The Sinators

The Sinators did not make sense. This melodic, metal-inspired punk band from Columbia, South Carolina came from a region of the country most known for country music and college rock acts like REM. Their singer and frontwoman, Joanna Malcolm, was a thousand times more likely to sing Sondheim than Slayer or The Slits. Despite the fact that four members of the band were music majors, the one who wrote all the music and lyrics was a math major. Their drummer was kind and mild-mannered, their lead guitarist was a guitar prodigy, and their bass player quit the band at one point to focus on the clarinet.

They didn't fit into the punk scene of the era (1999-2002) because they loved metal and musicals too much, but they definitely didn't fit into any other scene. However, the band's shared love of The Beatles and Bach, Megadeth and Motown, Bad Religion and NOFX, led to songs, lyrics, structures, and arrangements that brought these weirdos together.

The Sinators appeared on multiple compilations and released one album, "Colored", in 2001. The album contains 15 tracks with lyrics that cover isolation, materialism, relationships, beauty standards, independent thinking, and optimism. Audience favorites include "Unresolved", "Perfect", "Colored", "The Void", and "The Child". Although the 5-piece disbanded in 2002 and has moved to various corners of the country, they still have fond memories of their time making music together.