I really like it - I wasn't a fan of Gene's for a long time, and only within the last handful of years started listening to the debut more regularly. Between Days of Purgatory and Alive in Athens, most of the songs were re-recorded or played live by Matt or even Stu.
I compared it to the demos briefly and love that they tightened the songs up - the tempos and arrangements are better and the songs don't sound like the band is going to come off the rails at any time. The maturity and musicianship shows through. Gene is the shining star on the EP - his vocals are incredible, and that's a huge compliment from me. The guy hasn't lost a step, and his clean vocals have some more grit and depth to them. The highs are on par with King Diamond, which is so cool to hear.
I think the lyrics suck, but they were written when these guys were kids, so it is what it is. I love that the band could put aside any differences as they've gotten older, reconnect, and give fans a proper recording of those old songs. Hopefully they can keep doing this - they recorded it in 9 days, so Jon could sneak it in again in between projects.