much hope that a new day can bring? Everything we sing about on this album is something someone can relate to, and if anything, the songs will let you know you're not alone."