This is the second album from Ledge, a one-man sludge metal band from the US.
Playing abrasive sludge metal with some elements of stoner thrown into the mix, All I Hope For is 39 minutes of harsh, hateful heaviness.
The first thing observed upon pressing play, apart from some massive riffs, is the warm, satisfying, fuzzy sound of the guitars. The vocals are harsh shouts that are quite low in the mix, and the drums sit below everything providing a backbone, so the guitars are in your face from the very start. This blatant presence accentuates the violence at the heart of Ledge. Sludge metal is rarely about nuance and subtlety, and here it’s given free brutal reign to demolish and destroy as it sees fit.
Having said that, there is nuance displayed now and again, hidden in the aggression. Subtle melodies and background noise atmospherics occasionally appear to enhance the music, working quite effectively behind the attention-hungry guitars. These parts are few and far between, however.
More common are the slower doom elements which appear here and there, providing a crushing breather from the music’s more aggressive tendencies. The stoner side of the songs powers some of the more energetically belligerent riffs, providing a nice contrast to the harsher, colder sections.
If you’re in the market for some heavy, riffy nastiness, then you should check out Ledge.
