Band: Gun Leash
From: Columbus, Ohio
Their formation story:
"We were all in-between projects and looking to start one in the realm of punk to really lean into. We had some riffs, demos, lyrics, and ideas between us and one day we were all just in the same room and someone said, 'Hey, do you guys wanna jam? Do you want to just start a band?'
"We agreed on a lot right then and there and Gun Leash 'happened' almost overnight. After polishing up a set, we had the opportunity to open for Pyrex as our debut when they came through Columbus on their tour."
Their sound in their own words:
"I like to describe our sound as 'tumbling aggression.' It has its peaks and lulls, but carries this fierce momentum all the way through. We like to convey that energy in our sound by keeping that constant flow in our composition of tension and release. Really, we like music that’s easy to dance to.
"We pull a lot of influence from all over, a lot of contemporary stuff like Trash Talk, CMI, Anklebiter, Cavemen, and SPY. Some older stuff like RZL DZL and Trial. A lot of names from the midwest like Overflow, The Sissy Boys, Dismal, and Piss Me Off inspire us to say the least.
"At the top is a shared love for Ceremony, I like to think you can feel a part of their influence in the tape. This tape is for fans of SPY, Trash Talk, Ceremony, and two-stepping in general."
Latest release info:
"Down, Boy! is a commitment to the sound. Just 5 songs that cover our approach to hardcore and what we like to hear. We recorded it DIY at the Summit house. We wanted it to sound mean-spirited and like the listener is being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. There’s this aggression in Luke’s voice that conveys this sense of brutality over a sinister instrumental. Like a soundtrack to a hitman’s thoughts.
"We wanted to paint this image of Gun Leash's narrator as a goon or an attack dog waiting for the kill order. Our artist, Jordan Nease, has done a great job of visually capturing that present darkness."
Future plans:
"We’re writing for an album right now. I think we’ve gotten ourselves more comfortable with the sound and are trying to explore it further. We’re very excited for bigger, better Gun Leash in the future, hopefully in the next few months."
What other bands from their region should we check out?
"Columbus Hardcore has a wealth of amazing bands. We’re huge fans of En Love, Circus, and Aubrey. Some great up-and-comings too like Ungrounded, Shackled by Lust, Severed Legs, and Cross to Bear.
"We have friends all over, the Louisville scene is lucky to have Split Intentions, Mean Mugg’d, and Crop Rot all in the same city. Overflow out of Cincinnati deserves more love too."
Down, Boy! is available on cassette via Nerve Damage Records.
Gun Leash on social media: Instagram
Tagged: gun leash
