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This comes out surprisingly fast after their last full-length, and maybe that's meant as an apology for how fucking stupid Wildfire was. I admit I was skeptical, as it seemed like Deströyer 666 were going down a more accessible path that would eventually lead to them into the same pit occupied by Arch Enemy, but this EP sees them improving quite a bit from the last time out.

It seems like Deströyer 666 are leaning more on the "thrash" side of their Black/Thrash formula these days, and that realization makes their current sound make a bit more sense. This is a quick but rather energetic release that shows off some chops and gets back to some of the aggression and anger that were always Deströyer 666 hallmarks. Opener "Violence is Golden" is a bit clean for my tastes, and KK is once again doing his more clean, deep bellowing than the rasping I prefer, but the song has some energy. "Stone by Stone" is better, with a catchy chorus and a much more aggressive vocal attack.

The title track is the best song here, with some of that old Deströyer 666 speed and fury back in the mix. The production still does not lean on the guitars as much as I would like, but eh. This song sounds a lot like classic Sodom and that's obviously what they wanted. Closer "Trialed by Fire" is a cover of the same song they put on their Terror Abraxas EP waaaay back in 2003. This version is a bit cleaned up and sounds more melodic, but still good enough.

I don't know, Deströyer 666 seem to be going in a cleaner, more accessible direction, and I just don't like it as well as their old sound. If you go back and spin Unchain the Wolves or Cold Steel for an Iron Age you hear so much more fury and heaviness, plus that atonal, feral riff style that has pretty much vanished. This EP is better than the embarrassing Wildfire, but it's still not amazing.