Lithic
Leathermask
•
June 4, 2017
Pergine Valsugana is a municipality in the northern region of Italy and this is where in the year 2008 that LEATHERMASK got together as a band. The focus of the band was to play Old School Thrash Metal and cover versions, all the while dealing with changes in personnel. Around the year 2011, the band is on the verge of dissolution but manages to find drummer Marco Gambin, who ignites the passion in the band. The band records a three-song demo called "The Key" in the year 2013, which garners positive reviews from fans and critics alike. This galvanized the outfit to perform more frequently to develop their sound and hone their skills as musicians. The band embarks on writing and recording their first studio album in the year 2015 but tensions within the band erupt and Alessandro Buono leaves the band. After a period of dormancy, the arrival of Federico Fontanari on bass guitar duties provides the push that the band needed in order to finish the recording of the debut album "Lithic".
The album consists of 8 tracks with a runtime of about 50 minutes, and the first track is entitled, "The Cyclops", and the track starts off with a simple melody before a riff right out of the NWOBHM playbook bursts forth. As the riff chugs along pleasantly, it is not until the middle of the first minute that the vocals chime in and immediately the song loses its edge. "Motherfucker(s)" and "Struggle" are two tracks that follow the opening song and it continues in the same vein, a riff steeped in Old School Thrash Metal followed by vocals. While the riffs in themselves are impressive, they seem to follow a set pattern. The songs are reminiscent of the brand of Metal that ANTHRAX peddled for all those years. "Lede Mas" is a 9-minute saga that is something that TESTAMENT could have written and performed. Two lengthy tracks, namely "A blasted Heath" and "The Dusk", both over 8 minutes in length, are not too bad to listen to even though it is long-winded and concatenated. While the former track has a ballad like ending, the latter has a similar beginning. Both tracks have rapid Old School riffs with shrieks incorporated in-between. The album closes out with "Noise", a relatively short track that is a nod to Old School Metal, as well. The backing vocals add an extra dimension to the tracks and a scalding lead guitar solo salvages the track brilliantly.
The lads have gone about creating an Old School Thrash influenced record with modern sounding production, which works for most parts of the record. However, there are a few areas that they need to focus upon. The vocals are not strong enough to support and bolster heavy sounding riffs and the band needs to find their own sound. The production value on the album also needs some refining in terms of output. Some songs seem protracted with too many repetitions of the riffs. Sometimes, the songs that impact the most are ones that get in deliver the message and get out and beating about the bush with clever melodies only dampens any edge the track gains. The lead guitar solo parts of the record are bang on and concise that serves the song well. The bass dovetails well, the drum sounds and the riffs are indeed clever. Overall, this is a good album but it is not the best in terms of originality and it's not something that will stick in your mind.<
8 / 10
Excellent
Songwriting
Musicianship
Memorability
Production
"Lithic" Track-listing:
1. The Cyclops
2. Motherfucker(s)
3. Struggle
4. Lede Mas
5. Inside - Burnt Generation
6. A Blasted Heath
7. The Dusk
8. Noise
Leathermask Lineup:
Valerio Luminati - Vocals
Alvise Osti - Guitars, Backing Vocals
Federico Fontanari - Bass, Backing Vocals
Marco Gambin - Drums
More results...