Black Leather Jesus

Founded by Richard Ramirez in Houston, Texas in 1989, this harsh noise project is one of the earliest American acts in the genre and has remained one of its most prolific. Ramirez builds tracks from dense, slowly shifting or static masses of heavily distorted low- to mid-range noise, gravitating in recent years toward drone-influenced structures. The project draws thematically on gay leather subculture and confrontational performance. Ramirez is also active under the names Werewolf Jerusalem and other aliases, releasing material across dozens of labels.