Ledge – Cold Hard Concrete

Band – Ledge

Album – Cold Hard Concrete

Country of Origin – USA

Genre – Blackened Hardcore

Release Date – August 25th, 2017

Label – Translation Loss/Hibernation Release

Author – Hayduke X

From the mind of John Hoffman (Weekend Nachos, Spine) comes Ledge, a solo project apparently designed to concuss you with sonic concrete. Hoffman takes the fury of hardcore, the hatred of black metal, the filth of sludge, and ominous creeping death of doom metal and mixes them together, spicing them with bile. The result is a creature beyond reckoning. Ledge lurches forth from your speakers ready to devour.

Nothing too complex is going on here. Rather, the combination of elements is put in place in such a way as to be entirely disorienting. Listening to this places you on an emotional ledge with nothing but cold, hard concrete beneath, making both the band name and album name entirely fitting. At times, Cold Hard Concrete is a dungeon crawl through the filthy pits. At times, it’s a bleak journey through the wastelands of Mad Max. At times, it’s a chase through the alleyways of the worst sides of Chicago. At times, it’s a legion of demons sprung forth on the unsuspecting world. Are you brave enough?

Recommendation:  Alternately ripping and brutal.

Rating:  3.5/5