SQL Server also comes with SSAS, if we're talking analytics. There's the very mature MDX-based Multidimensional mode, and a heavily optimized columnstore engine with the DAX-based Tabular mode.

For analytical workloads, SQL is often a poor choice.

Full disclosure, I work for an analytics and BI Microsoft partner. There are plenty of great alternative semantic layers beyond SSAS, but I am not as comfortable with each of those.