From Bandcamp, “The incorrigible headbangers in LEATHER LUNG have heard the pleas of their enthusiastic following to bring forth a new album of substance-fueled boogie metal, and have obliged at last with the raucous new full-length "Graveyard Grin." The proper debut album from the New England five-piece has everything promised by their previous EP releases: a thick, chugging concoction of stoner metal, doom, and unrelenting sludge, blended into a refreshingly heavy brew with a catchy kick. LEATHER LUNG are a wild bunch that know the meaning of fun.”

You can tell what you are listening to from the first few notes…they are weighted, low, and, dirty, and the harsh vocals give the otherwise fairly straightforward sound a bit of an edge. “Big Bad Bodega Cat” has a greasy sounding swing to it, and the picture I get from the song is a collection of blue collar workers slaving outdoors in the sun, working as hard as they can until they are done, going home dirty, slugging down a few beers before they are off to bed. Rise, and repeat. “Empty Bottle Boogie” has a muddy, scummy sound to it, and I mean that in the best possible way. The guitars and bass are so far downtuned that you can almost hear the reverberation of each string.

“La La Land” has a meaty, swampy bass line to kick it off, and I finally put a stamp on what band they remind me of…WHITE ZOMBIE. It’s that partial throwback sound to the early 1970’s but not a full commitment in that sense. One foot there, and one here. “Twisting Flowers” is a slow mover, and I get the image of a wooly mammoth trudging over a frozen landscape, wandering at his own pace, seeking something that he knows is a long way off. It’s about the journey, not the destination. “Headstone” has another weighted, at times crushing, sound. The guitarist and bassist take the riffs and shove them straight down your throat, with authority. That bass guitar rumbles with the sound of a jackhammer.

“Cornered Animal” has that bite that you might expect from the family dog. Any well behaved dog will lash out if cornered, and his bite is worse than you might expect. He locks his jaw, draws blood, and doesn’t let go. “Raised me Rowdy” closes the album, and it’s another song with a heavy groove and vocals that sting. Overall, this isn’t typically my go-to music, but I really liked what the band offered here. The songs are genuine, sometimes fun, but in that debauchery sense of fun…fun that leads to trouble. They present their album with an “up your ass” approach, and why shouldn’t they? The production is excellently sludgy, and it’s blue collar music with white collar style and attitude.