Secondhand Serenade
Awake
Glassnote (2007)
It wasn't long ago that a bushy eyebrowed, full-sleeved tattoo sportin' Christian by the name of Chris Carrabba left his rock band, Further Seems Forever, to embark on nearly overnight emo superstardom under the guise of Dashboard Confessional. About that same time, I gave up on emo. I saw it become a marketing scheme to sell boring records to lackluster … Read more
Secret Chiefs 3
Book of Horizons
Mimicry (2004)
For many, Secret Chiefs 3 is considered to be "Mr. Bungle minus Mike Patton." While I feel this description does a grave injustice to the band, there are those out there blind to the genius that Secret Chiefs 3 has committed to tape. This is quite unfortunate for them, and coming from the Patton super-fan that I am, this remark … Read more
Secret Chiefs 3
Xaphan: Book of Angels Vol. 9
Tzadik (2008)
John Zorn is well on the way to becoming the most prolific artist in music history. Through recordings from Painkiller, Naked City, Masada, and untold other projects, the man is associated either through composing music for or performing on an average of over ten albums per year. For those unfamiliar, his Masada project was arguably his most well known and … Read more
Secrets Of The Moon
Sun
Lupus Lounge (2015)
There is a great deal of history that follows Secrets of the Moon. The German extreme metal band emerged from the ashes of the obscure, primal black metal outfit, Martyrium. A series of great albums would follow, with the band showcasing in an excellent manner their doom/black hybrid approach. However, through the years it seems as if a change was … Read more
See it Through
Breakthrough
Fierce Justice (2007)
I don't really know much of anything about Reno, Nevada other than it's like a smaller, less fun version of Las Vegas. The only other things that I have learned about Reno have come at the hands of Reno 911, even though the show isn't actually filmed there. And while I find that show to be quite entertaining, I doubt … Read more
Seed From The Geisha
Talk Peace to the Wolf
M&O Music (2011)
Don't be turned away by the album cover! I assure you, this review has absolutely minimal content involving werwolves. Probably. I'm actually writing this introduction prior to finishing the last fifth or so of the review, so it's entirely conceivable I could change my mind. Let's assume I don't so that I can talk about the excellent debut from the … Read more
Seemless
Seemless
Losing Face (2004)
It's been a while since I heard a new band that played some outright rock-n-roll. Enter Massachusetts natives Seemless and their self-titled debut. Seemless, is a supergroup comprised of former members of metalcore stalwarts Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, Overcast and Medium. Ironically for fans of those previous efforts, they may be disappointed to find an album filled with a balanced … Read more
Seemless
What Have We Become
Equal Vision (2006)
Seemless is a hard rock band, straight up hard rock. Boasting ex-members of Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, and Overcast, this is kind of unexpected. What Have We Become is their second full-length. Their last one, a self-titled album, showed a bit of promise for what they could do in the future. Unfortunately, this Seemless record is mostly unremarkable. The sound … Read more
Seidr
Ginnungagap
Bindrune Records (2013)
Existing on the outer realms of the galaxies, where space and time collide, Seidr return with their sophomore release,Ginnungagap. Led by A. Lunn, also of Agnosis, Kolga, Throndt and most importantly of Panopticon, the band is here to build further upon the impact that their debut album, For Winter Fire, caused.Even though the band is at its core a doom … Read more
Self Defense Family
You Are Beneath Her
Iron Pier (2013)
Surely there has been a band (not just a group of musicians) that is as forward thinking about what the concept of being a “band” is as Self Defense Family (the band formerly known as End Of A Year), but none that I can think of other than say SunnO))) in the way that collaborators shape the music; You Are … Read more
Self Evident
We Built A Fortress on Short Notice
doubleplusgood (2012)
Self Evident have been a band for over 15 years, but unfortunately, I’ve been in the dark until I heard their most recent endeavor, We Built a Fortress on Short Notice. This would be my introduction to Self Evident and truth be told, it led me to their back catalog of 5 previous full lengths and some EPs. They construct … Read more
Send More Paramedics
The Awakening
In at the Deep End (2006)
The Awakening is the third offering from back-from-the-dead thrashers Send More Paramedics. Coming as a two CD set, the first disk is the same onslaught of thrash-punk that we've come to expect from our anthropophagic friends. The second disk, however, becomes the moody, brooding soundtrack to the coming zombie apocalypse of 2025. Send More Paramedics patented sound, zombiecore, is hard … Read more
Send More Paramedics
The Final Feast
Independent (2021)
When Send More Paramedics announced a brief reformation to play a handful of shows celebrating 20 years of reanimation no one expected them to chuck out a brand new 9-track album but they surprised us all by doing just so. The Final Feast is their first studio album release in 15 years, the last being The Awakening (2006). Listening to … Read more
Send More Paramedics / Zombie Apocalypse
Tales Told by Dead Men
Hellbent (2005)
So you know the story; you wait all your life for a band to sing about zombies and the living dead tearing at your flesh and then two come along at the same time! However, unlike the number 33 bus to Castlefield this is not just a small annoyance that makes you grumble all the way to work. Having the … Read more
Seneca
Reflections
Lifeforce (2009)
Although they aren't breaking any new ground, especially in the already worn-down genre of metalcore, North Carolina's Seneca are talented at what they do. Though everything they've written on their sophomore album Reflections has been done before, they execute it with such precision and emotion that it gives it a new feel. This isn't to say that their songs were … Read more
Senmuth
Bar-Do Thos-Grol
Independent (2012)
After writing ethnic music for over half a decade at this point (over the span of one hundred and forty-three individual studio albums), it's no surprise that Russian musician/history buff/general crazy man Senmuth has gotten rather good at it. Bar-Do Thos-Grol, his most recent foray into dark ambient music, shows off just how proficient he's become at it. The album … Read more
Senmuth
Hagwalah
Independent (2012)
Russian rocker Senmuth is known for his very overt fetish for all things Near Eastern. All you have to do is look at his website, and you'll see it's filled to the brim with pictures of him in Egypt, as well as the vast quantities of music and artwork that interest has inspired. But then, amongst all of that, there … Read more
Sentenced
The Funeral Album
Century Media (2005)
Legend, and probably some interview posted somewhere on the internet, has it that halfway through recording The Funeral Album the members of Sentenced decided it would be their final project together. I suppose there's the potential for criticism in giving this album a stellar rating. Such a move might smack of the silver medals awarded to aging figure skaters because … Read more
