LEATHERHEAD - Violent Horror Stories (Review)

Written by: Blackie Skulless

Upon a simple look, Leatherhead is one of those bands you can almost immediately predict what you’re in for; campy, horror themed traditional metal. By this point, this style is kind of a dime a dozen, but if it only costs a dime then perhaps its worth it. The Greeks’ second record is the one that snagged my attention, titled Violent Horror Stories, in case you needed yet another indicator of the subject at hand.

More importantly is the fact that as straightforward as this outfit is, there are some distinguishing features that made me actually want to revisit. For one, there’s a heavy emphasis not only on speed metal construction, but a certain oomph that hearkens back to the USPM movement of the ‘80s, complete with thick layers coating the speedy riffs and a powerful falsetto frontman. Moreover, despite the shorter runtime, there’s a decent ear for hook placement and variation that prevents any stagnance. Thus, as predictable as you were expecting an album that looks like this, and an opening track titled “V.H.S.” to sound, you may be a little surprised yourself.

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The most obvious example would be the centerpiece “Children Of The Beast,” a seven minute core that builds on soft and eerie vibes that slowly ascend into epic prowess, but even the more traditional tunes really dig deep. “Summoning The Dead” is a quick fumer despite letting in some of the strongest Iron Maiden echoes from the Powerslave era. Indeed, this sneaks its way into a lot of the album, likely due to the loud and proud bass presence meeting such masterful gallops like we see clearly on “The Visitors.” Hell, I’d almost go as far as saying some of this touches thrash metal territory, especially in songs like “Something Evil (This Way Comes)” or “Incubus.” They mirror a power/thrash dynamic a la Metal Church rather than the harsh and aggressive tints of Kreator. In other words, it isn’t only the speed, but the sheer grit, even over the slower moments bringing us to the solos.
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Obviously Leatherhead isn’t going to be the most original thing you’ve ever heard, but they strike a surprisingly competent chord with Violent Horror Stories that I was not ready for. Mimicking Iron Maiden and making it spooky sounds corny as hell on paper, and I must again stress how surprised I am that this stood out. More than simply another speed metal outfit, less than a game changer, but perfectly a worthwhile use of thirty-seven minutes.

Leatherhead - Violent Horror Stories was released February 13th, 2026 via No Remorse. Find it here!

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Leatherhead can be found at Bandcamp and Facebook
Cover art by Mario López