SANDNESS – Untamed

SANDNESS - Untamed
  • 5.5/10
    SANDNESS - Untamed - 5.5/10
5.5/10

Summary

Rockshots Records
Release date: June 14, 2019

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Italy’s Sandness are inspired by 80s Hair Metal and describe their third studio album as melodic yet hard and heavy. They are hoping to appeal to a wider audience stating “We tried to keep a sound with more variety and add catchier, more modern songs mixed with heavier and sleazier ones.”

With an album titled Untamed, a prudent listener is primed for hard-hitting sleaze but the opening tracks quickly quash those thoughts. Not only is the band not sharing any sleazy inside jokes but they back off the riffs anytime the going gets too heavy.

Opener “Life’s A Thrill” brings enthusiasm and energy but is not maintained. “Tyger Bite” and “London” follow with shared afflictions of heavy opening riffs beaten down by the rhythm section and an overdose of “whoa-oa-oa” backing vocals in place of inspired lyrics. The vanishing opening riff virus also spread to “Radio Show” and “The Deepest Side Of Me” deeper into the album.

There’s abundance of mid-tempo rhythms which lack urgency and sap attitude and swagger. The best songs have tight, groovy riffs like those in “Easy” and “Until It’s Over” and the up-tempo songs “Life’s A Thrill”, “Never Givin’ Up”, and “Only The Youth”.

Untamed is anything but; it lacks teeth and claws. Part of the problem lies with an uneven mix and the other with unconvincing vocals and lyrics. The band overreaches in their attempt to appeal to a wider audience.

TUNE INTO METALEXPRESSRADIO.COM at NOON & MIDNIGHT (EST) / 6:00 & 18:00 (CET) TO HEAR THE BEST TRACKS FROM THIS UPCOMING RELEASE!!!

TRACKLIST (Highlights: 1, 4, 5, 9, 11)

  1. Life’s a Thrill
  2. Tyger Bite
  3. London
  4. Never Givin’ Up
  5. Easy
  6. Pyro
  7. Radio Show
  8. Tell Me Tell Me
  9. Only The Youth
  10. The Deepest Side Of Me
  11. Until It’s Over

LINEUP

Mark Denkley – Bass guitar, lead and backing vocals
Metyou ToMeatyou – Drums and backing vocals
Robby Luckets – Guitars, lead and backing vocals

Author

  • Zac Halter

    Zac was a reviewer here at Metal Express Radio, hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. His interest in heavy music began in the 70s with his father’s Johnny Cash albums. After cousins introduced him to Steppenwolf, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, KISS, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, Johnny Cash didn’t stand a chance. The 80s were spent in full pursuit of everything Metal: searching for new music at record stores, listening to albums, studying the covers and sleeves, and attending concerts. In the 90s, he preferred Death Metal over Grunge and hosted the Death Metal Juggernaut on WUPX in Marquette, Michigan. It was advertised as the only prime time Death Metal radio show in the country.

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