SANDNESS – Untamed

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.

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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