For our 7th annual Highlighting feature, we split the year into TWO pieces -- January to June and July to December. Normally, we select our top 25 most anticipated releases for the whole year, but we realize that it's tough to really gauge EVERYTHING that may release throughout a given year when we're making the list in January. So, for 2012, we split the year into TWO pieces -- January to June and July to December, and we're using this format again for 2013. Also, each list contains 15 artists/releases for a total of 30 in total for 2013. So, without further ado, we give you Highlighting First-Half 2013!

	5 of 15   #5. Skillet Rise Release Date: May 2013 A panhead since 1996 myself, I've loved to watch the exciting rise of Skillet to the massive entity they have become. Unfortunately, Awake was underwhelming to put it mildly, but with three and a half years since its release, the original panhead in my heart is hopeful that whatever this rock quartet cooks up this time around will blow us away...         - John DiBiase It's hard to imagine that this band has been around for over 16 years, going through the post-grunge phase on their first release in 1996 to a techno-rock sound on the next album and then to a nu-metal sound beginning with Collide. Skillet has proven themselves to have staying power with its devoted fans and songs that are unforgettable, like "Whispers in the Dark." Hopefully the band will provide a remarkable venture on this upcoming album.         - Wayne Myatt Okay, Skillet, give us something new. 2013 marks four years since the release of Awake, and that's far too long. John Cooper and friends surely have at least one more great album in them, but making us wait this long for it is truly torturous. Let's hear it already!         - Roger Gelwicks Skillet has been leaning heavily towards softer, radio-oriented material to fill out their albums lately. It would be interesting to hear them rock out from beginning to end again like 2003's Collide or 2001's Alien Youth.         - Alex "Tincan" Caldwell Awake just didn't work in many ways, so there's no telling what will happen this time around. Here's hoping for something new and exciting, like when we first heard Comatose.         - Timothy Estabrooks What an incredible past few years for Skillet, with Comatose and Awake both being widely received, here's hoping the rockers can keep up the momentum with this new album.         - Cortney Warner Visit our Skillet page for more information about them... 2013 Countdown: 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 ©January, 2013 Jesusfreakhideout.com