LEATHERHEAD Album Review: “Leatherhead”

LEATHERHEAD
“Leatherhead”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

10/10

Leatherhead are a heavy metal band from Greece formed in 2022 releasing their self titled debut album in 2024.

Blending the pace of power metal with the aggression of thrash and the iconic “foot on the monitor” feel of traditional heavy metal, Leatherhead come storming out of Larissa at a hundred miles an hour – the Greek metallers fired up and ready to batter every metalhead around the world with speedy, infectious, and highly head bang-able heavy metal! And what a fucking impact the band make with the album opener – more on that in just a moment as the one minute tension fuelled intro ‘From Beyond’ sets up a highly anticipative and eerie atmosphere for the (album) opener, the expectation level rising off the charts – and for very good reason too, the opener ‘Equinox’ surging outta the blocks at tremendous speed…

…a speed faster than the speed of fucking light! Leatherhead are quite possibly at maximum velocity here, ‘Equinox’ rocking the heads back and forth of every listener, fan and follower around the world at neck breaking speed, the Greek outfit delivering a fantastic opening salvo to grab everyone’s attentions! And tightly too, for now that the band have your attention, they’re very unlikely to let it go – ‘Dressed To Kill’ maintaining the albums eager start! Albeit by dropping a gear to assume a more traditional heavy metal pace, the level of head bang ability remaining just as high as the previous song, the band commanding the airways with an immensely infectious blend of heavy, and power metal. The intensity of the opening brace has been incredible, everyone everywhere facing in the direction of Greece, and the new hunger driven metal band Leatherhead – ‘Vampire’s Kiss’ opening with a mellow twenty five second stroll and then boom! We’re off and galloping at pace with tremendous purpose, ‘Vampire’s Kiss’ oozing a very strong old school flavour, metal traditionalists everywhere drooling and dripping with delight!

And with a moodier, meaner feel than everything heard so far, ‘When Death Is Near’ stomps menacingly into sight, maintaining a mid tempo thunder stomp as it gets going proper, the iconic guitar tone of the revolutionary NWOBHM rising high in the air. The band have oozed a heavy metal aura since ‘Leatherhead’ began, everything about the Greek metallers smells of metal, leather, studs and rivets – ‘Into The Werewolf’s Lair’ resuming the high velocity pace heard earlier. Probably quicker actually, Leatherhead pounding the ground harder than a champion hundred metre sprinter gunning for glory, the purpose and intent shown by both of ’em out of this fucking world! And if it’s the bands mission to deliver high speed head bang-able heavy metal to the masses – mission accomplished! But Leatherhead ain’t done just yet, ‘Leatherhead’ only just passing the half way mark, ‘Judge Steel’ entering the fray with more hustle and bustle than any other song on offer, the band remaining firmly rooted in the heart of heavy metal territory.

There’s just no escaping the might of metal on show here, the album racing on with the fastest song heard so far ‘Under Your Bed’ – incredibly outstripping (the album opener) ‘Equinox’. Unbelievable I know but it’s true, it seems like Leatherhead have no barrier when it comes to maximum speed, the band just keep going and going – ‘The Awakening’ a second instrumental full of tension and atmosphere for every one of its ninety six seconds. And a remarkable ‘A Matter Of Life And Death’ era Iron Maiden feel about it too, the Greek outfit marching on with the albums finale, the bands self titled song ‘Leatherhead’, and the emergence of a majesty and elegance not heard previously – for the first minute or so anyway! For as ‘Leatherhead’ (the song) progresses, Leatherhead return the old school flavour to the fore, the band planting their feet firmly on the monitor to round off the album in glorious style.

Overall, foot to the floor head bang-able heavy metal with an immense traditional feel, Leatherhead’s debut has made a massive impact.

TRACKLIST

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

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