Sure, we might throw the word “Favorite” around a lot here but it’s only because we love music so much… and what’s not to love about the newest full-length from Boston’s Leather Lung?!?! Nothing. That’s the answer you’ll find when you get through the eleven diabolically devilish tracks that make up Graveside Grin.
Easily a local favorite, a heavy favorite, and a favorite favorite, Leather Lung’s brand of down ‘n’ dirty RAWK is beyond reproach and virtually incomparable with the new LP (Recorded and mixed by Chris Johnson at New Alliance) easily solidifying that statement. “Spit in the Casket” (And the rest of Graveside Grin for that matter) and Leather Lung’s sound as a whole is just the epitome of grimy, grungy, gnarly sounding Rawk. It’s heavy and loud with Mike’s uncanny growly snarl at the center of it all creating an indescribable sonic whirlwind and emitting a wave after wave of crushing heaviness from within its’ ecosystem.
“Bad Bodega Cat” goes in on the grooves with a bluesy romp that stretches the LL musical chops, “Freewheelin’ Maniac” follows suit stylistically, and “Empty Bottle Boogie” is a sick bass-forward banger filled with thunderous drumming, shredfests, and some dynamic vocal jousting happening during the chorus. “Guilty Pleasure” sounds nasty with the way it serenely saunters in and then viciously vomits a cacophony of sounds before moving into the meat and potatoes of it all which just rules and later, even the instrumental “Macrodose Interlude” is a banger which is more or less another shot of adrenaline as opposed to something meant to dissipate the energy midway through the record.
That said, Jesse’s bass work and Ben’s drumming definitely signal a slight sonic shift with the primal rumbling that begins “La La Land” while “Twisting Flowers” gives fans their first taste of, Gasp!, clean vocals on this slow burning beastie of a track and then “Headstone” rides up with a slightly psychedelic intro akin to the way that Kyuss and Monster Magnet used to roll then solidly slams with Zach and Ben’s contrasting guitar work adding depth to Leather Lung’s already dense musical palette. “Cornered Animal” is that perfect penultimate pent up pouncer as it goes for the jugular with a slew of grinding drum heads, cymbals, bass tones, and riffage with Mike’s throated delivery firmly behind the pulpit preaching sweet nothings in the sickest way possible with “Raised Me Rowdy” delivering the final nail in the gargantuan Graveside Grin-shaped pine box.
Graveside Grin arrives on March 15th through Magnetic Eye Records. Pre-orders are live and yours to peruse and purchase in a plethora of digital and physical formats by heading here. For more from Leather Lung, including info on their record release show as part of Widowmaker Brewing’s Hopsmoker Fest in late April, follow them across the information superhighway by clicking here or here.