Sawhill Sacrifice evolved from black/thrash metal origins into a more straightforward black metal direction from Hyvinkaa in southern Finland. Active since 2014, they bring sawmill-town grit to the Finnish black metal scene.

Roseto degli Abruzzi's Sawthis have been crafting groove metal and metalcore from the Adriatic coast since 2006. Nearly two decades of Abruzzese persistence have yielded a sound that is tight, rhythmically complex, and reliably heavy.

Sax deliver thrash metal from Brno, cutting through with sharp riffing and aggressive energy rooted in the classic thrash template. Their straightforward approach favors velocity and impact over complexity.

SaXaXaS deal in thrash and death metal from Torgau in Saxony, channeling aggressive extremity from the banks of the Elbe. Active since 2018, they bring the velocity and brutality of the thrash/death crossover to the eastern German scene.

Saxon are a foundational New Wave of British Heavy Metal band from Barnsley whose endurance comes from direct riffs, road-tested songwriting, and a deep connection to metal's working-band tradition. Formed in the mid-1970s, they broke through with Wheels of Steel, Strong Arm of the Law, Denim and Leather, and Power & the Glory, albums that helped codify the galloping, leather-clad sound of early 1980s British metal. Songs such as "Motorcycle Man," "747 Strangers in the Night," "Wheels of Steel," "Strong Arm of the Law," "Princess of the Night," "Denim and Leather," and "Heavy Metal Thunder" are built from memorable guitar figures, Biff Byford's commanding vocals, and choruses designed for halls rather than studios. Saxon never became a museum act, continuing to release new records and tour heavily while retaining the band's core identity. Their scope is straightforward heavy metal, with hard rock roots and occasional speed-metal bite. Saxon's importance is not just historical; they still embody a durable idea of metal as loud, communal, and proudly unpretentious.

Saxorior play melodic black metal from Pirna near Dresden, weaving atmospheric melodies through harsh black metal frameworks. Their Saxon roots are literally embedded in their name, connecting their music to the region's identity.

Saxtorph channel depressive black metal from Copenhagen, exploring the genre's most anguished emotional territory from the Danish capital. Active since 2014, they bring introspective suffering to the Scandinavian black metal landscape.

Sayras play metalcore from Lucerne, combining aggressive breakdowns with melodic hooks in the modern heavy music tradition. Their Swiss take on the genre brings precision and intensity to the crowded metalcore landscape.

Sayyadina is a grindcore and crust punk band from Örebro, Sweden, formed in January 2000 at a Nasum concert, with members connected to General Surgery, Victims, Birdflesh, and Nasum. The band made their recording debut with a split 7-inch in 2001 and released two full-length albums: Fear Gave Us Wings (2004) and Mourning the Unknown (2007), as well as a retrospective collection The Great Northern Revisited (2010) compiling their splits and rare material. Their music is characterized by blastbeat-driven grindcore structures underpinned by a raw d-beat crust sensibility.