Artist Review: Leatherdaddy, 'The Plague House'

 

"The Plague House" out 10/22

Leatherdaddy at The Blue Moon 8/23

Your first impression of Leatherdaddy will be pretty straightforward: the Seattle foursome of Tristan Sennholz (guitar/vocals), Taylor Romoser (guitar/ vocals), Evan Anderson (bass), and Taylor Carroll (drums) have joined the venerable list of local musicians whose Google search results turn up far more than just useful band info (I’m looking at you Chastity Belt, Biosexual, #tits, Lazercrotch, Lesbian, etc).

Your second impression will depend slightly on where you decide to press play on their debut EP, The Plague House. Don’t get me wrong, this is a fantastic record, but what I really love about Leatherdaddy's work here is their ability to assemble and artfully link a wide range of stylistic approaches; press play on any one track and you’ll probably like what you hear, but stick out the whole EP and you’ll get far more than just the sum of the parts. 

Each track is broken down into 2 or 3 seemingly disparate sections. For example, on “Incest” what begins as a black metal dirge (a la local acts like Scriptures or Elk Rider), seamlessly transforms at the 3 minute mark into something that sounds more akin to post-hardcore (Drive like Jehu, Hausu) and finally into horn-laden art-punk for the outro. Likewise, while they spend the first half of "Simulacrum Child" working toward a crushing apex, most of the back-end is spent exploring prog/mathcore structures. Whether utilizing their vocalists, laboring away on measured, droning, psychedelic riffs, or hammering home power-cords, The Plague House is concerned more with engaging and developing themes than rigid adherence to stylistic subgenres. 

The result is thoroughly enjoyable and despite being just over 21 minutes from start to finish, all too brief. I want more and so will you. 

The Plague House will be released this Tuesday from the band on their bandcamp in digital format, and as a brown drip vinyl pressing of 300. Pick it up here and don’t miss the release party on the 27th at the Josephine with Mercy Ties, Livingston Seagull, and Where My Bones Rest Easy.