Sons Of Liberty – The Detail Is In The Devil: Album Review

By Mike Ainscoe on 6th March 2024 • ( Leave a comment )

Sons Of Liberty reach for the sky – The Detail In The Devil finds Sons Of Liberty right in the groove – it’s their time.

Release Date: 23rd February 2024

Label: Self released

Format: CD / digital / vinyl

Big songs – that’s the aim of The Detail In The Devil. “We’ve been seriously working out!” claim the band and following up the double whammy of Animism and Aces & Eights. The result in evidenced in the delivery of a muscular and often thunderous celebration of all things that rock in the heavy, hard and classic tradition.

It’s not rocket science or reinventing/subverting the genre – sometimes you just need something solid and reliable to nod your head to. Get the blood pumping and take your mind off the trials and tribulations of the day to day humdrum of existence. The Detail Is In The Devil offers exactly that – an escape into a world where chugging riffs and posturing vocals (and maybe a hint of denim and leather) are boss and can’t fail to induce the thrill that comes with the connection to some heavy music.

The opening track is hands down 24 carat gold. Time To Fly could be one of those tracks that other bands tap into as intro music – Maiden and Saxon have done it with UFO and AC/DC – and it’s the latter whose influence and style is perhaps most strongly felt in the no nonsense combination of strong riffs and tremendous melodies that litter the eleven tracks.

Light The Fuse has one of those standard, but irresistible choruses that consists of the title chanted with gusto and bleeds into Turn This Tide which hits the sweet spot that is Southern Rock And Roll; a vein that’s been mined by the likes of young upstarts Dirty Honey and the grand sense of fun that’s at the core of Lancaster’s own Massive Wagons; a rolling and relaxed vibe always threatening to kick into a powerful interlude. The opening sequence of Hard Rock heaven continues with Tertulia Time (“get up, get up, welcome to the party” bound to induce an audience participation anthem) and a tremendous and pumping What’s A Man Supposed To Do (hey – is that another immersive “come on, come on!” moment?)

Walk With You and Hawk Men Come offer a couple of calmer options, but to be honest, there’s a sense of impatience awaiting a more uptempo return that comes with the likes of the stop-start swagger in Libertine that might just indulge in a little saucy tease.

There’s no greater testament we can offer to new vocalist Russ Grimmett than you can’t see the joins. His commitment to his first recorded performance gives an added edge to the songs. The Sons might sign off with Well’s Run Dry – hopefully not subscribing to the “no remorse we’ve run our course” – confirming they’re a band who know their way round a fired-up tune or two and how to incite a good time. Welcome to the brotherhood! Welcome to the party!

Here’s Turn This Tide a gateway track if ever there were one: