“Dead Eyes See No Future” was one of the better songs on 2003’s “Anthems of Rebellion,” which was a platter overwrought with mostly forgettable material. In any case, the EP begins with the aforesaid track and segues into a bevy of interesting inclusions.

“Burning Angel,” a track from “Wages of Sin,” was recorded live in Paris. The sound is surprisingly impeccable: Gossow’s vocalizations are deeper than expected, the guitar parts are absolute perfection, and the drums mix in quite well. “We Will Rise” also managed to be recorded live, and – although the sound is adequate – the song is basically of no consequence. A cover of Megadeth’s “Symphony of Destruction” follows with its heavy instrumentation. Amott and co. have downtuned, which make the track somewhat awkward; Gossow’s vocals are not enjoyable this time around. In other words, her vocalizations are just too gruff. If you’re looking for an excellent cover of “Symphony of Destruction,” check out Nightwish’s rendition. Manowar, by proxy, rear their heads in “Kill with Power.” And, the disc is rounded out by a version of Carcass’ “Incarnated Solvent Abuse,” which is a formidable romp.

Ultimately, “Dead Eyes See No Future EP” is an extraneous addition to a catalogue that already boasts more than one unnecessary outing. Before this EP, I could really only strongly recommend “Black Earth” and “Burning Bridges” from the Arch Enemy discography. After this EP, that said recommendation remains the same.

[This review was first published on the now defunct scandinavianmetal.info webzine]