The Original Sin webzine  
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"Woooow!, what an impressive CD-single this is!!! They're a young Finnish band and they didn't want to bore me to death with giving me a detailed story about the band's past cos they thought there isn't anything to tell. OK, and even if there is, I'm sure that no one is interested how many bass players has come and go cos in the end it's only the music (and that's for you and me!) that counts. They describe their music as melodic, aggressive and atmospheric dark metal and really there is nothing left to say cos it's the perfect description for this four-track CD-single. This really sounds like if it's the music performed by people who are balancing on the border of hope and despair as it feels like their is an inner fight between agression (very brutal black metal voices, very Burzum-like) and solution (the keyboards who are really atmospheric, bombastic and melancholic), and that fight results in a very beautiful piece of work that is recommended to fans of bands like Eternal Tears Of Sorrow, Cryptic Wintermoon and Siebenburgen."
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Black Shrine webzine
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"SHIT, you guys have won the award for the lamest cover. This finnish mCD is a mix between melodic death, black and whatever else you might consider being melodic yet dark. Of course a band like this must have synths and catchy guitar riffs. Well, the production is professional. The musicians know what they are doing, which results in an overall good release. Raw Black Metal fanatics or old school death metal freaks won't enjoy this for long." Steel Madness webzine "The front cover looks like a gothic or pop release but the music isn't. If judging from the CD title, if you're guessing they are playing doom, so you are also wrong. Image-wise, they do not looks like Dimmu Borgir but the music does. From "From Sorrow To Sorrow", till the last track, "Until I Am Cold Enough", it have a strong DB feeling, especially with the keys and solos. What I like with new DB is their great melodic solos but the keys normally sucks. The same thing happen here. Because of the neat CD-single package and unusual front cover, I will keep this CD. Musically, nothing interesting. It is different is this is another copy of Dark Throne or Beherit since the 'evilness' present in their music but not in DB. Buy this one for the picture of Katja Piirainen." Rating: 3 / 5
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HellfireSodomizer 
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"Oli taas pakko ottaa näppis käteen ja ruveta taiteilemaan jotain juttua kun sain tämän levyn käsiini, on nimittäin aikasta perkeleen hyvän kuuloista dark metallia. Biisit ovat aika melodisia, mutta kunnon rytkettäkin löytyy tasapainoksi ja kaikenlisäksi soittokin kulkee pojilta hyvin. Yhtään aivan ylivoimaisesti parasta biisiä tältä miniltä ei löytynyt, mutta ei kyllä yhtään huonoakaan. Jään innolla odottamaan pitkäsoittoa ja runkkaamaan tätä levyä kuunnellessani..." Rating: 4,5 / 5
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Pohjola Metal webzine
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"Perkele! Itseäni ottaa siis aivan tuhottomasti päähän sellaiset bändit, joiden levyjä ei saa heti, tai ei sitten ollenkaan. No, ehkä tämän levyn löytymiseen vaikutti aika pitkälti se, että levyä on omakustannaisesti painettu vain noin 1100 kappaletta, ja luonnollisesti kaikki levyt on myyty pois jo kauan sitten. Onnistuin kuitenkin tällä kertaa saamaan omani. Mitä tulee sitten itse bändiin, niin Astray tulee pohjoisesta, kylmästä ja karusta maasta nimeltä Suomi - Finland - Perkele! Tarkalleen ottaen Kainuusta. Bändi on suht uusi tuttavuus, nimittäin sen perusti Markku Pääkkönen vuonna 1998! Musiikissa soudetaan viiden miehen voimin tunnelmallisessa dark/black -alueilla. Vaikutteita on nuoltu niin Dimmu Borgir:sta kuin Cradle of Filth:stäkin. Ja sitten itse levyyn... Levyn ensimmäinen raita starttaa nopealla ampiaiskitarasoololla, jonka jälkeen musiikkiin liittyy ihan hyvän kuuloista syntikkamelodiaa. Vokalisointi tuo mieleen välittömästi ...and Oceansin debyytissä käytetyn saman vokalisointityylin, joka on todella aggressiivisen kuuloista rääyntää. Harmillista oli rumpusoundi, joka kuulostaa jatkuvasti samalta lattealta lyömiseltä. Soundiin kuitenkin tottuu... Yleisesti ottaen biisi tarjoaa maukkaan kuuloisia kitarasooloja, sekä todella tunnelmallisia latauksia syntikoilta. "The beast is awake" -biisi antaakin jo alussa parhaimman kuvan syntikoiden kyvystä soittaa näitä tunnelmallisia melodia-aaltoja. Mitä tulee kitaratyöskentelyyn, niin se on paikoitellen heavymäistä, joka ei ole mikään huono piirre. Vesa Moilanen tarjoilee myös biisissä kivaa puhelua, kitaran antaessa kivaa tasaista melodiasointua. Sitten tullaankin MCD:n parhaaseen biisiin, nimittäin "Universal truth divine"! Rummutus on todella tasaista/mahtipontista mätkettä, ja syntikat: tässä biisissä, jos missä, niin kuulostavat todella erinomaiselta! Ensiksi syntikat antavat todella aavemaista -melodiaa, jonka jälkeen tuodaan niin sanottu päämelodia, jota nostetaan tasaisesti korkeammalle. Rummut iskevät todella hyvin yksiin syntikoiden kanssa. Kitarat vetävät saman tyylistä melodiaa syntikoiden kanssa heavymäisesti. Pelkästään tämä nostaa jo biisin arvoa, mutta lisää on tulossa: noin keskikohdilla kuullaan aivan älytön mättö- ja vokalisointinopeuskilpailu, joka alkaa aluksi tasaisella poljennalla. Tämä ehkä antaa jo pikkuisen osviittaa, siitä että jotain hullua on tulossa... Nimikkobiisi alkaa taas samantyyppisellä ampiaiskitara soundilla, kun ensimmäisessäkin raidassa. Tällä kertaa kuitenkin syntikatkin ovat tuomassa vauhtia mukaan, erityisesti alussa, äkkinäisillä "välähdyksinä". "Until I'm cold enough" -biisi on loppujen lopuksi todella nopea revitys, joka tarjoilee jo näköjään tuttuun Astray -tyyliin mahtavia kitarasooloja. Astray onnistuu väläyttämään musiikillaan ihan kivasti, välillä! Näitä välähdyksiä olisi kuitenkin jäänyt kaipaamaan enemmän... Mitään uusia ennenkuulumattomia ideoita ei kuitenkaan bändi ole kyennyt tarjoamaan juuri mitään. Ne onnistuneet kokeilut kuitenkin, joita bändi on siis onnistunut siittämään levylleen, niin iskevät varmasti moneenkin. Eli ei loppujenlopuksi mikään huono levy, ja kyllähän tätä kuuntelee; etenkin silloin kun lumivaippa laskeutuu maamme päälle. Menestystä metsästäessä olisi kuitenkin keksittävä niin uusia kuin omiakin ideoita. Muuten.... Hieno kansikuva!" (Izak) Rating: 3 / 5
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Marvin Garcia / Inverted Pater Noster Webzine 
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"As I glanced to the cover and inlay, there's a lady in red with a huge waste line in the middle of the snow. And there are kids which taking in position like of the gradeschool years, I thought this is another clumsy and boring record. This is Atmospheric Black Metal at it's best! Their rapid way of singing (the one I'm looking for) plus amazing guitar solo's, this is another classic in the making. A solemn guitar plucking plus synths for 10 seconds, then enter the piercing guitar with the powerful bass line and drums, you'll gonna jump from your seat upon hearing it. You'll also hear a Death Metal influence used in their own amazing ways."
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Peter Milán / Metal Hammer Hungary # Feb/2000 
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(translated in English by László Kaposvári)
"This young Finnish band was formed in 1998 by guitarist/drummer Markku Pääkkönen. They call their music "dark metal" but we can easily say it's black metal. The 4 songs on "Until I'm Cold Enough" are raw Nordic black metal with synths and typical BM-alike vocals. The guys are having the veins for song-writing, 'coz the trax are well-structured and the melodies are great, but their next stuff - a full length - will tell more… They're looking for a label right now." (8 out of 10)
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Georges Laforet / Pull The Chain newsletter # 19
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"Only four songs on this self produced mini cd… and everything that I have to say is good. ASTRAY comes from Finland and offers us with this first release a more than promising black/dark metal cd. The fact that these young Finns are heavily influenced by melodic black metal acts such as Cradle of Filth or Dimmu Borgir is more than obvious as you listen to tracks such as "The Beast is Awake" (my favourite one), "Universal Truth Divine" or "From Sorrow to Sorrow". Ultra fast vocal works (without the traditional boring high pitched screams), atmospheric key backgrounds and lotsa fast riffs are numerous. Some influences from the traditional Finnish death metal scene are present on here as well. As tons of their landmates, ASTRAY' songwriters seem to be able to combine (without any kind of obvious effort) intensity, violence and melody. For my opinion, "Until I'm Cold Enough" is an essential purchase for everybody into brightly composed black metal songs."
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Eric Bron 
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"The CD from Astray proposes an excellent Doom-Dark-Black-Metal, with very good vocals and keyboards atmospheres; the production and sound are excellent for what seemes to be a debut CD, 'cause everything sounds very professional indeed. The artwork and presentation are good, too, and very complete (lyrics, photos and contacts…). Musically, "From Sorrow to Sorrow" begins with a great atmospheric Black-Metal track, in pure Scandinavian contemporary and melodical Black-Metal wave (Dimmu Borgir, etc…); great!! "The Beast is Awake" sounds speeder, almost heavier, but always with great melodical background parts and an excellent guitare bridge. "Universal Truth Divine" sounds very powerfull and melodical (it makes me think to bands as Children of Bodom, for example), with good and not boring keyboards. "Until I'm Cold Enough" perfectly closes this excellent CD, with the faster drums and rythmics parts from the CD; excellent guitar riffs background. So I must say that Astrayis a very good "young band" in the European metal-stage, and that your band seems to be real hope for the year 2000… Your tracks are long but rather original, ambitious but not "intellectually boring" and mixes with some cleverness dark and black-metal… A real and good discovery indeed!!!"
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Teemu Lampinen / Magenta Nails newsletter # 0.2
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"There actually isn't very much Finnish in Astray. And they're the Finns!! I don't mean anything rude, but Astray is like an imported band of Norwegian (their brightest star) and British (their dirtiest bed and breakfast) darker metal. That's the what-is-it-with-this; I wondered my while why they sound so different, 'fore I realised they don't sound Finnish. Well, it's cold & dark in Finland too - after all, the band is from Kainuu - but this doesn't have the reindeer groove… You all have heard of Deadcentre Distribution, right? And some of you even remember Hallucatus. Well, Astray is a new band of Markku Pääkkönen, man who's involved with a forementioned affairs too. Even if herra Pääkkönen writes all the music, plays drums and lead guitars, Astray still is no one-man tyranny; there's four other lads posing in the pic and yes they're audible as well. "Until I'm Cold Enough" (self-financed MCD 1999) is their first effort and-yes!- a positive surprise. "What are good records made of?", I ask and you all go: "Good arrangements and catchiness!!". Well, they're all here and add some great guitar solos, good vocals (that "My wounds… I'll freeze them!" part in the title track is nothing but pain) and some good synths. I enjoy this shit. A lot for this being a Finnish dark metal release. Sounds are perfect (recorded in BRR-studio) and especially the bassdrum sounds kick snowman's butt. Guitars should've been mixed more up methinks, but all in all sounds rule. I really can give this the Teemu Tykkää - recommendation."
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Lord Ogronios / Eclipse 'zine # 5 
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"Young guys from Finland present on their debut work a typical sample of modern scandinavian… hmm,… they alone mark their music as dark metal indeed, but in my opinion, their music has the characteristic signs of melodic "swedish" black/death style, so, fresh, outlined tempo with melodic and dark rhythm guitars and aggressive screaming vocals. Compositions are worked out and well-played, properly used keyboards' colouring co-create cold atmosphere. Music doesn't miss melodics not even real energy and dark melancholy. The tempo combines mid-paced and faster parts, but nothing hellish, there's a lot of guitar solos that sound almost as heavy-metal ones, and in the whole… so, why don't call it dark metal actually? Maybe it would like to bring more own motives and worked out own originality. For me also would be better to harden, bring more aggression and rate yet. Nothing new but good modern dark metal."
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Aardschok Magazine 
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(translated in English by Ben van der Weg)
"It doesn't sound very promising of course to call your band "Asbak" (=Dutch for Astray) but fortunately it isn't bad at all what this Finnish melodic black metal band shows us. The band consists of 5 young men who debut with this MCD. All songs are rather melodic and epic and can be typed as modern keyboard-oriented black metal. As far as I'm concerned "Universal truth divine" is the best song because it's well structured and carries a great change of speed in it. That the band sometimes reminds me a little bit of Cradle of Filth and that the sound can also be improved somewhat doesn't bother me but it is a focus point for further releases. It's a very promising start for this band however."
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Shahrizwan / Random Fanzine # 4 
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"Again another excellent self-released product. This time it's Astray from Finland, who, among some others; impressed me with their enthusiastic package. Coining melodic and atmospheric dark metal as their musical style, the excellent production is more than welcomed. The songs themselves are very good and easy to get into, with a respectable handling of instruments. You could clearly witness some Dimmu Borgir-like atmospheres within the songs, and if there's any quirkiness felt, it's certainly for that very similarity. I'm looking forward their next output, which I'm confident enough will display more personal identity within it. And I have to tell you that the solos here are fucking excellent." (4 out of 5)
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Lars Jamne / Oskorei Magazine # 3 
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"This is a very professional self-financed MCD indeed, full colour flyers and full colour CD-single sleeve as well. The band call this atmospheric and cold dark-metal, still I think there are several black metal touches here and it's more black metal in my ears than dark metal.. Still, the quality is way above what's normally put out on CD's by the band itself nowadays I think. It's professionally recorded, professional layout and the music is very structured and most important enjoyable listening to. On this MCD you'll get four gloomy tracks lasting for nearly 20 minutes."
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Andrè Aaslie / Scream Magazine # 49
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"In red summerdress half way down in the snow we see a black metal make-uped girl with a sombre face. She illustrates maybe the albumtitle, who knows? What we know is that she is the cover of an incredible promising Finnish affair. This is a four track CD with very good production and with technical and symphonic black metal. The vocal performance is quite original and gives the band identity. Very promising!" (4 out of 6)
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Sami Tenetz / Suomi Finland Perkele magazine
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"Olisivatko Cradle Of Filth, Covenant ja Dimmu Borgir olleet innoittajina? Omaperäisyyttä voisi hakea hieman lisää, mutta kun kerran soitto sujuu mallikkaasti, niin mikäs tässä on kuunnellessa. Kuulemme Astraysta vielä!" (6½ out of 10)
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M. Walli / Dark Moon'zine # 6
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"On the cover of this MCD there's a black metal lady in red sitting in the snowy forest. Perhaps she's waiting 'til she's cold enough? Well, it seems that Finland has a new UG band to be proud of. The material is classy and atmospheric dark/black metal which should get the attention of everyone who liked albums such as "Aspera Hiems Symfonia" and "Forests of Witchery". Some touches of melodic death metal and guitar solos can also be found. Astray are still a young band but this is very promising stuff, they prove to be contenders to the Finnish shadowthrone without a doubt. If they keep going like this, who knows where they'll end up? Nuclear Blast? Well, let's hope not (as we are sooooo true and underground, eh…). Four great songs with both drive and aggression which should please everyone into northern stuff."
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Tomi Kalliola / Aftermath Music web-site
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"A young finnish band here with their self-financed MCD. Astray tries very hard to sound like Covenant and partly succeed in it too. I don't quite understand why Astray has decided to release this as a MCD because for demo this would be an acceptable, well perhaps even a good release, but for a MCD this is not. All of the songs are pretty good, altough very unoriginal and unimaginative… Main problem here is the drummer who is not very gifted and should rehearse much more and also the sounds are very annoying and not nearly good enough for this kind of music. I have to give credit to the guitarist though, as the guitar solos are excelent. All friends of modern-soft-synth-soaked-black/dark metal should check this out though because with some more rehearsing this band might be the next Covenant or Dimmu Borgir… But does anyone really want more Covenant / D.B. clones? No, me neither." (5 out of 10)
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Kreivi Korppi / Taiwaz - the hell of Finnish metal - web-site
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"Until I'm Cold Enough is an impressively strong debut, especially from a band that's been together hardly a year. The cold dark metal that band is playing sounds interesting. A slight touch of Cradle Of Filth and Dimmu Borgir can be heard. Songs are melodic and atmospheric, and the players seem to know their instruments (a big hail to the singer, Vesa!). More originality would be needed, though, that the band wouldn't drown into the masses of many bands alike. More hooks that the listener can crab on (like the fast part in "Universal Truth Divine"!). The chief of the band, Markku Pääkkönen, has composed all of the songs, and he truly is a talented lad! His compositions and Vesa's lyrics create impressive cold atmospheres. The music is very enjoyable. Even wider visions, more agressive and raw production and more playing hours will really make Astray hit the top. I'm already waiting for new material!"
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Levyluola - web'zine
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"Varsin asiallisen oloisten kansipapereiden perusteella oletin Astrayn olevan jotain hieman goottivaikutteista rymistelyä, mutta tietystihän tämän piti olla puhkikulutettua ja pakkasenraiskaamaa syntikka "blackmetallia" (suhtaudun kyseiseen termiin nykyisin tietyllä varauksella). Neljän biisin Mini-cd ei pysty tarjoamaan metallinnälkäiselle sudelle juurikaan minkäänlaisia makupaloja, lähinnä päinvastoin. Astrayta on tietyissä piireissä kutsuttu Arcturuksen ja Dimmu Borgirin risteymäksi, tietysti vaikutteita löytyy, lähempänä Arcturuksen "Aspera hiems symfoniaa" kuitenkin ryhmä seilailee/sekoilee. "Until I'm Cold Enough" on sen verran keskinkertainen julkaisu, että en keksi oikein mitään sanottavaa koko MCD:stä. Kaikki kliseet vain seuraavat toinen toistaan, melodiat on käytetty miljoona kertaa aiemmin, eivätkä biisit sisällä minkäänlaista tarttumispintaa. Onneksi edes Vesa Moilasen rääkkyminen jotenkin erottuu paljonpuhutusta "harmaasta massasta". Lähin vertailukohde lienee Throes of Dawnin Henri "Kaamos" Koivula, mutta on sanomattakin selvää… joo, jätetään sanomatta. Astrayn ainoa onnistunut biisi tuntuu olevan nimikkobiisi "Until i'm cold enough", jossa sentään on jonkinlaista potkua ja vieläpä Moilasen sairaanloinen sanojen viskelykin toimii. Olen pahoillani Astray, mutta jos meinaatte jotain saavuttaakin, niin laittakaa hyvät miehet jotain omiakin ideoita seuraavalle tuotokselle. MCD rokkaa kuin mummoni vanha ompelukone. Hienot kannet."
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Aapo Herrala / Aorta web'zine
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"Sanokoot muut mitä lystää, vaan minun mielestäni Astray soittelee ihan helvetin hyvää musiikkia! Tyyliksi määritellään dark metal ja melodioita löytyy runsaasti. Mukana on todella näppäriä kitara-sooloja, laulu on aggressiivista, mutta yksi ärsyttävä puoli rupeaa häiritsemään jos siihen rupeaa kiinnittämään huomiota: rummut pitävät kummallista räpsyttely ääntä. Myönnettävä kuitenkin on, ettei tämä mitään liian omaperäistä ole, mutta jos hommat toimii ja muuten musiikki on hyvää, niin kyllähän tätä paljon mieluummin kuuntelee, kuin turpaansa ottaa!"
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Normendahl / Aorta web'zine
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"Tätä on erittäin vaikea sanoa, mutta… "Until I'm Cold Enough" ei ole levy minun mieleeni, vaikka siitä kovasti yritinkin pitää. Musatyylinä on ns. kylmä dark metalli, joka ilmeisesti tarkoittaa mielikuvituksettomia bläk-riffejä sekä kappaleiden päällä tylsästi vellovia koskettimia. Bändin soittotaidoissa tosin ei ole mitään valittamisen aihetta ja myöskin soundit ovat erinomaiset. ASTRAYllä ei vain tunnu olevan sitä magiikkaa, jolla yksilöt erottuvat massasta."
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