This year has been so varied in term of releases. It’s the variety that calls the eye immeadiately when I receive the emails cointaining the albums to review. It’s fantastic to realize all kinds of Metal music were complated from the most obscure Doom Metal to the highest speed of the light Speed Metal. It’s not only the cutting edge Metal music, but also the many echos that are real remainings of our glorious past were present here at our pages.
Here we’ve got one more holders of the axe of the NWOBHM called Leatherhead with their self-tittled album “Leatherhead” with a very their very peculiar view of the 1980’s. I say very peculiar because Leatherhead aren’t inspired on the most notorious icons of that time. Their inspiration come from bands that aren’t the ones fan immeadiately remind when the 1980’s are addressed. The first impression came with album warmer “From Beyond” and following track “Equinox” which gave a very strong taste of Overkill. It’s Overkill with a faster instrumental, if you know what I mean. That’s the first mandatory impression my dear child of the night will have with the album. The speed the band gives to the song is really something to be proud of. The second impression comes with “Dressed to Kill” – no, not the Kiss cover – where vocalist Tolis Mekras embodies Queensrÿche’s Geoff Tate with all his heart and lungs. I must say I got very satisfied with the out come. His voice gave the Speed Metal oriented instrumentals that something else that makes a band stand out from the crowd. And, of course, that made me come back in time when I first heard Queensrÿche’s “The Warning” – a milestone in my Metal music life. Useless to say a mandatory album in the life of any metalhead of any Metal subgenre. In fact, to some extent, Leatherhead fill the void of aggressiveness that lacks in Queensrÿche – so sorry, that’s true. Ok, I’ll burn in hell for this.
“Leatherhead” is an album I loved so much to listen to. I would be lying if I said it is a mere copy of some sort. No, it isn’t. For the metalheads that don’t know Queensrÿche it’s an invitation. For the ones that do, it’s also an invitation to listen to both. Loud! Very loud!
Leatherhead “Leatherhead” will be released on October 25th via No Remorse Records.
- From Beyond
- Equinox
- Dressed to Kill
- Vampire’s Kiss
- When Death Is Near
- Into The Werewolf’s Lair
- Judge Steel
- Under Your Bed
- The Awakening
- Leatherhead
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!