SANDSTONE – Tides Of Opinion [Remastered +3] (2018)

Alongside the very good Stevie McLaughlin solo debut CD (featured HERE) Limb Music is re-releasing his band SANDSTONE album “Tides Of Opinion” with refreshed artwork, remixed and remastered plus 3 previously unreleased tracks as bonus.

Since forming in 2003, Sandstone have been a favourite on the Northern Ireland club and festival circuit, building a solid fan base. Known for their high energy and tight performances, the band have already toured the mainland on the back of this reputation.
From progressive hard rock to powerful ballads and epic midtempo tunes, the band comprise accomplished musicians with a maturity that flows with ease.

Following the success of their debut EP ‘Life Giving Sun’, Sandstone hit the road, winning the top prize at the Hammersmith Odeon battle of the bands along the way, and writing constantly, putting the final touches to the material that would make up their first full album “Tides Of Opinion”, a slice of classic style hard rock executed with confidence and power.

What these dudes excel at is writing catchy hard rock songs that have just a tinge of the progressive, elaborated arrangements.
Singer Sean McBay has a very unique voice which grew in interest with each song in the track list. I really like the guitar tones of McLaughlin on this album; nice, melodic solos and some crunchy riffage complete the order.

The ballads aren’t quite the usual sap-fest; there’s enough power into them to deliver substance. Sandstone seems to easily side-step the perils that usually beset a (at the time of this recording) young band. Obviously, a lot of hard work went into these songs.
I like the rocking “Nothing New” with its strong guitar work and a HURRICANE feel, a song that could easily slip into one of my homemade Eighties classic hard rock compilations.
“America” is another solid number, with driving drums and bass and Sean’s quirky vocals that kicks into a good hard rock riff.

The midtempo semi-ballads seems to be their forte as a lot of the material on the album follows the late Eighties template, with a twist. Among them, the best is the lighters in the air “So Pretty”, a terrific song that with clean vocals and sharp guitars akin HARDLINE.
With “The Fall”, Sandstone sound and feels a lot like BON JOVI’s 1992 Keep The Faith, adding acoustics and subtle keys.

When they pick up the pace, like in “Sometime Soon”, they show that they can rock with the big boys. This song rocks hard with a superb punch and an American feel circa 1990.
The bonus tracks are good numbers as well, like uptempo “Renegade” (with some CASANOVA on it) or “On Fire” which I found similar to a BATON ROUGE song.

Quite unknown for major hard rock audiences, Sandstone is a really good band at creating elaborated songs all served with stupendous musicianship.
While there’s some progressive arrangements here and there, this benefits the overall ’80s hard rock nature of the songs turning things even more interesting.
A welcomed reissue which now sounds great with this fresh remix / remaster.
HIGHLY Recommended

01 – America
02 – Atrophy
03 – Building Castles
04 – Just Forget
05 – Unbroken
06 – Nothing New
07 – Nemesii
08 – Sometime Soon
09 – The Fall
10 – Couldabeen
11 – Children Of The Jihad
12 – So Pretty
Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks:
13 – Renegade
14 – On Fire
15 – Traffic

Sean McBay – Vocals, Guitars
Stevie McLaughlin – Guitars
David McLaughlin – Bass
Noel Thompson – Drums

BUY IT !
www.amazon.de/Tides-Opinion-Remastered-Sandstone/dp/B07BZYZD5K
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