Leathermouth - XO
That was of course until I forgot about Frank and moved onto the hypnotic Mikey Way.
Anyway, that’s not the point of this, Frank has now moved back up on my man-dar with the new album from his side project, the oddly named Leather mouth - whether that’s some kind of half-assed attempt at mirroring Texas Chainsaw Massacre delinquent Leatherface I don’t know. But again, that’s not the point.
So this album isn’t exactly my first choice of music, after all, I live something I can sing along to, even if it’s my attempt at hardcore breakdowns and the like. But this, oh dear, Frank oh Frank, I just don’t get it.
It sounds like he’s trying to get out all his anger over that blinking Gerard Way hogging all the limelight in MCR and wants to irradiate all his angst via the most ear splatteringly deafening wails, shrieks and downright dirty growls.
Never once in it's entirety does the album drop below it's frenzied pace, every single song sees frank push his vocal chords to the max whilst the rest of his band push their instruments to breaking point.
The highlight for me has to be the opening riff from Motorhead's Ace Of Spades in Catch Me If You Can, but unfortunately, that's about as good as it gets for me I'm afraid.
5th Period Massacre is the soundtrack to a paranoid delusional breakdown - could we we reliving a high school shoot-out here per chance? Whilst Your Friends Are Full Of Shit rambles on about a zombie attack. Yeah, seriously.
In all, XO is raw, confrontational punk rock - just how Frank Iero described it - twenty three minutes of unashamed, old school hardcore punk rock. Throughout the record you can hear tinges of Refused sounding hardcore as Frank tries (and almost wins) to imitate the great Dennis Lyxzén.
The guys might not be my cup of tea, but the way Frank belts out lyrics filled with passion, hate, anger and furiousity in a frantic, emotional rage is bound to appeal to anyone with a penchant for eighties hardcore.
In my opinion these guys will do well simply because they are an offshoot of My Chemical Romance; although whether the emotional kids that harbour a deep desire for all things MCR can handle this collection of barely audible lyrics remains to be seen.
Rating: 1/5 - a point for Frank being eye candy.
Skip To: Catch Me If You Can