SONS OF LIBERTY – The Detail Is In The Devil (2024) *HQ*

From a raucous opening right the way through to an overly satisfying ending, UK rockers SONS OF LIBERTY are releasing a belter of an album made up of eleven tracks of pure rocking delight. “The Detail Is In The Devil” is an album fueled by the power of everything you would want to remember about ’80s Rock n Roll, from Southern Blues Rock to Hard Rock.
Last year it was announced that the boys had recruited Russ Grimmett (son of the legendary, late Grim Reaper / Onslaught vocalist Steve) as the new singer for the Sons. Russ comes from a metal background, but his powerful voice lifts the band to the next level.
The next thing you cannot help but notice is the production. This time, by Josiah J Manning (guitarist for the Kris Barras Band). The album simply sounds HUGE, as in MASSIVE, the band under Russ and Josiah has somehow found a second wind, and are on the fast-track to much bigger and better places.
Guitarists Fred Hale and Andy Muse are sounding every bit as authentic as Blackfoot’s Rick Medlocke/Charlie Hargrett, or Molly Hatchet’s Dave Hlubeck / Duane Roland, and I mean that as a colossal compliment.

So, what does ”The Detail is in the Devil” sound like? Well, it’s got an absolutely fabulous sound! Just one listen to the opening track ‘Time To Fly’ demonstrates a band that is firing on all cylinders. There is a gloriously meaty roar to the guitars, a wonderfully thick overdrive that screams ‘Classic Rock’. As an opening track, ‘Time To Fly’ hits home like an out of control juggernaut; all huge riffs and hooky vocals. The guitar riffs in the verses remind me a little of early Def Leppard with that same chugging loveliness that characterised their High & Dry album over 40 years ago. But don’t get the idea that this sounds dated. Far from it. This is the sound of big, brash and bold Classic Rock at its best!

Second track ‘Light The Fuse’ is a colossal beast of a song with huge and chunky guitars driven by pounding drums and pumping bass. It’s got a huge shout-along chorus hook too. Nothing fancy, in rather the same way that AC/DC do on all of their best tracks, but hugely powerful and full of fist-pumping energy. It’ll be killer live for sure.
‘Turn This Tide’ takes the pedal off the metal just a little and I’m noticing a little more of an American influence creeping in here, kinda like Lynyrd Skynyrd with a modern and up-to-date production. There’s a bit of American swagger to ‘Tertulia Time’ too with another huge chant-along chorus.

It’s at this point you realized that one of the reasons this album is so enjoyable is because of the excellent production and mix. There’s a delightful clarity to everything here and there’s no sacrificing power for that clarity. The drums snap and crack beautifully and the bass is perfectly audible beneath the thick swathes of guitar, while the vocals sit perfectly within it all. It’s not over-compressed either, which is a very good thing.

Sons of Liberty slow things down a bit for ‘Walk With You’ with a bit more jangle to the guitars on this lovely mid-paced Southern Rock styled anthem. The hooks on this are a little less obvious, but they worm their way in and by the third or fourth play through, they are in there! The guitars are particularly fine on this track; subtle, beautifully restrained yet still driving everything along and the solo is a real delight – Fred Hale and Andy Muse – take a bow, gentlemen. Damned fine job.

After the gentle subtlety of ‘Walk With You’, the band kick things back up a gear for ‘What’s a Man Supposed To Do’ which reminds me a little of Thunder (which is most definitely a compliment!) Kicking ass in all the right ways and with plenty of melody, this is another hugely anthemic track.
It is followed by the oddly-titled ‘Hawk Men Come’ which, with a title like that, sounds like it could be an ode to the old Flash Gordon sci-fi show/movie. Musically, it has a wonderful minor-key slow paced vibe with jangling electric guitars, acoustic guitars and subtle keyboards. Grimmett’s voice is drenched in reverb on this one and he sounds absolutely fabulous as he stretches for those high notes and gently croons on the quieter parts. It is a quite wonderful change of pace and a highlight of an already great body of work.

Slightly Eastern-sounding guitars open ‘Love What You’ve Got’, which soon explodes into another riff-fuelled rocker driven by drummer Steve Byrne and bassist Mark Thomas whose work throughout the album is really tight. The chorus on this beauty has some fabulous harmony vocals too. Classy Hard Rock of the highest order.
Things don’t let up one iota as the band launch into the stop-start riffery of ‘Libertine’ which continues the theme of massive guitars and highly melodic vocals, with more quite delicious harmony vocals in both the pre-chorus and chorus before another quite wonderfully tasteful guitar solo.

‘I’ve Got The Sky’ is up next and it’s midpaced with melodic guitars, cool keyboards and acoustics providing the perfect backdrop to Russ Grimmett’s fabulous vocals. The arrangement and production on this is superb, with everything building subtly across the first half of the song before it breaks out into an almost Country-Rock vibe for the playout – unexpected and very effective indeed!
Sons of Liberty close this wonderful album with ‘Well’s Run Dry’ which is more of what has made the album such a brilliant listen. Melodic, powerful and with a warm, comfortable vibe, it already feels like an old friend.

There’s a lot of Rock music out there and it’s easy for bands to get lost in the crowd but it would be a crime if that were to happen to ”The Detail is in the Devil” by Sons of Liberty.
This really is a fabulous slice of home-grown British Bluesy Hard Rock music. Its strengths actually lie in the fact that it makes no pretence: it is simply real, honest high-quality Classic Rock – nothing fancy, but absolutely fantastic! Every member of the band puts in a quite brilliant performance and the production and mix is truly superb.
HIGHLY Recommended

01 – Time to Fly
02 – Light the Fuse
03 – Turn This Tide
04 – Tertulia Time
05 – Walk With You
06 – What’s A Man Supposed To Do
07 – Hawk Men Come
08 – Love What You Got
09 – Libertine
10 – I’ve Got The Sky
11 – Well’s Run Dry

Russ Grimmett (Vocals)
Andy Muse (Guitars)
Fred Hale (Guitars)
Mark Thomas (Bass)
Steve Byrne (Drums)

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