Leathermouth: XO
Leathermouth- Murder Was the Case That They Gave Me
My Chemical Romance is not a band known for simplicity. They thrive upon spectacle, pageantry and pomposity. So it’s easy to look at Leathermouth, guitarist Frank Iero’s hardcore side project, with skepticism. Hardcore is all about doing it yourself, simplicity, and intimate mosh pits. Black Flag never wrote a rock opera about a man dying of cancer. Henry Rollins would probably punch me in the face for even insinuating such a thing.
XO is the very definition of a side project because it is not only a departure from Iero’s day job, it’s also pretty inessential. Leathermouth isn’t a bad band and XO isn’t a bad record, but it won’t set the world on fire. Your enjoyment of this record depends on your threshold for hardcore music. If you like hardcore or grindcore, you will probably like this. If you are a My Chem fan whose other favorite band is Fall Out Boy, you will wonder what the hell you got into.
The biggest problem with XO is its length. There are ten tracks, and each of them clock in at about two and a half minutes. It doesn’t seem like a long time, but after awhile everything starts to run together. The songs titles are straight forward, and often the only road map to deciphering lyrics. Iero handles lead vocals, screaming like he is on the verge of death. He does well, but lacks the charisma to make it something other than indecipherable screaming.
The best thing about XO is the actual music. It goes directly for the jugular and never stops for breath. The melody of My Chemical Romance is nowhere to be found, replaced by brutal guitar riffs. Leathermouth always sounds like they are on the edge of chaos, but they know how to control it. A good example is “Murder Was the Case That They Gave Me.” When you break down the arrangement, there is a lot going on. Leathermouth makes the complicated sound simple, which is a very hard thing to do.
Leathermouth is clearly a label of love, and Iero’s passion for hardcore is evident. However, this is the definition of a niche album. It’s too hardcore for the My Chem fan and probably not hardcore enough for the hardcore fan. It has its shortcomings, but has enough good moments to keep it interesting. It’s worth checking out.
