Leathermouth - XO [Album]

Epitaph

Can bands be that shit and persuade the world that they are good? You know when you hear something new for the first time and think, "That is absolutely wank, yet somehow it works". This is the case with Leathermouth's debut album release. All ten tracks are an assault of murderous distortion and dirty guitar riffs. If you could get two or three cats into a room, throw in some cat nip and a chainsaw, stick a mic in amongst all the carnage then you would eventually discover the sounds of Leathermouth. The tracks are very short, the longest being 3min 5secs. For a band with this sort of style this is very credible and frankly i[in this instance] a saviour. There doesn't seem to be any clarity at all, they are messy, scrappy, shouty and trying a bit too hard. Their punk attitude just enhances their inability to make quality tunes.

Vocalist Frank Iero does have a lot of potential. Track 09 'Bodysnatchers 4 Ever' teases you with his voice on its own, minus all this shouting nonsense. Around 1min 20secs in he demonstrates a very similar voice to Zach De La Rocha from Rage Against The Machine. This is a shame really as he covers it up with his being murdered voice for the majority of the album. A lot like Corey Taylor in some of his old records, the guy has an amazing vocal talent but wastes it in his older material [Obviously Stone Sour's - 'Bother' totally pisses all over my last comment about Taylor]. Now for those who don't know Frank Iero, he is the rhythm guitarist for My Chemical Romance. I think that pretty much says it all.

This album is one hell of a meal to listen to in one sitting, definitely not for the morning, or bedtime in fact. Maybe tolerable on a friday night getting ready to go out after a few bevies with the lads, ready to get messed up and fight for absolutely no reason.

Otherwise stay away.