NO. IT IS BAND. IT IS AWESOME VIOLENT SHOUTY PUNK-TYPE BAND. AAAAAARGGHHHH.
A fair few people within certain circles of the internet and music world will have heard of Leathermouth. Possibly because two of their members are Frank Iero and James Dewees, who happen to be
a) the rhythm guitarist and occasional keyboardy pianist
b) the two members of Death Spells, a new crazy strange band touring, I believe, with Mindless Self Indulgence.
(the human is Frank)
The band currently consists of, to my knowledge: Frank Iero (lead vocals), James Dewees (drums/percussion), Rob Hughes (lead guitar, vocals), John McGuire (bass, vocals) and Ed Auletta (rhythm guitar).
They formed in 2007, and Frank joined after the previous lead vocalist left because he didn't write any lyrics (you had one job, man). Their one album to date, XO, was released in 2009, and I actually love it.
I love this band, firstly because their music sounds awesome - my favourite track is This Song Is About Getting Attacked By Monsters - and secondly because of Frank's lyrics, about difficult and sometimes personal topics, such as his experiences with mental health issues, the phenomenon of school shootings and this general frustration with the world and people as a whole. Quite often he writes the songs from the point of view of someone that society as a whole likes to demonise and ignore, and gives them a voice. Even when you can't understand what on earth he's saying, which is generally most of the time - in 5th Period Massacre, he's shouting "Revenge!", not "Rape me!" - they're really good songs to listen to when you want to destroy everything and drown people in their own blood. When you look at the lyrics, too, they make it even better.
"Until I opened the gym doors, you should have seen those fucks run/ I poured out a full clip, in their backs I got some/ I've finally found my smile, it's pure and bloodstained/ Who's the bitch now? I'll paint the lockers with your brain"
- lyrics from 5th Period Massacre, about school shootings from the point of view of the attacker.
I think possibly the best story about Leathermouth is their banned song; I Am Going To Kill The President Of The United States Of America. Easy to see why the US government wasn't too fond of that one, isn't it? Written based on Frank's experiences seeing the anti-America demonstrations in countries he visited with his other band and the attitudes people there felt towards the US, it contains the lines, "Well I'd rather have my eyes sewn shut/ Than see all the shit that we've done/ And I'd rather be deaf, dumb and blind/ Than pledge allegiance to a man of your kind/ You put words in my mouth/ I'd like to put a bullet in yours".
Frank recieved a personal visit from the secret services, warning him he face 5 years in prison if the band ever released or performed the song live again. That's pretty high up in the bad-ass ratings, I think. I wonder if Bush or Obama have ever listened to it.
Though the band is considered unlikely to be recording anything again, since several of the members apparently 'found religion', they are performing a concert at the Skate And Surf Festival 2013.
So there you go, an awesome band with the kind of music that I'd have playing to fight through a zombie apocalypse, and it all makes me so angry I'd probably survive. And then probably kill all the other humans. To finish, here's the video for Bodysnatchers 4 Ever.
(I don't know if you've noticed, but I really, really like lyrics, especially the ones in Leathermouth songs. I want them tattooed across my face and on my tongue and just rjskdf;refrelrkmff;ermf;e.)
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