SKILLET 'About Halfway Done' Writing Next Album

Reggie Edwards of The Front Row Report recently conducted an interview with SKILLET singer John Cooper. You can now listen to the chat below.

Speaking about the progress of the songwriting sessions for SKILLET's upcoming album, Cooper said: "We are recording this year. In fact, I am writing and demoing today, and I took a break to do some interviews. And then, after I talk with you, I go back and finish singing one of my songs and put it in. We're about halfway done with the writing process now, and we're looking to record this summer and release, kind of, as soon as possible, really."

Asked if SKILLET's next album will once again be a concept record, Cooper said: "I don't think that [it] will [be], but even with 'Rise', I didn't know that we were doing a concept record until we were actually recording; it just kind of hit me. So, never say never, but that is not the plan at the moment."

The band's upcoming album comes on the heels of 2013's "Rise", which debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 chart and ended up going platinum.

Cooper, who says he's really inspired lately, told Billboard that he has been working closely on music with keyboardist Korey Cooper, his wife and bandmate.

He said, "I haven't been this excited about writing a record in, like, seven years or eight years, and it's just been kind of a joyous time, actually. I've been signing autographs on the tour and meeting tons of people, and when I meet people like that it inspires me to write and I'm feeling inspired and just excited to still be making music and hopefully write songs that people can relate to and can make them feel better about themselves or help them through hard times."

SKILLET has dates lined up throughout the year.