Did you know that Skillet has never released an EP before? Sure, if you want to get technical, they've released a few extended singles and a few EP-length collections of remixes, but 2026's After the Storm represents the band's very first foray into releasing brand new music in the EP format. This move also sees the band returning with new music relatively quickly; the band has spent the past 25 years dependably releasing a new album every three-ish years, whereas After the Storm arrives less than two years after the band's first fully independent album, 2024's Revolution. In some ways, this EP feels like a very wise act of course-correction for the 30-year-old band, since Revolution was widely considered to be one of the band's worst projects. (Revolution has its strengths and its highlights, to be sure, but it was doomed from the start when the album's worst song was released as its lead single; like it or not, it was not a confident first step into the band's independent era.) Simultaneously, crafting a short, concise EP would seem like another sharp decision by the band, since even the best of their recent albums (such as Victorious and Dominion) suffer from being front-loaded while feeling bloated in the back half. By all accounts, After the Storm successfully accomplishes these goals, proving that indie Skillet can make music that sounds just as good, and hits just as hard, as the greatest hits from their Atlantic Records tenure.

I won't bury the lede: This EP is all hits, no skips. Skillet sounds incredibly focused and zeroed in on this streamlined, fat-free set. From the crushing, exhilarating opener (and lead single) "Scream," this EP stomps on the gas and never lets up. The performances are muscular, the chorus hooks are capital-M massive, and the production is richly layered enough to reward repeat listens. I imagine that most fans of latter-career Skillet will agree that this EP is about as good as if they picked their six favorite songs off of any post-Comatose full-length. Best of all, the songs really follow through on their promises: the chorus of "Lift Me Up" will lift you up; the absolute thrills of "Grave Stomper" will have you kicking death to the dirt; and "Scream" concludes with frontman John Cooper delivering a guttural scream. Not only that, but the screams keep coming -- on a shocking five out of these six songs. For those of you who don't know, the band released a (frankly, awesome) cover of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" last year, which caused a minor controversy amidst a subset of Skillet's fanbase, due to how heavy the song gets toward the end, screams and all. (Some naysayers apparently went so far as to call it "demonic" to place hardcore screaming in a Christmas hymn.) And honestly, I respect the band so much for doubling down and recording what very well might be their most scream-heavy project ever. Sure, it's a bit formulaic that the screams always occur during the bridges of those five songs, but it's hard to argue with a formula that works this well. Screaming-Skillet will always be a winner in my book, and the execution here is perfect.

My biggest concern whenever diving into a new Skillet album is whether the lyrics will retread ground the band has already covered (for example, when "Rise Up" was released a mere six years after "Rise"). From a cursory look, the title of "After the Storm" had me worried that we'd be impeding upon the Dominion single "Standing in the Storm." To my surprise, the lyrics here are not only quite fresh, but also pretty thematically cohesive. Most of these songs are tackling the concept of looking for hope amidst hopeless scenarios, whether that's the decay of modern society all around us ("Scream") or internally feeling like we aren't as close to the Lord as we used to be ("After the Storm," "Come and Find Me"). Multiple tracks take aim at spiritual warfare and the lies of the devil (namely, "Grave Stomper" and "Heaven Help Us"); both offer incisive encouragements against the lies that are whispered into our ears, and I especially appreciate the bridge of "Grave Stomper," which reference's Genesis 3's protoevangelion ("Silence the shame / Stomp on the grave / Slaying the dragon / Crushing the snake"). Thanks to these thematic throughlines, details throughout the project -- such as consistent references to "screaming" -- feel cohesive rather than redundant, and the fact that the album ends with its two most hopeful tracks makes the six-song journey feel all the more intentional and cathartic. The only song that really falls short lyrically is "Lift Me Up," which relies on too many clichés (fire and flame metaphors, plus another "rise" chorus).

With John Cooper working as the primary songwriter, the bulk of the EP is co-produced and co-written by his wife and guitarist Korey Cooper. Her work here, as both guitarist and producer, is tight and direct, with many of the songs being carried by her groovy, djent-inspired power chords. Lead guitarist Seth Morrison's work here is also restrained and punchy, with brief guitar sweeps, fun ear-candy riffs, and melodic solos that never overstay their welcome or get too busy. New to the mix is producer Dave Cowell, best known for his work with Sleep Theory and Nevertel, who also has co-writing credits on half of these songs. To me, this is a dream team. Other regular collaborators will be missed (e.g., Seth Mosley, X O'Connor, Jericho Scroggins), but I would love to hear Skillet work with Cowell again. Rather than forcing Skillet into the trendy sounds of Sleep Theory, Sleep Token, or other modern metal hitmakers, Cowell helps them to recapture the sounds and polish of their biggest hits while adding some 2020s-leaning guitar tones, drum samples, and production magic.

My biggest gripe with After the Storm is simply that it features so little of Jen Ledger's singing. Her clean and clear voice provides such a perfect contrast and complement to Cooper's gruff distortion and near-constant vocal fry. I would even argue that many of the band's best songs from the past twenty years are the ones which feature her the most (such as "Victorious" and "Fire and Fury"). On this set, however, I don't hear her anywhere until "Come and Find Me," the EP's sixth and final track; and, true to form, her additions during the chorus help send the song to the stratosphere, making it an easy highlight. It's hard to call this a proper "criticism" since the preceding five songs are still great in Ledger's vocal absence (who, all the while, is tearing it up on the drums). But I can't help but wonder how much better some of the songs could be if she were singing on them, and it's especially odd when some songs even have parts that seem tailor-made for her (in particular, "How am I still standing?" and "Leaving the flood behind me" during the chorus of the title track).

It's hard to hear this EP and not hope that this is the future for Skillet. A new EP every two years instead of an album every three years sounds like a win-win for both the band and the fans -- especially if future EPs can maintain such remarkably high quality control. After the Storm is nothing less than six of the best songs Skillet has released in a long time, and I'm eager for the rest of the fanbase to get to hear them. If Revolution got off on the wrong foot, After the Storm stomps in to prove that the future is still bright as Skillet march onward into their independent era and the fourth decade of their career.

- Review date: 10/8/26, written by Chase Tremaine of Jesusfreakhideout.com