REVIEW

Debut EP from San Diego, California–based alternative metal / shoegaze band Sledges. Formed in 2020, the four-piece—Philly (guitar/vocals), Alex (bass), Julian (guitar), and Mason (drums)—draws heavily from shoegaze and hardcore, resulting in a dense yet dynamic sound.

Groove-driven guitar riffs place them loosely in the lineage of The Smashing Pumpkins to Deftones, but the heat-haze shimmer of the guitars and the echo-soaked, soft-edged vocals clearly signal shoegaze at the core. The standout is track #4 “June Is Better Than July.” A delicate acoustic intro gives way to distorted guitars surging in with melancholic force—a classic, emotionally charged switch that hits just right, helped by a damp, bittersweet vocal melody.

Track #3 “Weightless,” ups the tempo with a colder, more driving strain of shoegaze, hinting that the band still has plenty of cards left to play. A promising debut that makes their future releases well worth watching.