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I have to admit, I thought I would be hearing something completely different when I first listened to Led to the Grave's new EP, Sent to Burn. I am not familiar with their prior work. When I spun Sent to Burn there was a definite old school mindset to be heard. Songs like "American Marquis de Sade," "Metalwhore" and "Bloodrott" sound as if they were taken from a late 80s German Thrash release. Signs of early Kreator and Sodom are evident.

That said, the music didn't thrill me all that much. Let to the Grave move quickly between Death and Thrash while providing some True Metal touches like semi-melodies, energetic solos and neck-breaking vocals. However, most of the songs are repetitious, and I'm talking about within the songs themselves, not just between different tracks. The band tends to use their solid riffs extensively and that's nice, if on a song or two. Unfortunately, the same riffs are heard throughout Sent to Burn.

In the area of production, I wasn't expecting much as we're talking old school as well as a more "home studio" approach. Led to the Grave seem to have done everything in their power to stay true to an older sound, but a bit of the modern can be heard. Generally, aside from some mastering problems with the lead guitar, I liked the overall sound of Sent to Burn. The bottom line is, if you're looking for something simple, old school and to the point, check these guys out. Sent to Burn is a solid effort and should be heard.