Sandina

Sandina

Fernando – Vocals
Kevin Lato – Guitar
Diego Ribeiro – Guitar
Gili Lopes – Bass
Joao Viegas – Drums

A kick-ass rock ‘n’ roll show.

Many bands strive to offer such a definitive experience. Few have what it takes. Even less have enough mettle to ensure that event is indelibly life altering. In the case of hard rock quintet Sandina, it’s a promise.

Literally culled from the corners of the Earth— Brazil, Portugal and Canada to be exact—Sandina delivers blow after punishing blow of guttural rock ‘n’ roll. While some have tried, it’s impossible to buy such musical prowess and muscular grit. When that ability is delivered by fate however, it’s another story.

As the Sandina saga proves, their union is as unusual, original and inspiring as their music. Coming together under atypical auspices, the members of Sandina met while inadvertently performing with different bands in the same city, Puerto Del Carmen, Spain. With time off between shows, Lato and Fernando struck up an instant kinship.

“We all knew of each other,” notes Lato. “It was about the fourth night of staring at the walls in a local club after our gigs. Fernando turned to me and said, ‘we can do this all summer. Or we can do something else…’”

Immediately recognizing the strong potential for collaboration, Fernando and Lato hit the ground running as that “something else” became Sandina. Before long, Ribeiro, Lopes and Viegas were handpicked from their previous acts, confirming Sandina’s destiny as carriers of the rock ‘n’ roll torch. The Sandina fire has since spread across France, Germany, England/UK, Brazil and now Canada as they prepare to unleash their forthcoming independent full-length debut.

Produced by Lato and Fernando and mixed by Johnny Gasparic (Plainsmen, Buried In Oblivion, The Scattering Of Ashes), the as-yet-untitled 12-song effort features blazing bouts of rock fury including “Heaven,” “Black Hole,” “Losing You,” “New World Order” and “Get Ready,” adrenaline-pumping primers for revelry, rebelliousness and all-out randiness.

“We create our music and conduct ourselves to satisfy us without disturbing the natural balance of harmony or at least to contribute to it in a positive way,” says Lato. “We are not on some mission to educate anybody in any way—we’re all about having a good time, seeing the good in life and the world and maximizing every experience. It’s all about finding and creating good vibes.”

Naturally, Sandina’s unique tale of coming together lends itself quite readily to their drive of relating “life experience and experiences,” as Lato notes. Allowing their essence to flow genuinely, the Sandina sound—and, by default, their introductory album—is the culmination of decades of musical excitement, talent, enthusiasm and drive packed into 12 slabs of creative and engaging rock.

“We’ve had a passion for musical expression our whole lives,” Lato declares. “We create music that’s cool for us. It was a pointed decision to begin writing together and it began to manifest very organically. Sometimes I reflect on our growth and am amazed at where we are at with this record…but I still look forward to the future.”

In order to capitalize on the aforementioned strong atmosphere on their debut, Sandina eschews typical classifications and shoulder rubbing with antiquated comparisons. Where other bands may hope to “sound like” their heroes, Lato and crew avow determination at ensuring Sandina sound like nothing but Sandina. And at that, there’s only one fast, hard rule when experiencing this Calgary/Brazil quintet’s kick-ass rock ‘n’ roll show:

“We create music that excites us. Our influences are very diverse in the sense that we have all traveled the world extensively. I guess this would be a meeting of our life and musical experiences. That is what this is to me. We let everyone else decide what it is to them,” Lato concludes. “But whatever it is, just play us…and with us…LOUD.”