LEAFBLOWER | BURN CRUISE ALBUM

Ablum Review by James Benson

Doom metal’s smoky haze thickens once again as Raleigh, NC’s fuzz-soaked heavyweights Leafblower return with Burn Cruise, their latest eight-track sermon of sludge, stoner, and slow-burning fury, due out June 13 via Max Trax Records. Building on the raucous energy of their previous efforts, Burn Cruise is both a maturation and a celebration—a whiskey-soaked road trip through blown-out amps, existential dread, and twisted Southern charm.

From the first note of the opening instrumental track “Long Night,” to the last track "Stoopin" (instrumental as well), it's clear Leafblower isn’t playing it safe. The guitars, bass, and drums hit like a sledgehammer wrapped in fuzz, dragging you into a slow, deliberate churn that’s equal parts Sabbath homage and garage-punk grit. There’s a groove underneath the grime, though, and it lingers like smoke in your lungs. 

Their single, "Unsatisfied" is just a peak at what they are bringing when Burn Cruise is released. Every song is fantastic on this album, including the three instrumentals. This is one of those albums that you don't hit the skip button and leave it on repeat. 

Burn Cruise doesn’t reinvent doom metal, but it does something arguably more important: it reaffirms why the genre endures. Leafblower is loud, ugly, honest—and with this record, they’ve laid down a filthy, fuzz-drenched milestone. It’s the soundtrack to bar fights, bad decisions, and the long, hungover ride home.

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