The EP – which features alternative versions of songs found on the RIAA gold certified album, “AWAKE,” including the current top 5 Active Rock hit, #1 Christian Rock hit “Awake and Alive” – heralds the band’s upcoming US tour. Skillet will be among the bands participating in the “Avalanche Tour 2011,” joining such hard rock luminaries as Stone Sour, Theory of a Deadman, Art of Dying, and fellow Atlantic recording group Halestorm. The trek begins Thursday, March 24th at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom and then traverses the country through early May (see itinerary below).

“AWAKE” – which includes a trio of Active Rock and Christian Rock/CHR radio blockbusters including the current hit “Awake and Alive,” the RIAA gold certified “Hero,” and the RIAA gold certified, top 5 mainstream Active Rock smash, “Monster” – has proven a true sensation, with digital single sales from the album now exceeding 1.5 million. Produced by Howard Benson (Three Days Grace, Daughtry, Flyleaf), the collection was among the top 10 on Billboard’s 2010 “Top Alternative Albums” chart, with Skillet coming in at the year’s #7 “Top Alternative Album Artist” and # 2 “Top Christian Album Artist.” Furthermore, at the close of 2010 Skillet was one of 15 artists including the Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga and the Zac Brown Band to have remained on the Billboard Top 200 chart for 64 weeks or more, making “AWAKE” #74 on Billboard’s 2010 “Top 200 Albums.” “AWAKE” reached the #1 spot on the iTunes Store’s “Top Albums” chart within 24 hours of its August 2009 release, while simultaneously exploding into the #2 spot on the SoundScan/Billboard 200.

One of America’s hardest working live acts, Skillet spent much of 2010 on the road, touring alongside Atlantic labelmates Shinedown as well as headlining their own “Alive & Awake Tour” and twice co-headlining the “Awake Tonight Tour” with TobyMac as well as a summer tour with Creed. Following Avalanche Skillet will headline a vast array of summer music festivals including Creation, Alive, Sonshine, Lifefest, Kingdom Bound, Soulfest, Rock the Desert, Night of Joy at Disney World and more.

Founded in 1996, Skillet has earned rapturous praise for their inspirational and intense approach to hard-edged alternative rock. Hit Parader celebrated Skillet for “(bringing) to mind the kind of slick, studio-savvy work that made vintage Aerosmith and Bon Jovi so much fun to listen to.” “Skillet…continually push their musical muscle with soaring guitar work interspersed with their take on 80’s hair-metal ballads,” declared Mix.

For up-to-the-minute news and information, visit www.skillet.com or www.myspace.com/skilletmusic.

Skillet’s latest, "AWAKE," continues to propel the incredible momentum the rock outfit has going for them, receiving RIAA Gold certification in just 10 months (half the time of the GOLD selling COMATOSE), along with their hit Active Rock and Christian Rock Single, "Monster" also receiving the same honor. "AWAKE" hit the ground running with a blockbuster debut at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top 200, selling over 67,000 units and peaking at No. 1 on iTunes® “Top Albums” chart and “Top Rock” chart. The project has not slowed down in nearly two years, being named Billboard's #2 Top Christian Album and #9 Top Alternative Album of 2010. “AWAKE” boasts three Active Rock hits “Monster,” which was also AOL Music’s No. 4 mainstream rock song of 2009, the No. 1 Christian CHR & Rock single, “Hero,” which has been used by the NFL in their, Sunday Night Football and NFL Weekend Kickoff promos, and their latest hit and crowd favorite “Awake & Alive.”

Skillet's live show has brought down the house with their powerful and intense performance from coast to coast, consistently ranking within Pollstar’s Concert Pulse Top 50 Tours. Having toured with the likes of mainstream megastars Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, Shinedown, and more, Skillet has also co-headlined with Papa Roach, and headlined a slew of major Christian festivals - always leaving their fans wanting more. With cumulative sales approaching 2 million, the two-time Grammy®-nominated alternative rockers have also scored seven consecutive number one Christian radio singles, a 2008 GMA Dove Award for “Rock Song of the Year,” a 2009 nomination for Artist of the Year, a trio of singles on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock charts, and a pair of BMI Songwriting awards.

SKILLET – ON TOUR 2011
All Dates w/AVALANCHE TOUR 2011
Feat. Stone Sour, Theory of a Deadman, Halestorn, and Art of Dying
*for more dates
visit www.skillet.com or www.myspace.com/skilletmusic.

MARCH
24 Chicago, IL/ Aragon Ballroom
25 Milwaukee, WI/ Eagles Ballroom
26 St. Paul, MN/ Roy Wilkins Auditorium
28 Bloomington, IL/ US Cellular Coliseum
29 Fort Wayne, IN/Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
30 Nashville, TN/Nashville Municipal Auditorium

APRIL
1 Atlanta, GA / Masquerade Music Park
2 Tampa, FL /St. Pete Times Forum
3 Ladson, SC / Ladson Fairground
5 Huntsville, AL/Von Braun Center
6 Tupelo, MS/Bancorp South Arena
8 San Antonio, TX/ Illusion Theater at Alamodome
9 Corpus Christi, TX/Concrete Street Amphitheater
10 Grand Prairie, TX/Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie
12 Houston, TX /Reliant Arena
13 Wichita Falls, TX/Kay Yeager Coliseum
15 Belton, TX /Bell County Expo Center
16 Lubbock, TX / LoneStar Amphitheater
17 El Paso, TX/ El Paso County Coliseum
19 Tulsa, OK /Tulsa Convention Center Arena
21 Wichita, KS/ Hartman Arena
22 Springfield, MO/Shrine Mosque
23 Little Rock, AR/Arkansas State Fairground
26 Waterloo, IA/McElroy Auditorium
27 Grand Rapids, MI /DeltaPlex
29 New York, NY/Hammerstein Ballroom
30 Bangor, ME / Bangor Waterfront

MAY
1 Uncasville, CT/ Mohegan Sun Arena
3 Richmond, VA/ Richmond Coliseum
6 Burgettstown, PA/First Niagara Pavilion - X Fest
7 Charlotte, NC/Metrolina Expo Trade Center
8 Jacksonville, FL/ Rockville Festival - Metropolitan Park

For more info on Skillet, visit the JFH Artists Database.