As the title indicates, this is the second solo album by Leather Leone. She is best known for fronting the heavy metal band Chastain in the 1980s. In 1989 she released her first solo album, Shock Waves, but it didn’t take off and she pretty much retired from the music scene after that.
In 2011 she began performing again with The Sledge/Leather Project, which released an album in 2012. Around the same time she got reacquainted with Chastain and did more albums with them. In 2018 she decided to focus on recording and releasing her second solo album.
Leone has one of the most distinctive female voices in metal, having the vibrato of Bruce Dickinson, the power of Ronnie James Dio, the fierceness of Rob Halford, and the gruffness of Lemmy. She combines those obvious metal influences with a dash of Grace Slick delivery, and a heavy Janis Joplin for a touch of the blues.
Is it even possible to sound like all of those at the same time? Yes, for Leather it is. She really sounds like nobody else.
“II” is a powerful, full-tilt heavy metal album. Album opener Juggernaut smashes right out the gate with Priest ripping fury, kicking down doors as it charges ahead much like the creature named in the title.
A lot of the album is classic metal, but there are many Power Metal elements here and there as well. If you like your metal to be skilfully played with some killer lead parts, you find that here as well.
The album is straight to the point, very passionate, and driven by the power of music and that unique voice’s need to express itself. The Leone touch is very much present. If you know her previous works, you’ll know what I mean. If you don’t, this album gives you an excellent opportunity to find out. If you’re not sure you want to listen to it all, the chorus of Hidden In the Dark is a great example.
Even though I’ve made a big point of the albums power and intensity, there is diversity to be found as well. The album has both fast, mid-tempo and slower songs. Leone shows her tender side on the track Annabelle, and almost a progressive streak on Sleep Deep. Make no mistake though – if heavy metal with female banshee vocals is not your thing, this album will not be your thing either.
Metal has always been a male-dominated scene. It has gotten better these days, with many female metal artists/bands/musicians having success. Leone has been around for a very long time, going back to when females in metal were looked down upon, and often had to use their feminine wiles to attract interest. The majority of those who stuck it out in the business had to stick with a safe, poppy hard rock sound.
I respect Leather Leone highly for always following her muse and never caring about fitting an image. She always belted, rocked hard, and stayed away from easier paths to bigger success because she didn’t want to be involved with what those paths led to. Doing this is very tough, and her substantial break from the music business speaks for itself. I am however SO glad she decided to come back and lay to waste the idea that a woman has to be a certain way in the metal world.
Leather Leone is the personification of true heavy metal, and showing no signs of mellowing out any time soon either. Welcome back!
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