"Sand In Your Hands" is the debut album from the, Zurich based, Sahara Rain and it is a beautiful example of what can happen if you believe hard enough in something. Sahara Rain just wanted to make music and music they made! Some lyrics could be considered to be a tad over the top but I'm sure even the most miserly music critic can accept that lyrics have to be a bit more grand when you're playing anthemic, driving, **** rock that just makes you want to grow your hair out, fill your wardrobe with leather jackets and spend the rest of your life sending applications to join Whitesnake.



Just like sex, you don't need any prior knowledge about it to have fun, and like a swingers party at a house with no doors, this is the kind of thing you could just walk in on and get involved with straight away. Akin to an escaped mental patient, formally an employee in Cheddar gorge, it's unapologetic about lauding its cheese over you; because this album is VERY cheese rock. But who ever said that was a bad thing? I'll tell you who! Unfeeling, cold, sterile, craven excuses for people who write for magazines with the soul intention of making sure everyone has a terrible time by making them listen to "off the line" floating ear-cancer. I care about new music as much as the next guy, probably more, but not when it F**KING SUCKS!



Whilst doing my original research on Sahara Rain I was cast under the impression that their stand out track, their flag ship tune, was supposed to be "Shadow" (no. 6 on the album) since that was the one that was getting all the air play, it was the one that had the most hits on their myspace player. But it is not, by any means, the best song on the album itself. If tracks like "Higher Sky" and "Center of Pain" are there to take you to the top of this musical roller coaster then tracks like "Black Gold", "The Dance" and "Blinded Eyes" are the "Kickass goin' down bits!"



Not to mention that "Be The Man" sounds like it should be the theme for a James Bond film.



Sometimes I don't think people nowadays stop to think what would, you know, make their band good. Sahara Rain have used the time tested technique of getting people who are at least COMPETANT at what they do and then forming a band. Seems simple, right? Ricci has an epic voice, Dave and Adrian are excellent guitarists, Bo adds that little bit of spice with the keyboards and Levent and Boet keep the rest of them in check.



So, will you like this album? ...put simply, yes, yes you will. I'd be willing to stake my lack of a reputation on it. Should you buy this album? Obviously. You should probably get a t-shirt too. You should at least go to their myspace page and check them out, you owe me that much...



I know what you did last summer... and it bored me to tears.



SAHARA RAIN on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Videos

SAHARA RAIN - Hardrock from Switzerland


Rating: "Dear Whitesnake, I now own no less than 34 leather jackets and my trousers are cutting of the circulation to my groin...can I join the band yet?"



Drew.