The Uprising

Metal lovers of the world rejoice!
The Uprising is here!

Sledge are a four piece metal / thrash band from Newcastle upon Tyne. Formed in 2005 they have picked up a reputation for being one of the most entertaining metal groups around the area at the moment. When we were asked to listen to the new Ep and review it for Sledge we did a little bit of research and spoke to several people who have seen these guys live. The general concensus was that Sledge have a very powerful sound which needs to be heard!

The EP consists of four tracks;
Punishment
Backdown
Unholy Assault
& Pressure

The first track on the EP, Punishment is a hard hitting, deeply enigmatic tune which hits on the heavy metal theme but suprises you midway through with a rock guitar solo. Typical of Sledge after hearing the full EP, they have attempted to add another dimension to their sound and they have certainly achieved it.

Next up we have Backdown which continues in the same vein as Punishment. Lyrically the first two tracks paint images in your mind of oppression and tyranny. Overcoming those two states is key and Unholy Assault the next track on the EP evokes feelings of social pressure, rich in metaphors and very cleverly written. Again we have a very melodic interlude towrds the end of the track which we feel sets this band apart from the rest. Finally we have Pressure which again tells a story which many young people of today will identify with.

In Sledges own words;

"We wanted to to write metal to sound the way that we think real metal should be played and we wanted to show, through the lyrics, the way we feel about certain things that everyone encounters at some point in their lives".

All in all The Uprising is a very dark piece cleverly interspersed with lighter melodies and aggressive rhythm. Switch the lights off and crank up the CD Player, The Uprising is one you will want to hear over and over.

The Uprising EP is being launched on July 27th at The Carling Acadamy in Newcastle. You can hear the first track from the EP, Punishment, on our Jukebox on the home page.

Visit Sledge on MySpace.

Reviewed by AT for North East Live   

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