Russian Circles
Station
Suicide Squeeze (2008)
Russian Circles' Enter was practically a life-changing album for me. Never had I heard a heavy instrumental band with such a fluid, narrative style before. There was also a dash of technical prowess (but not too much) and the whole thing was wrapped up with a certain flair only Russian Circles could provide. The Upper Ninety/Re-Enter 7" got me even … Read more
Sakes Alive!!
Act I
Barrett (2008)
Rochester, NY hardcore/punk outfit follow-up their impressive debut EP/demo with a series of 7" releases. Act I is the first in said series and features three brand new tracks. Led by guitarist/vocalist Chris Vandeviver, Sakes Alive!! deliver the goods yet again with these three songs. "I'm Religious" is jamming punk rock anthem filled with driving rhythms and sweet guitar riffings. … Read more
Salt the Wound
Carnal Repercussions
Rotten (2008)
Cleveland-based Salt the Wound has been festering in the depths of the metal world since their formation in 2001. With the release of their debut full-length, Carnal Repercussions, the band will finally come to the attention of headbangers around the world. Carnal Repercussions is a twelve-track foray into the world of melodic death metal, thrash, grindcore, and modern metalcore. The … Read more
Samamidon
All is Well
Bedroom Community (2008)
Whether or not a band is unknown is pretty subjective. While I was at the Portraits of Past reunion show in Berkeley recently, many passers-by and uninformed parents continued to ask who was playing. They saw the line of 500-plus kids and couldn't believe that this line was for a band they had never heard of. In this case, sometimes … Read more
Samothrace
Life's Trade
20 Buck Spin (2008)
Doom metal is something that's an acquired taste; either you're a fan of it or you're not, and those who are fans of it will probably go crazy over Kansas four-piece Samothrace's latest offering, Life's Trade. It's a four song album that's roughly fifty minutes long and has no shortage on heaviness. Samothrace are one of the more interesting bands … Read more
Satellite State
Satellite State
Independent (2008)
Four-song EP from this U.K. band that will be sure to make waves across the globe. Imagine yourself driving down the highway, maybe a bit too fast. This would be a perfect companion on a moonlit night. Not that the band condones breaking the law at all! "One Small Step" is a top notch rocker, but all the songs here … Read more
Saul Williams
The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust
Fader (2008)
It's been over sixteen years since the death of Robert Lee Maupin, otherwise known as Iceberg Slim. An African-American author and poet responsible for works such as Pimp: The Story of My Life and Mama Black Widow: A Story of the South's Black Underworld, hHis works, while revolutionary at the time, have since been co-opted over the years to become … Read more
sBACH
sBACH
Suicide Squeeze (2008)
Like his Hella counterpart Zach Hill - well, his original counterpart prior to the band's recent additions - Spencer Seim has recently ventured out on his own. Working under the moniker sBACH, Seim offers up his first compilation of solo recordings. As one listens through sBACH it becomes rather apparent that Seim has either played a major role in the … Read more
Scream Hello
Smart & Stupid
Red Leader (2008)
Super melodic emo-pop with wimpy vocals. Your girlfriend is going to like this band more than you will. It's cute and catchy but a bit too sugary sweet for me. I like the fact that it reminds more of The Get Up Kids and The Promise Ring than any of that garbage clogging up the stages of Warped Tour with … 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
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
Shai Hulud
Misanthropy Pure
Metal Blade (2008)
It has been five years since Shai Hulud's last full-length offering, the underappreciated That Within Blood Ill-Tempered, The band has returned with Misanthropy Pure, their third full-length and first following the departure of vocalist Geert Van Der Velde, amongst other lineup changes. However, the five-year span wasn't a total wash. In 2005 there was the rarities collection A Comprehensive Retrospective … Read more
She & Him
Volume One
Merge (2008)
She is Zooey Deschanel, the actress and apparently all around talented individual. I remember the moment that is etched into my retina whenever I think of her is in the movie Almost Famous when she grasps the protagonist (her character's little brother) by the shoulders and proclaims to him, "One day, you will be cool" while staring at him with … Read more
Shorebirds
It's Gonna Get Ugly
Rumbletowne (2008)
When you consider the potentially high profile of Shorebirds, it's surprising how quietly they operated. Singer/guitarist Matt Canino was in the much-loved Latterman and bassist Chris Bauermeister played in Jawbreaker. With all the hype this could have created, Shorebirds instead laid low, putting their records out on Canino and co-owned label and establishing almost no presence on the Internet. And … 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
Sigur Rós
Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust
EMI/XL Recordings (2008)
The consistently elusive Sigur Rós returns to bless our ears with more soft-spoken Icelandic genius. Is that too much? Perhaps, but this is coming off of their double-disc collection of b-sides Hvarf-Heim released barely a year ago, not to mention the extensive touring they have done in between. I first heard Sigur Rós being played in between sets of a … Read more
Sinaloa
Oceans of Islands
Level Plane (2008)
A seven year old band from Boston, comprised of three members, released their third full-length this year. After writing five songs two years ago for a split with friends Ampere, Sinaloa present Oceans of Islands, their first effort distributed by Level Plane Records. Their previous albums and splits were released on Ebullition, Clean Plate, and Waking Records, labels that boast … Read more
Sirhan Sirhan
Blood
Anodyne (2008)
Sirhan Sirhan plays groovy hardcore punk with a bit of a noise rock bent and maybe even some of that vintage rock 'n' roll vibe from The Bronx's early work, but with a much heftier guitar sound and harsher vocals. This album doesn't really have a whole lot in common with what would traditionally be considered hardcore except for being … Read more
