Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots
Atlantic (2018)
Jeff Gutt has a thankless task before him. Some might say impossible, even. He's replacing Scott Weiland, one of the most loved and recognizable frontmen of the last 30 years, who tragically died far too young.He's also replacing Chester Bennington, Weiland's replacement who, after leaving Stone Temple Pilots and returning to Linkin Park, also tragically died far too young.So what … Read more
Stone Temple Pilots with Chester Bennington
High Rise EP
Play Pen LLC (2013)
For those who recall, the first time that Stone Temple Pilots got tired of waiting around for Scott Weiland to turn his shit around was in 1997. The DeLeo brothers and drummer Eric Kretz recruited singer Dave Coutts and Talk Show was born. I saw them play live on the second leg of Foo Fighters' Colour and the Shape tour. … Read more
Stoner Cop
Government Shutdown
Independent (2021)
Sliding down a KY Musk Moonbeam with Merlin firmly tucked into the back pocket. Quantum Leaps of 10 million years thrusting handfuls of melted Reese’s Pieces into your Pac Man gobbling, gobsmacked. gargantuan armchair self-proclaimed expert in all areas that cross your throbbing thrusting Billionaire rocket mindship. Hail the great Zrek! Welcome to the Apocalypse Generation. Get ready to engage … Read more
Stop Breathing
Santa Cruz EP
Independent (2014)
Raging, fast, poignant, and so on; any number of commonly used hardcore band descriptors would be apropos when talking about the sonic onslaught of Oxnard, CA's Stop Breathing. Lead vocalist John Crerar says, “I like to think of us as a cross between RKL and Gorilla Biscuits with a dash of D.R.I.” So there’s that for a frame of reference. … Read more
Stop Talking
Consequences Can Be A M.F.
Scat Boy Records (2022)
You know how every band is a skate punk band? Every band now, right now in 2022, is a skate punk band. Maybe not every band, fine, but most of them. 30-40 year old men with disposable income who can’t fend off the ghost of 90s nostalgia, singing about a simpler time when they didn’t have responsibilities like recycling their … Read more
Stop This Fall
Scream Till You're Free
Independent (2005)
Stop this Fall performs a unique mix of melodic hardcore and punk. The closest contemporaries that come to mind are The Suicide File and With Honor, but even those are somewhat of a stretch. The songs are structured like the rock/hardcore hybrids that have become increasingly popular recently, but Stop this Fall still finds ways to incorporate more traditional aspects … Read more
Storm Corrosion
Self Titled
Roadrunner (2012)
Steven Wilson and Mikael Åkerfeldt are both two musicians I hold in incredibly high esteem. Wilson’s flabbergasting diversity of styles covered with Porcupine Tree or his various solo projects and Åkerfeldt’s amazingly thoughtful and moving compositions with Opeth both continue to astound me no matter how often I listen to them. It should go without saying they are both gifted … Read more
Stove Bredsky
The Black Ribbon Award
Hydra Head (2008)
No, that is indeed the correct name for this latest album by one, Stephen Brodsky (Cave In, Pet Genius, Kid Kilowatt, Converge, etc). And while his sanity level might be questioned initially by the naming of the project his relationship to it is undeniable when compared to other material throughout his prolific career as a musician in bands and as … Read more
Strange Relations
Going Out EP
Tiny Engines (2016)
Admittedly, I’m a little leery of a press kit that features more band photos than songs. Then again, this is an EP, so it’s probably me yakking about something inconsequential anyway. They’re just attachments. It’s not like they sent me glossies. More is always better, right?Anyway, part of this record review might actually get to the record, which is a … Read more
Strangers
Holding
Action Man (2007)
Many Americans tend to take our music scene for granted, very rarely looking outside of our borders for new music. But if the last couple of years writing reviews has taught me anything, it's that there is a just as much music, if not more, deserving of recognition coming from areas outside the United States. Five-piece hardcore outfit Strangers may … Read more
Strangers
Night Minutes
Action Man (2009)
Night Minutes is the latest release from New Zealand's Strangers. The group made quite a splash with their 2007 debut, Holding., and the subsequent full-length, Weight. This six-song 7" release continues Strangers destructive and abrasive metallic assault, beginning with "Voyeur." It's fast and raw; the guitars are loud and the low end is extremely powerful. Fans of Jane Doe-era Converge … Read more
Strangers
Weight
Action Man (2007)
Earlier this year Strangers really grabbed my interest with their four-song EP, Holding. On that release, five individuals from New Zealand delivered a devastating aural assault. So here we are a couple of months down the road and Strangers have unleashed their debut full-length, Weight, upon the masses. The album begins with "Expositions," a two-minute number that picks up exactly … Read more
Strategies
Strategies EP
Independent (2022)
At only four songs, Strategies’ debut EP is a quick play. The project is led by Paul Lask (The Ghost, Tight Phantomz), who created and sent demos to his longtime contemporaries, Brian Moss (The Ghost, Hanalei, Great Apes), and Neil Hennessy (The Lawrence Arms). The EP is wandering and explorative, building off the thoughtful post-hardcore influenced emo of the aforementioned … Read more
Strawberry Runners
P-Sides Demos
Independent (2014)
Gloriously imperfect and scratchy, the P-Sides Demo by Denver, Colorado’s Strawberry Runners starts off with “Slip In.” Initially sounding like melodramatic ‘50s pop with a folky undercurrent and sauntering rhythm, the piece works towards a climax of triumphant guitar and jangly background noise. Singer Emi Knight provides a melodic focal point to the piece with her soaring vocal, while male … Read more
Street Eaters
Blood::Muscles::Bones
Nervous Intent (2014)
Bands are seemingly judged differently on their sophomore outings: where does it change, does it meet expectation, does it show growth, and the like. Well, writing about a band the second (or third) time is kind of the same thing. With Blood::Muscles::Bones, Street Eaters haven’t changed up their sound drastically or reworked their well-oiled machine. They’ve just written another bundle … Read more
Street Eaters
Opaque
Dirt Cult (2025)
Sometimes I'm surprised at how averse I am to change. Hearing that Street Eaters had expanded to a trio caused me more trepidation than I want to admit -- and, like most fear of change, it was all for naught. The band hasn't changed and they aren't spilling over with annoying guitar solos either. They just have a little more … Read more
Street Eaters
Rusty Eyes and Hydrocarbons
Plan-It-X\Bakery Outlet (2011)
There’s a level of familiarity in Street Eaters that I can’t put my finger on. That said, I’ll do my best to in reviewing their debut release, Rusty Eyes and Hydrocarbons. I discovered the band at Fest 10, and it didn’t take long for the two-piece bass-drum combo to pull me in. Devoid of guitar, they build melodies around John … Read more
Street Eaters
Self Titled
Cut the Cord That
Records (2012)
There are a few formats I almost go out of my way to avoid, namely cassettes and digital EPs. However, I’ll make an exception for certain bands and Street Eaters are one of those. Street Eaters released their debut full-length Rusty Eyes and Hydrocarbons in 2011 and it still grips me today. This self-titled digi-EP did see a 12” pressing … Read more
