“Angel In The Sand” illustrates a virtue, having failed or fallen to the ground—and rather than just noting ‘the ground’, ‘sand’ is used instead, suggesting the terrain of beaches in Leaving Time’s hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. On their debut LP, the Jacksonville band expresses this image throughout the ten tracks. Lyrically, vocalist Reed Cothren details sorrow, regret, and loss, with each word reinforced by the vast and dark sounds of distorted guitars, heavy cymbals and drums, and melodic leads.
Since 2020, Leaving Time has created a distinct sound in the alternative rock realm, heard on their self-titled EP, and again on their 2022 follow-up, “II”. The band plays incredibly heavy both in recordings and live settings. With a foundation in hardcore bands, their attitude and expression transfer perfectly to this setting. Like their previous recordings, Leaving Time returned to local Florida engineer John Howard (Magnitude, Ecostrike) for their LP, primarily written throughout 2023. With the support of new master engineer Zac Montez (Cloakroom, Turnover, Nothing), this collection of songs sounds massive. The intro track builds a tense feeling with minimal guitar leads and heavy bass with toms. Later songs continue building on this feeling, like the explosive single, “Arm’s Length”. The flow of the songs allows listeners to reach these pressure release moments, like in “Waiting,” where drummer Jarod Whalen plays a mournful piano outro paired with an acoustic guitar. Small moments like these contrast the heaviness of the songs, showcasing Leaving Time’s dynamic songwriting.
With the heaviness portrayed on “Angel In The Sand,” the band closes with the song “And On,” about acknowledging pain but moving on. It’s not purely optimistic, but it again has a dynamic of contrasting emotions, brushed with dense yet beautiful sounds and melodies.