Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA The Sand Devils - The Sand Devils
 | Wow! The Sand Devils is all meat, not veggies. Lots of heavy tone and power, with engaging interplay between guitars over a powerful rhythm section. Yes indeed! |
Picks: Cascadia, Feathers Of The Crow, Make Me Shine, Stacatto Lane, Crossing The Border, Scrambled, Snake Eyes, Cavern Mishap, Prairie Sunset Disaster, Southsider, Deep Blue, Well Of Souls, Omar Sharif Ballad
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
Distant reverbed rhythm and very wet lead play a profoundly sad song with a lovely melody. Just a touch of a dawn approaching. Then, "Cascadia" rips into dark double picked mode. The changes make for drama and engagement.
Surf (Instrumental)
Tremolo shimmer and rich dark muted rhythm guitar yielding eventually to a spy-like melody with a moody sound. The muted lines are very cool! Several changes in the arrangement keep it fresh and dangerous.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Make Me Shine" is dramatic and dark at times, and adventurous and storm surf ominous at others. The contrast between the muted patterns and lead guitar are very engaging. A fine arrangement with cool drums and bass, and excellent guitar interplay.
Surf (Instrumental)
Yeah, with a title like "Stacatto Lane," you know this is going to rock! Tuff, power-punched guitars, dark glissandos, chorded rhythm charm, and strong bass and drum work. This lives up to its name.
Surf (Instrumental)
Heavy tone, a fluid and scenic melody, and a relentless sense of motion. "Crossing The Border" is a fine instro with power and delicacy combined for a great ride.
Surf (Instrumental)
Muted guitars and tom toms, a flowing melody line, and background mystery. "Scrambled" is well constructed, with drama and optimism in despite of it all. Then, halfway through, it rips into a more middle eastern exotic structure that's substantially faster, with the two guitars playing counter melodies.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Snake Eyes" is a hard rockin' assault, with loud, powerful guitars playing against each other. Synergy and power combine here. This is not a cover of The Losers' classic instro.
Surf (Instrumental)
An interesting muted rhythm pattern plays against a lovely mysterious melody. The contrast is superb. Both play complex patterns, each complimenting the other. Powerful, dramatic, with some loud crashes and frantic double picked mayhem.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Prairie Sunset Disaster" employs a wonderful cycling muted behind a dark and strong lead line. The song evolves well as it rises from danger to victory. Very well done.
Surf (Instrumental)
Big drama via the drums and bass, with double picked guitars playing against each other at times. "Southsider" does not sound as full and powerful as the rest of the album, as if from a completely different session. That said, it's pretty darn powerful and relentless.
Surf (Instrumental)
Lovely in a dangerous and loud kind of way, with excellent guitar interplay and a strong rhythm section. "Deep Blue" is deep blue in color and attack.
Surf (Instrumental)
Rich, dangerous, and relentlessly edgy. The rhythm pattern threatens while the lead is hopeful. It's a strong song with evolving, cycling lines. By the middle, "Well Of Souls" has risen to a high energy menace.
Surf (Instrumental)
Mysterious and arranged for adventure and danger, "Omar Sharif Ballad" plunders and charges, then is darkly muted and ominous. Very nice!