Scream Poet, Scream
Illegitimate Descendent of a Pope
Independent (2006)
Out of Chicago, Illinois, Scream Poet, Scream play energetic punk. Some songs, like "Trainwwreck," are harsh and dissonant while others - see "I Have Decided to Starve" - have pop sensibilities. They remind me of an opening band... not a specific band, just one of those groups you find yourself paying some attention to as you wait for the other … Read more
Seagulls
The Royal We EP
Autmun & Colour (2014)
I don't get too excited about new bands anymore. However, Seagulls recently swooped into my radar and have me pumped for sing-a-longs. If you're a fan of the guttural vocals of Fucked Up and the melodic pop-punk riffs of Latterman, then this is right up your alley. The band's new EP, The Royal We, will have you fist pumping through … Read more
Seasick
Awakenings
Brain Drain (2007)
Seasick play fast pissed off political hardcore with plenty of twists and turns to keep me interested. There are some nice little breakdowns and some Integrity-like guitar solos. It reminds me a little bit of the stuff that Ebullition was hawking in the mid 90's but a lot more fun and catchy. I could see kids that use their dogs … Read more
See Through Dresses
End of Days EP
Tiny Engines (2015)
See Through Dresses' sound is lathered in squealing, wailing guitars that melt and sway in the sludge of the rawest depths of grunge. The frazzled cocoon that is "Everyman" is laced with the threat "Wait 'til father gets home" delivered in a neutral tone while the guitars frantically crash through the song. There's a constant juxtaposition between the vocals and … Read more
September Malevolence
Our Withers Unwrung
Tendervision (2011)
There are some albums that you can just tell everyone can like, and September Malevolence's 2011 album Our Withers Unwrung is one such an album.Prominently, the music features an enjoyable post-rock reminiscent backing, with tons of light, melodic guitars and repetitive themes. However, the overall experience sounds closer to alternative rock; this is mostly a result of the vocals, which … Read more
Sequoia
Time to Change
Independent (2007)
The metropolis of Chicago, IL is home to many many artists. While listening to Sequoia, I found their sound to be somewhat fitting, but at the same time I could pick up influences that could easily place them elsewhere. Time to Change is the band's second full-length and features ten songs at just over thirty minutes of music. The opening … Read more
Set Foot
Aging
Copper Lung (2008)
Set Foot is a fairly straightforward hardcore band from Vancouver, British Columbia. They may hail from the Pacific Northwest but they're far different from their brethren in the likes of Champion, Sinking Ships, Blue Monday, etc. Rather than draw influence from the worlds of youth crew and posi-revival hardcore, Set Foot takes to the metallic edge. Aging is the band's … Read more
Shambles
Self Titled
Independent (2012)
Shambles is a pop-punk band from Boston, with a love for melody, circle pits and post ironic song titles. On the surface, they seem to be a fairly generic pop-punk band and I won’t completely dismiss that but there’s a lot of great aspects to this self-released EP. The best thing about this album is the honestly that really comes … Read more
Shipwreck
Shipwreck
Deathwish Inc. (2006)
This 7" has launched Shipwreck to the forefront of the hardcore scene, and with their recent signing to Deathwish, further fuel has been added to the flames. Side A opens with a little acoustic number akin to the theme from Desperado before things really kick off. "Au Pach" draws heavily on the mid-90's scene that first combined elements of metal … Read more
Shipwreck
Shipwreck
Deathwish Inc. (2007)
Shipwreck burst onto the scene last year with their debut 7" on Rumble Records. The four-song release was an instant hit and eventually brought them to Deathwish's door. This release, another self-titled affair, is comprised of two new cuts and a reworking of "Heated" from their debut. "Mirage" kicks things off. The song is a rager deeply rooted in 90's … Read more
Shit Outta Luck
Family Tradition
Organized Crime (2007)
Not to be confused with Hayward's Shit Outta Luck, a ska band - this is Milwaukee's Shit Outta Luck, a meaty, Midwest "hardcore" band. The quotes are for the mere fact that the hardcore term is thrown around with such carelessness these days as to render its true meaning useless. Is S.O.L. hardcore? Not quite by my definition, but they … Read more
Short Fuse
Blight
Assault (2007)
Short Fuse is a hardcore punk outfit from Münster, Germany. The four-piece outfit delivers six tracks of fast and raw hardcore punk. "Blight" packs a mean punch with its gritty guitars and Seb's yelled vocals, which reminded me a little bit of Fucked Up's Pink Eyes. The majority of the songs on this 7" occupy the territory of mid-tempo hardcore, … Read more
Shout Magic
Ceiling Fan and Other Revolutions
Chief City (2007)
Shout Magic is a five-piece ensemble from Philadelphia. Though, if you were listen to the music of Ceiling Fan and Other Revolutions you definitely wouldn't guess that as their location. Perhaps a swanky lounge in Los Angeles or even some off-strip locale in Las Vegas would be more likely. Ceiling Fan and Other Revolutions is six tracks that clocks in … Read more
Show No Mercy
Death is My Religion
Hand of Death (2007)
Show No Mercy hail from Maryland and deliver seven tracks of crossover/thrash/metallic hardcore over the course of Death is My Religion. Musically, the band shows an obvious homage to their namesake, Slayer, with blazing riffs that call to mind the early Bay Area thrash scene. Show No Mercy also mix in some nice mid-90's hardcore grooves and even a solo … Read more
Sick/Tired
Dissolution
A389 (2014)
Sick/Tired don’t mess about. They’re angry, and they want you to know about it and they do so via the medium of fast, raw grindcore. The Chicago band pound through fifteen short, but certainly not sweet, tracks in a delirious sub-twenty five minutes with guest collaborates Merzbow and Lasse Marhaug adding more noise bases compositions to the furious mix of … Read more
Signs of Hope
Choices Made
Detonate (2008)
I thoroughly enjoyed CT's Signs of Hope full-length First and Foremost and was pleased as punch to see their new EP in my mailbox. If you aren't familiar with Signs of Hope, they play fast hardcore that sounds like everyone else but it doesn't matter since Signs of Hope does it so well. Choices Made ventures into the ground of … Read more
Sims
False Hopes XIV
Doomtree (2009)
Lights Out Paris was one of my favorite releases of 2005, but as the Doomtree crew only has so much time and money on their hands, they rotate members' releases. Thus, it's taken Sims until 2009 to release a False Hopes (the Doomtree version of a mixtape). On #14, Sims has ten new songs to show his growth as an … Read more
Sinking Ships
Ten
Revelation (2007)
If the rumor serves correct, this may be the swansong for Sinking Ships. I for one will be sad to see them go (if said rumor is true) as they always played a decent version of emotional melodic hardcore that the Northwest seemed to spit out weekly after the demise of Champion. Ten gives you three tracks of speedy harmonious … Read more
