{"id":761258,"date":"2026-02-13T07:18:16","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T07:18:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/761258\/"},"modified":"2026-02-13T07:18:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T07:18:16","slug":"leatherhead-violent-horror-stories-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/761258\/","title":{"rendered":"Leatherhead – Violent Horror Stories Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Steel<\/strong> is a sucker for a band trying their absolute best to bring back the bountiful glory of the 80s metal sound. Enter Greek retro fiends Leatherhead<\/strong> and their second full-length crusade, Violent Horror Stories. I happened to stumble upon their lead single \u201cV.H.S\u201d while scrolling on YouTube and mistook them for yet another thrash revival group, but I was mistaken. Though this is often speedy, high-energy stuff, it plays out more like a loving nod to the salad days of US power metal than any kind of beer and BO thrash-fest. Over the course of Violent Horror Stories, the listener can expect to be reminded of early Queensr\u00ffche<\/b>, Agent Steel<\/strong>, Crimson Glory<\/strong>, even John Arch-era Fates Warning<\/strong>, but you know, faster. In short, this was not the sweaty leather I expected to try on for size this week.<\/p>\n

Things open with the aforementioned \u201cV.H.S.\u201d which pays homage to all those \u201cfound footage\u201d horror gems of the 90s and 00s while walking a fine line between an all-out thrash ethos and the over-the-top speed-power of Agent Steel<\/strong>. The guitar work is crisp, sharp, and reeks of early days Annihilato<\/strong>r as frontman Tolis Mekras goes ALL in with his ample high-pitched vocal destruction. His enthusiasm and commitment to excess make the song all the more entertaining, especially as things speed up to the point where the band seems as if they\u2019re losing control. After this jolt of high voltage, the pace dials back for the riffy and still quite zippy \u201cSummoning the Dead,\u201d before launching into the extra fun Agent Steel<\/strong> meets Savatage<\/strong> charge of \u201cThe Visitors,\u201d which finds Tolis doing some Jon Oliva-esque oddball screams. This one is irresistible fun for one and all and I keep going back to it again and again.<\/p>\n

The album\u2019s big centerpiece is the 7-minute mega-epic \u201cChildren of the Beast,\u201d where all restraint is jettisoned in favor of MOAR. Moar large scale vocals, moar guitar solos, more unchained emotions, moar of every fucking thing. And you know what? I like it! It rocks that same regal coolness that early Queensr\u00ffche<\/b> and Crimson Glory<\/strong> exuded back in the day, and it\u2019s even more of a spectacle than Holdeneye<\/strong> at an $8 all-you-can-eat BBQ stand after a 3-day juice cleanse. Tolis delivers the goods with an emotionally-charged performance, building peaks and valleys as the guitar work impresses with its scope and scale. The last 2 minutes are like a rocket ride to Valhalla with an overserved Thor fighting a much drunker frost giant in the backseat while you\u2019re trying to navigate, and you know that\u2019s a good time! Elsewhere, \u201cCrimson Eyes\u201d sounds like something Sumerlands<\/strong> could have included on their debut, and \u201cSomething Wicked (This Way Comes)\u201d sounds a whole lot like it fell off Agent Steel<\/strong>\u2019s debut Skeptics Apocalyse. With no dead space or filler, the skinny 37-plus minutes of Violent Horror Stories is a fast-paced, high-octane spin with little getting in the way of a good time unless you struggle with high-register vocal antics.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Tolis Mekras is the center of the Leatherhead<\/strong> experience, with his impressive, if not always completely controlled, vocals injecting themselves into your ears like an overpowered mining laser. He reminds me of Arthur W. Andersson of Trial<\/strong> at some points, and Alpha Tiger<\/strong>\u2019s Stephan Dietrich at others, but the main point of reference has to be the ever-mysterious John Cyriis of Agent Steel<\/strong>. As with any vocalist of this ilk, he\u2019ll be a love or hate factor, and he\u2019s sure to alienate those who want everyone to sound tired and listless at the mic. Keeping up with Tolis, guitar tandem Thanos Metalios and Jim Komninos bring Olympian thunder down with a never-ending stream of 80s-centric speed, thrash, and classic metal riffs loaded with big hooks. There\u2019s a lot of Jeff Water-esque noodling and speed-pluckery in the material, and it makes me wish Waters was able to write songs this entertaining after 1990.<\/p>\n

Violent Horror Stories sounds like a bunch of friends having an absolute blast making unhinged metal for the filthy masses. Leatherhead<\/strong> have chops and an ear for hooks, and you will be entertained by the glorious end product of their labors. This pairs well with bands like Ambush<\/strong>, so don the appropriate headgear, put this on blast, and start smashing your skull into the wall in the name of all things metal. You won\u2019t be sorry, but you may be unconscious.<\/p>\n

\ufeff<\/p>\n

Rating:<\/strong> 3.5\/5.0
DR:<\/strong> 7 | Format Reviewed:<\/strong> 320 kbps mp3
Label:<\/strong> No Remorse<\/a>
Websites<\/strong>: leatherheadgr.bandcamp.com\/album<\/a> | facebook.com\/leatherheadofficial<\/a> | instagram.com\/leatherhead_band<\/a>
Releases Worldwide:<\/strong> February 13th, 2026<\/p>\n

\n\tGive in to Your Anger:\n<\/p>\n