Review Summary: The envy of the crowd
Sed Non Satiata have been tearing up the European hardcore scene since 2003 with their not so unique, but very well done Envy inspired blend of emotional hardcore sentimentality and post-rock song structures. The screamo four piece from France could easily be seen as the poster child of consistency, as all four of their releases up to this point have been superb works filled to the brim with creative drumming, heartfelt and varied vocals that range from heart wrenching screams to tender clean vocals, and of course dual guitar parts comprised of swaying and emotive guitar chords, and shimmering arpeggios cascading out of the ashes of dissonant desolation. Contrasting the band's consistent quality of releases was the hardly constant and heterogeneous songwriting contained within these albums. A seven minute slow burn of a track would be complimented by a two minute mad dash to the finish line that flexed the band's hardcore roots. A song with a truculent vocal performance would be complimented by a calming and serene instrumental. This is not the case with Sed Non's second full length album Mappo, which is easily the band's most consequential and homogenous release. Before, songs would usually consist of intense moments and climaxes strung together by long buildups and a level feel, but now there's a stronger sense of urgency, where only one song crosses the six minute mark, and instrumental sections are few and far between. There's nothing wrong with this approach, as the band is no longer about a series of amazing moments strung together by great ones, but rather momentous pieces of music constantly flowing with great moments.
No matter the approach to song structure, Sed Non Satiata are always able to combine equal parts consonance and dissonance, light and dark, beauty and discord, culminating in the emotional roller coaster. And while Mappo may lack the mind blowing climaxes of previous releases, it more than makes up for it in its consistency, the complete lack of a single dull moment, and its tendency to never stop moving forward. Sed Non Satiata, now with five excellent releases under their belt have proved that they are a force to be reckoned with not only in their native France, but in the hardcore scene in general.
