Christian rock band Skillet has announced its independent six-track EP, ‘After The Storm’, due for release on 9 October, alongside new single ‘Lift Me Up’ and an anime-inspired lyric video. The release is presented as a return to the band’s heavier sound and a personal exploration of betrayal, grief, resilience and hope, with frontman John Cooper saying he wrote the songs during a difficult period.

The EP follows ‘Scream’, which has exceeded five million global streams, and will be supported by a US headline tour beginning in October. Skillet says it now averages more than 12 million monthly Spotify listeners; its song ‘Monster’ has passed five billion global streams, while the band has sold more than 23 million albums and recently completed its largest European headline tour.