Skillet just gave fans in Sofia, Bulgaria something nobody else on the tour is getting — the world premiere of their brand-new single "Scream" *. On May 14, 2026, at Arena 8888, frontman John Cooper and the band unleashed the track live for the first and only time this run, and fan-filmed footage is already making the rounds *. Cooper told the crowd the single drops in June, explaining he wrote "Scream" as a response to all the anger and conflict tearing through the world right now *.
This isn't just another Skillet song — it's part of a heavier direction the band's been teasing since late 2025 *. When they confirmed new music was coming back in December, Cooper hinted they were going back to lower tunings they haven't touched since 2003, leaning into metal territory harder than they have in years *. They even dipped into progressive metal on their 2025 Christmas single "O Come O Come Emmanuel," and the new material is supposed to bring more of those progressive rock elements they've been exploring in their live shows *.
With Revolution barely a year and a half in the rearview — that album dropped in November 2024 — Skillet's clearly not slowing down as they close in on their 30-year anniversary *. Cooper's been busy off-stage too, writing books like Awake & Alive To Truth and Wimpy Weak And Woke, but it's clear the band's focus is on pushing their sound forward *. If "Scream" is any indication, the heavier, more progressive Skillet is exactly what longtime fans have been waiting for.