Sweat
Love Child
Vitriol (2024)
Sweat hit the ground running with their debut, working up a lather on Gotta Give It Up. Two years later, the California trio is back and they still seem plenty angry. Their second LP, Love Child may have a charming title but it has just as much fire as their debut. It follows a similar style while showing more nuance … Read more
Sweat
Tear it on Down
Vitriol (2026)
Tear It On Down is the third record from Sweat and it picks up where the last two left off. It's aggressive hardcore punk, but with a playful groove or swagger that really makes it feel uplifting, even when the content is not. Case in point: "Surveillance State," which rolls kind of like a call-and-response song, except that lead vocalist … Read more
Sweeth Teeth
Acid Rain EP
Lövely (2021)
If I tell you some band members from bands like Disfear, Dollhouse, Year Of The Goat, Tortyr and The Dontcares started a new band together, what kind of music would you expect to come out? Now, I don’t know every band from that list, but considering the bands I do know I would probably just frown a bit, because they … Read more
Sweetthieves
Demo
Independent (2005)
This trio of sweetness comes from the Northeast and resides in a place called Providence, Rhode Island. Dave Martinka (guitar/vocals) and Jay Mayoh (drums), after playing in bands off an on in high school got together with bassist Hilary Jones, who played guitar in two previous bands. She had been a frequenting customer at a local guitar shop where she … Read more
Sweetthieves
View From a Glass Tower
Independent (2006)
Not too long ago, I was talking about a small band out of Providence, Rhode Island making references to some of my favorite bands, and telling you how this said band is full of musical talent. Well, I'm back again to reassure it, with Sweetthieves' first full length. Their demo showed some refreshing music, but it was just as taste … Read more
Swingin' Utters
Fistful of Hollow
Fat Wreck Chords (2015)
If Fistful of Hollow seemed fast, well it is. Swingin’ Utters released Poorly Formed in 2013 and Here, Under Protest in 2011. With another one in the can in late 2014, the band is showing a little more experimentation this time around.That’s not say their folky version of ’77 punk has lost a step. The best songs here are “I’m … Read more
Swingin' Utters
Hatest Grits: B-Sides and Bullshit
Fat Wreck Chords (2008)
If the name isn't clear enough for you, the Swingin' Utters' new record, Hatest Grits: B-Sides and Bullshit, does not contain new material. It also does not contain greatest hits, which is a little less clear. Instead, there are (surprise!) b-sides, demos, three Cock Sparrer songs, and other unreleased odds and ends. If you're new to the band, they've been … Read more
Swingin' Utters
Here, Under Protest
Fat Wreck Chords (2011)
You can’t accuse Swingin’ Utters of phoning it in. Here, Under Protest is the band’s first studio record in eight years and, unlike some of their contemporaries who release at a similar rate, the record shows notable growth and attention to songwriting nuance. While the San Fran band started out with a strong bent toward street punk anthems, they’ve gradually … Read more
Swingin' Utters
Poorly Formed
Fat Wreck Chords (2013)
First things first, Poorly Formed packs some nice verbiage. With word drops like “crumb bums” and “rigmarole” the Swingin’ Utters have incorporated some lively language into their 8th studio album. It follows 2011’s decent but underwhelming Here, Under Protest and, with the new one they seem to be back in the swing of things. Poorly Formed is far more interesting … Read more
Switchblade
Switchblade
Cyclop Media/Trust No One (2006)
Switchblade is a completely enigmatic group to me. They do not seem to consistently release records with the same labels. I was first introduced to them via their Icarus Inc. - a division of Deathwish Inc- album a couple of years ago. I liked what I heard. These guys are a mostly instrumental behemoth that usually produces long passages of … Read more
Switchblade
Switchblade (2016)
Denovali (2016)
Originally formed back in the late '90s, through the years Switchblade have managed to attain a cult status. Flying a bit under the radar, this hybrid drone/sludge band remained very prolific in the fist half of their career, but their output has since become sparser. In 2012 they released another of their self-titled albums, 2012, which is arguably their best … Read more
Swollen Members
Beautiful Death Machine
Suburban Noize (2013)
Beautiful Death Machine is the eighth studio album by the Vancouver, British Columbia rap group, Swollen Members. I must admit, up until recently I hadn’t paid much attention to the group since their 1999 debut, Balance. It was one of my favorite underground hip-hop albums from that year, but in the 14-year interim I’ve missed a lot of material. Needless … Read more
Symphony X
Iconoclast
Nuclear Blast (2011)
Dream Theater is beginning to stagnate. Queensrÿche has jumped the shark. Nobody even knows what Devin Townsend is on anymore. In fact, it would certainly seem that Symphony X is one of the gracious few progressive metal acts that's actually been getting better as of late. While The Divine Wings of Tragedy or V: The New Mythology Suite will always … Read more
Symphorce
Become Death
Metal Blade (2007)
This record really surprised me. When I got it, I was excited about the fact that they are a power metal band. I can't get enough of the stuff, so naturally I was stoked. I started checking out the CD insert and saw that they are from Germany. Germany has given birth to some of my favorite power metal bands. … Read more
System of a Down
Hypnotize
Sony (2005)
It's official. System of a Down can't spell. I'm sorry to any Americans out there who like to get involved with this whole using a "zed" instead of an "ess" thing, but they can't. And yes, I did say "zed," none of that "zee" crap either. Let's face it. America was born from the remnants of a British people who … Read more
System of a Down
Mezmerize
Sony (2005)
Let me begin with a disclaimer. I don't mean to rant, but in general, I hate political bands. I can't stand political bands. I can't stand them because, generally, when they aren't misinformed fools popularizing redundant attitudes, they are sententious idiots that are just as misguided as victims of their malignant invectives. Generally. Somewhere then, in what is a combative … Read more
T.O.M.B.
Third Wave Holocaust
Black Plague (2013)
T.O.M.B., the one man blackened noise project, has been running strong for many years. the is such a consistency within No One's (the nom de plum of the man behind the project) output that the growth from one release to the next may be decieving to many listeners. Now, with the projects' fourth official full length we as listeners can … Read more
T.O.M.B.
UAG
Crucial Blast (2012)
T.O.M.B. or Total Occultic Mechanical Blasphemy has managed to up the stakes of what can qualify as black noise for over 10 years. The group sounds like distorted occultist activities that are taking place within a tomb. So now that we know how truly appropriate their name is one may question how well this record carries said reputation. The record … Read more
