SECOND COMING |
| With a powerful
name such as “Second Coming,” you almost have to stand up and
take notice. I’ve got to admit when I first learned they were based
in Seattle, I was like “oh man, here it is again!” Gladly, I can safely
state that Second Coming is not a retread of the once glamorous
grunge movement or part of a new generation of annoying whiners out
to land one big hit and disappear. After listening closely to the seven plus minute opening track “Confessional” on their self-titled debut, it’s clear there’s quite a lot of musical integrity going on here. I also had the misgivings that this might be a heavier band than they’ve turned out to be but in a sense, they are heavy, just not overwhelmingly so from a straight ahead in your face rock point of view. Heavy as in “deep” would be the best way to analyze it. In trying to pinpoint who they might sound like, a less severe version of Kilgore comes to mind, along with an Alice in Chains type feel more or less attributed to singer Travis Bracht who also doubles on guitar and penned the deeply emotional autobiographical “Travisty.” By now, two of their catchier numbers should be making ripples at rock radio in the form of “Soft,” and "Vintage Eyes.” The mood changes here from song to song going at times from an opportunistic poppy feel to something a little more rugged and sensitive as with “Electric Head” which also incorporates a bit of an industrial/electronic feel in and around a catchy guitar hook. Second Coming has quite an affinity for writing mature music emanating from life experiences but doing so in such a way that we’re not put off or tired as the end nears. In generating an intriguing amount of texture which pulls the songs away from pre-established standards or bothersome repetition, take one of album’s best for example, “Travisty” as mentioned before which offsets the one’s before it and will not put you off before its conclusion. Following suit, “The Song” begins much like the last ended, with an acoustic caress that carries through and comes out as something of a continuation from the one before. Strict opposition then rears itself next with “Tonight” that instrumentally reminds me of the band The Tea Party and offers a slight techno-driven alternative to the slower variety just before. Second Coming—perhaps of a fresh, new Seattle-based movement indeed, now that grunge has become what it was created to overtake. Released by Capitol Records. Review By Vinnie Apicella |