When it comes to pure, unadulterated, old school metal, it doesn’t get more true than Leather Leone. Although not as widely known as Lita Ford or Doro Pesch, this badass metal goddess deserves just as much respect, if only for her longevity alone. She’s been playing this music longer than most of us have been alive, most notably as the voice of USPM titans, Chastain. Unlike many of her peers, she never succumbed to false trends in a desperate effort to remain relevant, even in the dark days of the late 90s and early 2000s. Instead, she retreated, preparing herself for her next inevitable attack.
If Leather’s surprise comeback output of the 2010s isn’t a key example of the term, “Good things come to those who wait.”, I’m not quite sure what is. After an over 20 year absence, she returned to Chastain as if no time had passed at all. And although Chastain doesn’t play the festival circuit, Leather does, with her namesake solo band. Not only do they perform the music of Chastain, but they play their own music as well. While it is slightly different from Chastain, it’s still metal that’s as honest as ever, exemplified by their latest release, We Are the Chosen.
On this new album, Leather Leone and company do what they do best: Keep it heavy and true! This is made evident on the fast and energetic opener that is “We Take Back Control”. There is a slight modern slant in the production and instrumentation, but fear not as this is more characteristic of Andy Sneap produced Accept and Priest as opposed to *insert generic modern metal band here*. The ferocious “Always Been Evil” keeps the ball rolling strong, while cuts like “Tyrants” and “Dark Days” boast nods to Chastain’s 80s heyday, packed to the brim with adventurous guitar parts and lethal US steel.
Contrasting this straightforward, pedal to the metal ethos are dark slabs of heaviness like “Shadows”, a doomy blues-driven number in the tradition of Sabbath, and “We Are the Chosen” which comes off like an unholy matrimony between Sabbath and Priest. What can I say folks? If you’re gonna pay homage, pay homage to the best! “Hallowed Ground” is another highlight, an epic metal ballad executed the only way Leather could: With symphonic bombast and scorching guitar work. Rounding it all out is the aptly titled muscular metallic beast that is “The Glory in the End”, a full force metallic onslaught of the sense at maximum overdrive.
Of all the metal albums I’ve heard this year, I’m not sure I’ve heard any as blatantly and unabashedly metal as We Are the Chosen. By this, I mean an album that basks in the glory of all things heavy, embracing it with open arms. An album from an artist that, doesn’t just play heavy metal, but lives, breathes, and bleeds heavy metal. Make no mistake: Leather Lone is the real deal. Not that anyone would believe otherwise, well, unless you’re a poser, of course. If you were, chances are you wouldn’t stumble across this review to begin with. So hail to you fellow metal brothers and sisters, and hail to Leather!
7 out of 10
Label: Steamhammer
Genre: Heavy Metal
For fans of: Chastain, Doro, Judas Priest