Time does naught to hinder true passions in life and there are few things that contend to such as much as Sands Of Time by REDD BARRON; being the band's first release in 31 years and distinguished as their first full scale album, this release could only ever be met in a fervor of anticipation.

The album begins with the track, "King Of The Hill," a power ballad focused on striving for something more, something greater than one's current occupation something which perhaps is a parallel to the band's own mission statement. "Shadowman" begins with the guitars sharing a panned harmony before the bass and drums join in accompaniment, the strings retain this manner of delivery for the remainder of the song being dry panned between shared rhythms and homophonous leads; the whole of the song feels that it has about itself Jazz elements focusing on melodic progressions as a driving rhythm rather than chords. The title track, "Sands Of Time" with interesting dynamics as the bass delivers a descending progression set with the guitars ringing out in near disharmonic chords all occurring prior to the start of the verse whose dynamics shift in and out of active and passive rhythms from the strings. "Full Circle" is one of the faster tracks of the album barreling in with relentless drums, quickened strings, and energetic vocals-in an odd move the song drops to a half-time feel for the chorus. The last song on the LP, "Man With Two Faces," is themed around the topic of duality telling the story of an individual with patronizing features.

The instrumental quality of the album is quite astounding in many regards, whereupon the listener can tell without hesitation a full band was responsible for the mix as it shows in every track. The guitars are peculiar, their tones work for the soundscape but they find themselves a bit muddied in high-mids. The bass is given a good amount of room to lay a foundation given the higher inclination of the guitars but feels a bit quiet and diminished in form. The drums are mixed quite well and performed with excellent precision bringing the band together as a solid unit. And the vocals are a reaching and powerful force in their own right being perhaps the most noticeable element of the whole mix.

Sands Of Time feels as a testament to the band and their pursuit to defy time and expectation choosing to tread their own path down the avenues of Heavy Metal. The music is strong and the listener can feel the enthusiasm that went into making this album with every instrument building off of one another in spectacular grandeur throughout the entirety of the LP.