Shield Of Snakes

"The title track from the hard-charging San Diego band's second album, "The Devil's Hand" is a lean, sinewy rip snorter that will terrify some of our more sensitive listeners. If you like rock n roll that crushes skulls into dust and smokes it like cigarettes, then this might be the band for you." - Classic Rock UK Magazine December 2018

"The Devil's Hand" is the sophomore release from the American rock band, Shield of Snakes. Deepening the musical range and crossing genres is standard for the band and is immediately evident on the new album. Both sonic and melodic, soaring guitars, powerful vocals and a thundering rhythm section take the listener on a dynamic musical journey of power and diversity from the first note to the last. - We Rock Webzine December 21, 2018

Shield Of Snakes are a Californian band of brothers whose philosophy is all about playing from the soul and for the love of music. Not necessarily brothers in the strictest sense - although Noel (bass and vocals) and Ian Holloway (guitar and vocals) are actually related with the line-up completed by Sean Rhead (drums) - they form a high-octane trio who certainly live up to their values.
Their second release 'The Devil's Hand' is like one of those Christmas selection boxes or tins of biscuits where you get a taste of everything. There's always something for someone, a few favourites that get snapped up quickly, maybe the odd thing you want to avoid and occasionally one item that gets left over. Musically, it touches many bases which show the group's many influences and inspirations.
Within the first few songs, we're transported from raw and gravel-voiced Heavy Rock to a rather splendid piece of easy-paced Southern Rock before surrendering to the cool groove of 'Albatross'. The latter is more Fleetwood Mac than Monty Python and it carries a hint of mid-period Pink Floyd as well (to these ears at least). It also sees the spartan but effective use of some background keyboard fills that add a certain texture and these reappear at regular intervals throughout the album, although they are particularly effective on the stomping 'Moonchild'.
The title track itself may owe a small debt to a certain dear departed, bass playing, leather-booted, cowboy hat wearing, Rock 'n' Roll brother who hardly needs any introduction. However, if those clues aren't enough...we're obviously talking Lemmy Kilmister with the first verse sung in a rather similar, very distinctive and respectful growl.
The one piece that may be a head-scratcher to listeners is 'Aguanga', a steel-strung acoustic guitar-based piece that develops into a brief shimmer of electronic waves and percussion; seemingly a lengthy instrumental arrangement that suddenly heralds a cowboy-like Western-flavoured vocal, it's a style that re-occurs later on the bluesy 'End Of The Line'. The lengthy 'Path Of The Sacred Heart' might have you humming that you're "rocking in the free world", but for a final confirmation that Shield Of Snakes are about good time Rock 'n' Roll, 'Fox On A Hen' and '78 LTD' are hard to beat on a release that ticks many boxes.
Mike Ainscoe - Fireworks Rock & Metal