The Classic Metal Album Review:
Title: Desperate Measures
Artist: Leeway
Label: Profile Records
Release Date: 1991

Rating: 5 Skulls
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    • Requiem's Review:
    I figured since metalcore has essentially taken the underground metal throne these days we'd take a trip back to its origins. One may argue who actually started it or where it exactly came from, but like any type of music no one artist can be given full credit. In the 80's extreme music scene there were essentially two worlds, punk and metal. It was from the courageous fusing of these two worlds that we started to get some new sounds and hence, new genres. From D.R.I. mixing their adrenaline speed with crunchy metal guitars to Biohazard mixing hip-hop style beats with hardcore vocals and heavy guitars, change was inevitable. Another great band that first bridged the gap from hardcore to metal was NYC based Leeway.

    While their debut Born to Expire was almost equally impressive in its own right, it was the follow up Desperate Measures that really showed four talented musicians perfecting their craft, and making magic happen in the process. Unlike many of their punk and hardcore predecessors, Leeway were determined to pave a new path of intricate metallic constructs and not stick to the simplistic and raw formats that were laid down before them. It was virtually unheard of for hardcore bands to have precise guitar solos, layers of guitar effects and a singer who could sing quite well. Balance that out with a drummer and a bass player who were essentially a rhythmic force and you have Desperate Measures-era Leeway.

    Leeway's claim to fame on this album was the hip-hop influenced track, "Kingpin," which made it to MTV's Headbangers Ball before its lengthy hiatus. This was my gateway to the Leeway experience and pretty much the hardcore genre in itself. The album varies itself to keep things interesting, combining speed, metallic crunch, melody and technicality. "All About Dope" is a fine example by itself with an almost ethereal riff on the verses, kicking into enraged vocals and metallic speed filled choruses. "2 Minute Warning" I'm assuming is the band's attempt to break up the album and bring in a little fun, being a hip-hop natured track with not so serious lyrics. The band had ultimately been compared to thrash bands and judging by the speed picking on tracks like "Ball Hugger" and the furious drumming throughout the album, there is no wonder why. Another fine trait of this band was the vocal style of Eddie Sutton. His voice was as unique as Ozzy's, which made Leeway stand out as even more unique than they already were.

    Before metalcore was even a word, Leeway was paving a new path that at the time was metallic hardcore. Without them and Agnostic Front and Cro-Mags and D.R.I., you probably wouldn't even have Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, or Converge. They were as important to metalcore as Black Sabbath was to stoner rock, or Bathory was to black metal. Leeway are easily one of my favorite metallic hardcore bands of all time and it makes me wonder . . . "Why can't today's bands make tunes like Leeway used to?" Leeway virtually helped to create a genre that I really don't care for, or just did it so well that they spoiled it for the rest. Discover your roots, and find out where it all began.
    5 out of 5

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