U.D.O. – Leatherhead

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U.D.O. have gotten into a tradition now of preceding a new album (Rev-Raptor in this case, due in May) with an EP featuring one or two songs to appear on the full record, plus some non-album exclusive b-sides. And so it continues with Leatherhead, and like EP released prior to Mastercutor, The Wrong Side of Midnight, the chosen track to showcase from the new album is one of the slower, creepier ones. It’s another excellent piece of ominous heavy metal in the same style as the last couple of very-well-received U.D.O. albums Mastercutor and Dominator. A second track from the album, Rock ‘N’ Roll Soldiers is actually similar in style and a but less serious in tone. Ordinarily U.D.O. back a slower, groovier track with a faster, more typical one, but not this time. Although the lyrics are cliché, the riffs and rhythms are more interesting than the usual U.D.O. album tracks. The non-album b-sides this time are the two tracks which so far have only appeared on the 2004 Thundervision DVD and have never been released on CD. Both riffy rockers Free Or Rebellion and Run! are both typically anthemic U.D.O. numbers that are probably too good to be relegated to b-side status and certainly make this EP worth owning for fans. Two videos round out the collection, one for Leatherhead and the other for a Christmas charity song called Jingle Balls (an interpretation of Jingle Bells mixed with Accept classic Balls To The Wall) recorded with staff members from EMP Direct mailorder under the name “Evil Disposition”. After the far-less-essential Infected EP last time out, Leatherhead should be in all U.D.O. fans’ collections.

Written by Andy Lye
More: 2011, EPs, Heavy Metal, Quick.Play Reviews, U.D.O.