LÄÄZ ROCKIT is the perfect example of the band who would like people to believe they’re a Thrash Metal band when they have never been one. You can’t erase your past so easily and even if you could, to write Thrash material you need to feel it, to understand it and not just come in your studio and suddenly say, “Okay we’re gonna play everything fast, we’re gonna riff real fast”… which is obviously what LÄÄZ ROCKIT did adopt as attitude since the “Nothing Sacred” days. “Left For Dead” is in a lot of aspects just a follow up to that record, at least with songs like ‘Brain Wash’ and ‘Turmoil’ (two pseudo Thrashy songs which are fortunately rather enjoyable), ‘Erased’ (a mid paced tune with a great melody stamped over it, Jellum and Kettner still kick ass on guitars), ‘My Euphoria’, ‘Ghost In The Mirror’ (a somewhat melodic tune yet with a super edge where ROCKIT shines the best I have to say, kinda reminiscent of METALLICA circa “Metallica”). Everything has a reverse side and you also get your dose of groovy, angry bullshit with ‘Liar’, ‘Delirium Void’, ‘No Man’ as usual I guess it’s natural for them to write stuff that sounds actual… what a fuckin’ loose attitude guys to follow trends instead of remembering what Metal should sound like. But this said in their case it’s still very minimal comparing to the bullshit delivered by bands like EXODUS, SLAYER etc these days. I’m quite surprised by the quality of this record in the end, it’s nothing like a must to have BUT just like a typical LÄÄZ ROCKIT album, it’s an okay album with its ups and downs. Also Coons hasn’t lost anything of his powerful voice and that’s a positive point because it was hard to know what to expect from him after years of substance abuse. www.laazrockit.com, www.massacre-records.com