Review: Ladies Of Leisure ‘Demonstration’

Initially spawned way back in 2014, this undiscovered classic got shelved for well over a decade. At the time, I believe it was only available digitally, and subsequently its audience just wasn’t there yet. Jump forward to 2026, and the powers that be at Master Kontrol Audio have rectified that injustice.

They have now committed the recording to a physical release as the six-track stoner sludgefest is available on CD and 7″ vinyl. It should be an essential purchase for any Kyuss or Lowrider fans out there.

Perhaps back in 2014 the world was still a bit done with the ’90s stoner sound, which is why this slipped under the noses of those in the know, but by Christ, though, it’s every bit as vibrant as that scene was. While we were all still putting money into the pockets of Queens Of The Stone Age, we should have been more focused on this little three-piece from Chicago.

Comprised of Ian on guitar and vocals, Huff on drums, and Miguel on bass and accompanying vocals, between them, they do a sublime job of not only fitting into the stoner genre but actually surpassing its benchmark standards. It’s like if Red Fang and Corrosion Of Conformity had a bastard child, because Ladies Of Leisure make breakneck rock and roll the way it’s supposed to be played.

It’s a shame there are only six tracks on Demonstration, but hey ho, that’s life sometimes. I guess it’s better to have six solid pieces than a dozen with only a few worthy of committing to wax. That being said, it would have been nice to see this band have a longer lifespan, too.

Now, coming to the opus, it opens with a seven-minute track named Poison, and what an epic start it is. Opening tentatively, it isn’t long before the true nature of the band is exposed. A cheeky little guitar riff teases us before those punchy drums thunder in to set the whole thing ablaze.

The combination of guitar and bass is primal, and when fused with those beats, it’s utterly savage. The vocals drop in to complete the dynamic, and in doing so we get our first unabashed display of Ladies Of Leisurein all their unfiltered finery. It’s a monumentally staggering performance and it’s moments such as this that really make me wonder how they were never picked up. It’s everything you will have been longing for if you were a Kyuss devotee, but with an added level of enthusiasm.

It’s not just filth, it’s utter, unadulterated stoner filth…

Faces Of Fire, track two, is a riotous romp and as it swoops in, chasing as it goes, there isn’t a moment to stop and take stock. It’s breakneck, hard, heavy, and totally fun too. It’s these outpourings which has me drawing those COC similarities. I think in part it’s the vocal attack, which is reminiscent of Pepper Keenan, but it also hits that latter-day COC vibe, even if it is ten years or more ahead of where that band are now.

Liquid Maze, track three, slows things right down and introduces the stoner drudge into the fold. Bass-led, it’s dank in its lurch, and it’s only when the percussion kicks in that it shifts up a couple of gears. At this point, things go a bit ‘Sabbathy’, vocals included, with a real Ozzy twang to it all.

Farce Of The Moon Landing doesn’t give a chance for any respite. Instead, it drags us back, kicking and screaming, towards that COC feel once more. I say kicking and screaming, but not in a bad way. It’s like the band are never really happy to sit in one specific subsection of the stoner genre, as they are equally happy to change it all up at a moment’s notice to keep everything fresh and lively.

The penultimate track, Joblin’s Demise, takes us on a trip into that more proggy ‘70s stoner sound, before the epically titled Freddie Mercury Never Made A Fist closes the show.  Now, I’m 99.9% sure that’s factually incorrect, as I’m sure Mister Mercury did a lot of times, but there’s no denying the final track on this album is 100% fantastic.

Hard-edged, abrasive, and pulsing, the last three minutes of the album give one final glimpse of all that could have been. For me, it’s the real highlight of it all, and as it dies off, I’m actually quite sad it’s ended as abruptly as it has as I would have loved to have heard so much more from this little unit.

So, to summarise, if you are one of those old-school Kyuss fans, check out Ladies Of Leisure’s Demonstration – you won’t be disappointed. Raw class, pure talent, these guys have it by the bucketload. It’s not just filth, it’s utter, unadulterated stoner filth.

Label: Master Kontrol Audio
Band Links: Bandcamp

Scribed by: Lee Beamish