REVIEW: 'You took the sun when you left' by Leeched

I saw that Metal Hammer was streaming the new Leeched album, “You Took The Sun When You Left” two days early so we decided to take advantage and give it a listen. 

Currently on tour with the band Full of Hell, Leeched are a hardcore mob from Manchester, who thrive off aggressive riffs and utter chaos. This eleven track album comes just a year after their debut EP and the band themselves said to Metal Hammer that this time round they have tried something new stating "we feel we have made steps in a bolder direction as a band since then, and hope people will hear this experimentation when they listen."

'You took the sun when you left' is a short album where most songs are never much longer than three minute in order to build apprehension for the listener. This formula works well  as they successfully leave you on edge waiting to hear what the next song delivers and if it will live up to the high energy that came before. The album consists of crunching guitars, biting, vicious vocals and striking drums which makes for the perfect back drop for the emotion that is laid out in this record. It's brimming with crushing doom and cut-throat sludge that sounds violent enough to graze your skin. That is partly down to Joe Clayton’s production which adds that extra bit of punch and repugnant bass tones to the tracks- especially the vulgar beat downs which sound like your whole world is crashing down around you. 

Particular highlights of the album was songs like 'Cripple the Herd' and 'Guilt' which both oozed ominous melancholy and heavy as hell riffs and beatdowns. The absolute carnage that will be conjured up during their lives sets will be enormous and I can already envisage the sheer amount of bloody noses and black eyes. 

Occasionally throughout 'You took the sun when you left' there are mellow, maybe melodic moments-like in the song 'Born in sand'- but they never linger long enough. The rise and falls work incredibly well with their sound and-if I'm being picky- if they had incorporated this in more, it could have added extra dimension to their sound; their impressive, punishing sound they have created has been done a few times before, so adding in this variation could have set them apart from their counterparts. As well, when being compared to bands like Code Orange, I instantly hoped for more of the experimentation they mentioned the record would be laden with, but although it can certainly be noticed throughout, I wish there was more occasions where it was exercised more- possibly with a more industrial edge.

Overall, I think this is a great release though- especially for a debut album. Their sound may not be new but it is well developed and executed nonetheless. Nothing should take away from that achievement that they have cleverly mastered. If this is only the beginning for Leeched, it is guaranteed that their future projects will sound ever more gloomy and hostile and I can't wait! 

7/10 

By Amy Demidow