Review by JD on August 10, 2009.

What is fast as a hummingbird on speed, furious as a huge pack of Tasmanian Devils feeding on the dead and has drumming that can cause major brain damage if played for way too long? Holland’s Led Astray is the band that brings that out for your listening pleasures.

Sounding as if they are BrainDrill (Metal Blade artist) on way too much coffee, Led Astray pummels you with some seriously intense blasts of sonic might. Lightning fast drumming and laser sharp guitars pounds you into submission... while the bassist seems to want to gouge your brain out with a dull butter knife with how heavy he puts down his low-toned craft.

Musically, I don’t think that you can get any more solid... but it is vocally that this crumbles a bit. Seems that Led Astray took a page out of Black Metal masters Emperor’s line of tricks... but that was not a great idea. Set so low in the mix, the vocals are pretty much muddied right out of the recording... and seems to be wasted.. I have listened to many Death, Doom and other styles of metal over the years, and this is the first time that I could not make out the words... or even pick out the vocals.

It pains me to have to do this to a band that is musically so good and really powerful that it can curdle milk a half mile away... but my rating for this band needs to be done and done where I can sleep at night. I am honest about every rating I have ever given out... but that don’t mean I am a gonna have to like it either.

Categorical Rating Breakdown　

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 6.5
Production: 4
Originality: 4.5
Overall: 5

Rating: 5.6 out of 10