Leather Lung: ‘Graveside Grin’ Album Review

I don’t typically cover Sludge on Monster Riff, but Leather Lung isn’t your typical Sludge band.

Armed with thick riffs, a case of cheap beer, and a couple of middle fingers ready for action, Leather Lung is as much a Stoner Metal party band as it is a caked-in-mud Sludge outfit.

And the formula works.

Their debut album, Graveside Grin, is a boisterous 40-minute trip through pure belligerence (“Spit In the Casket”), dance-worthy rockers (“Empty Bottle Boogie”), and surprising depth (“La La Land”).

About Leather Lung

Leather Lung is a Boston-based band that kicked off in 2012 and has refined their sound through a string of revered EPs, including 2014’s Reap What You Sow, 2016’s Lost In Temptation, 2019’s Lonesome, On’ry And Evil, and 2022’s Dive Bar Devil.

Interestingly, the band also released a fantastic Sludge cover of Silverchair’s “Israel’s Son,” which actually isn’t the first time we’ve mentioned the legendary Australian band—check out our interview with Roadkillsoda and our Indus Valley Kings reviews (read about their self-titled album and Origin).

Graveside Grin Album Review

Tracks: 11
Length: 40:41
Release Date: March 15, 2024
Label: Magnetic Eye Records

Track 1: Spit In the Casket

“Spit in the Casket” is a raucous opener packed with over-the-top lyrics of hatred and disgust (“At your wake I would spit in the casket / Bitch!”). It’s a thick, sludgy ride punctuated by unexpected guitar flourishes and melody. An absolute headbanger.

Track 2: Big Bad Bodega Cat

“Big Bad Bodega Cat” is a lyrical treat powered by the band’s unrelenting party humor. Dripping with heavy Blues influences, you’ll hear elements of bands like Planet of Zeus and Clutch.

Track 3: Freewheelin’ Maniac

“Freewheelin’ Maniac” opens like a Church of Misery song (especially like something from Born Under A Mad Sign). Those churning guitars and growling vocals propel the song for just over three minutes.

Track 4: Empty Bottle Boogie

“Empty Bottle Boogie” charges through the fray with exhilarating guitar solos and thick basslines that press against your neck. This is also our first taste of clean vocals—and it’s a welcomed addition that smooths out the album’s rougher ends while pulling us through the song’s bridge.

Track 5: Guilty Pleasure

The slow intro to “Guilty Pleasure” is a quiet excuse to rip into Doom-laden Sludge and growls. And despite that heavy intro, the track eventually sprints like a high-octane dragster intent on sharing a bit of Thrash with its adoring fans.

Track 6: Macrodose (Interlude)

This short-lived interlude mixes the band’s Sludge tendencies with the tiniest dose of Space Rock (think of bands like Ufomammut). It’s a quick break from the cacophony, and then it’s right back into the chaos.

Track 7: La La Land

This track’s dreamy introduction helps to transition us out of the interlude—and the song itself is a slightly different vibe than the rest of Graveside Grin. More Psychedelic and experimental than anything else at this point, “La La Land” seems to explain what would happen if Baroness suddenly entered the studio.

Track 8: Twisting Flowers

“Twisting Flowers” has a few surprises, including a pulsing bassline intro and some clean vocal leads. Together, they turn “Twisting Flowers” into a cool and steady jammer that would fit perfectly into the Stoner Metal category if it wasn’t for the growled chorus.

Track 9: Headstone

With that mysterious, pulsing introduction, “Headstone” is one of the more intriguing and dynamic songs on Graveside Grin.

Track 10: Cornered Animal

Featuring a quote from director Werner Herzog’s Burden of Dreams, “Cornered Animal” is a dark and heavy dose of pure Metal.

Track 11: Raised Me Rowdy

Another Blues-inspired heavy rocker, “Raised Me Rowdy” is the angry older brother of “Big Bad Bodega Cat,” who discovered Pantera in a forgotten corner of the basement and never told anyone else about it.

Final Thoughts On Graveside Grin

Standout Tracks: “Spit In the Casket,” “Big Bad Bodega Cat,” and “Empty Bottle Boogie”

Final Score: 8/10

Pros: The first half of this album is strong. Hang the first five tracks on the wall, close your eyes, and throw a dart. Whatever that dart hits would work as a single.

In its absolute best moments, Graveside Grin combines the strongest elements of Clutch, Corrosion of Conformity, and even Baroness into exhilarating party Sludge that could make its own argument for underground album of the year.

Cons: The first half of this album is so strong, the second half sags in comparison. It’s heavy, sure, and it’s definitely angry, but it lacks the hooks and charm that make the first five tracks so infectious.