ALBUM REVIEW: Stranger To Love – Senna
SENNA was only supposed to be a studio side project. But once vocalist Simon Masdjedi, guitarist Marcel Dürr, bassist Fabian Cattarius, and drummer Leon Dorn started experimenting with their sound, the band came into their own. After releasing their debut EP, A Moment Of Quiet, in 2022, it showcased the band’s imagination and ability to not be shoved into one genre. Their bold and inquisitive sound is showcased on their debut album, Stranger To Love, marking the start of a new chapter in their career.
As the opening notes of Hurricane play, mixed with some post-hardcore elements, the band waste no time introducing themselves to the music world. Their blend of metalcore, hard rock and post-hardcore sounds natural, as if it was always meant to be. One thing that is impressive about this album is how smoothly it flows. Whether it is the rock of Rain – a song that will translate well live with its upbeat instruments – or the fast-paced, guitar-driven post-hardcore of High Note, SENNA shapeshift effortlessly whilst also keeping the album sounding consistent.
Stranger To Love is eleven songs long, and each one serves a purpose. Even when the album slows down a bit on songs such as Blackout, Drunk Dial Anthem, and Breeze, their core sound is still there. Furthermore, the slower songs don’t ruin the pacing of the album. Instead, they provide a welcome break from the faster songs, and also make sure that the album is not a one-trick pony. Throughout the latter half of the album, the songs take on a more laid-back tone, mostly content in the soft-rock genre. However, there are still many energetic moments as well to balance it out, such as the rock-synth chorus of NS_LC.
Closing song, Polarised, featuring fellow German post-hardcore band OUR MIRAGE, is the opposite of the opening song. It swaps out the fast-paced heaviness for a leaner, softer rock sound, making the album come full circle. Furthermore, OUR MIRAGE bring an added infusion of post-hardcore, making the song fit into SENNA‘s broader sound. Whilst the album is brilliant – especially for a debut – it’s not perfect, as the closing song is a little too slow and it struggles to differentiate itself from the rest. However, this is still early days in SENNA‘s career, so they have plenty of time to improve their craft.
Overall, Stranger To Love is a very impressive debut album. Building from what they first created on their debut EP, SENNA set out to introduce themselves to the wider music world and they mostly succeed on this fascinating and versatile album. Not ones to pigeonhole themselves into one band, the band flirt with everything from synths to metalcore, and everything in between, to create a coherent and incredibly listenable album. Whilst the final song does unfortunately stumble a bit when it comes to standout on its own, the rest of the album manages to not fall into the trappings of a debut. With a unique sound, clear direction, and extreme care and attention to detail, SENNA have made one hell of an introduction. This is only the start for them.
Rating: 9/10
Stranger To Love is out now via SharpTone Records.
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