A third guitarist changes a band’s angle. Santa Claws put that fact at the centre of "Sands Of Time". The Brittany five-piece return with a self-produced second album. Crunchy guitars, close arrangements and rich analogue texture fill its frame. It draws on 1990s rock energy. However, the current lineup brings a clear point of view. This "Sands Of Time" album review starts with the expanded formation:...

Listening to Amara Fe’s debut album, "Reborn", is a peculiar act of unearthing. You expect a phoenix from the flames, a cannon-blast of arrival. Instead, you get something far more interesting: the sound of a locked room being patiently, methodically picked from the inside. https://open.spotify.com/album/7zIfmVK9TgMY8u2Pe38w6l?si=kMej8MhJS2m-kUlmpDntpw This isn't the clamor of a wrecking ball tearing down old walls for attention. It’s the quiet, assured scent of old...