I think you’ll agree with me here: the cover of “Dogface” looks exceptionally bizarre. I had no clue what to expect. Seth made this cover for Leash Law, but he also made covers for Rotting Christ, Heaven Shall Burn, Septic Flesh and more. “Dogface” is a typical album you have to listen to before you decide to buy it.

Wade Black, Leash Law’s vocalist, also known from Seven Witches, Crimson Glory and Tiwanaku, formed this band with guitarist Rick Renstrom. As said in the booklet, on this debut album you’ll notice the obsession of mankind with war is a theme Leash Law refers to throughout the album.

The first song, “Fight” throws you right into this theme. When I first heard this album, I found it very unlike the feeling I got when I saw the front cover. Why? Because this isn’t weird or odd, it’s heavy the way heavy is nowadays. This album might only be weird, if you have never heard these vocals before. Melody is combined with heavy guitars, drums and eccentric vocals. Wade’s vocals are in between squealing and high pitched screaming, but he doesn’t always sing this high, there a re parts in between where Wade isn’t on the top of his voice. In my opinion, the last is better, an example would be the last song “Paving the Way”.

The fourth song, “Hail To Blood” comes rather unexpectedly, Wade squeals higher than you can think of, and these vocals meet orchestral parts. Maybe the orchestral parts should’ve been left out, it doesn’t go very well with the vocals which seemed to be aimed at metal screams so much. Very different is the next song called “Banion”, a ballad where Wade Black sings about his personal life. A moment of peace? Not really, the combination ‘sensitive’ and these eccentric vocals don’t go very well together and create a song that doesn’t really give you a chance to listen to the lyrics, which are great! It’s very well possible someone else thinks differently about this, so make sure you at least listen to it before you believe other’s opinions on this.

In overall, “Dogface” is a pretty neat album, but I think there will be some of us who find the vocals overdone, and that’s why listening first is a must. For many of us, these vocals is the reason for buying. For me, it was a case I had to get used to, and in the end it was an album I had to listen to more often to get to the bottom of it. Don’t you like a challenge yourself?