Search - Second Coming :: 13

No review could speak highly enough.

Vigha1@aol.com | Portland, Oregon | 11/27/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought Second Coming's album in October 1998. It rates easily in my top 5 all time favorites. Early on I was afraid if I listened to it too much I would get tired of it. Well, over a year later I love this album more than ever. Despite all the attempts to place this band along side another, I find it impossible. Second Coming created music that stands alone. I highly recommend this CD and look forward to the next one."

How a Seattle foursome says, "Don't F___ with us!"

Vigha1@aol.com | 01/12/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If Second Coming are short on anything, it's not ambition. It's clear these guys wanna get taken seriously--as musicians, as a band, as songwriters, as people. For the most part they succeed, and succeed well. Their music is hard to describe--I'm tempted to say "alternative", but that word doesn't do them justice--the same exact way that the "alternative" title sounded like an insult to the genius(es) of Soundgarden and Alice in Chains, both of whom have obviously rubbed off on Second Coming considerably. They give rock a ballsy shot in the arm. Make no mistake though--these guys, despite reviving serious early-90s rock (and Sabbath/Zeppelin--inspired classic rock) in a big way, are NOT your transcendent, messianic Creed. Nowhere close. Find your "Higher"s or "With Arms Wide Open"s elsewhere. If anything their lyrics are subtly anti-religious--as is evidenced by the jabs in such songs in "Confessional" and "Soft". These guys are here to make rock music--loud, ostentatious, in-your-face, unapologetic. "Confessional", "Soft" (NOT!), "Afilotimi", "Free", and "the Unknown Rider" all crunch with speaker-quaking ferocity, while "The War", "The Song", and "Travisty" take on more of an acoustic, string-accompanied Zeppelinesque flavor. Electronica influences & loops also permeate the music, often providing a backdrop to the crunching guitar-rock that dominates the album, and sometimes even coming to the forefront--as in the appropriately-titled "Electric Head" which might remind one of Filter. Guitarist Dudley Taft is quite good--he's got a style which is technical enough to wow the listener and earn the appreciation of guitar-solo nuts, but tasty and hooky enough that he doesn't detract from the songs--his gutsy playing reminds one of everybody from Jeff Beck to Kirk Hammett to John Frusciante. He also knows his programming, thanks to probably more than a few listens to electronica records. Singer Travis Bracht is the closest guy I've heard to Alice-in-Chains wailer Layne Staley, but fortunately he doesn't push the similarity too far. Speaking of AIC, Second Coming snagged former Alice-in-Chains bassist Yanni Bacolas! Him paired with drummer James Bergstrom is one of the hardest-hitting rhythm sections out there right now. Second Coming is a worthy champion for the revival of real rock (sorry; Korn and Limp Bizkit just aren't rock, they're noise). They're not likely to either earn the love of critics like the sophistication that Radiohead has, or the teeny-bopper adulation and/or spiritual fervor directed at Creed (it's either 'cause Scott Stapp is one studly dude or 'cause he wears his heart on his sleeve, one of the two). However, they ARE one kickass rock band, one of the better ones I've heard in a while, so they will make an impact."

Excellent band with amazing potential

David J. Guyton | MD USA | 03/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was a fan of these guys years ago, but the rumor was they were down for the count, so I didn't even bother to keep up with them for their second album. I kinda stumbled across it and I am glad I did. The first album was AMAZING, so it's hard to compare the two. I will say that even the first one took a while to find the groove, but once I got used to the style, it became my favorite album. This album feels a little looser, and it's not produced quite as well (not the fault of the band though). It sounds like maybe the producer did it over a long period of time because the songs have different clarity levels and sounds. Certainly though, the singer is the best voice in rock, in my opinion. On top of all that, he fought in King of the Ring (and wrote a song on 13 about Ultimate Fighting) How much cooler can these guys be? If you are looking for awesome sound, great lyrics and feeling, buy anything by these guys. I heard a few clips of new songs on their website, and they are better than the 13 recording, much cleaner, better choruses, more like the first album. 13 still gets 5 stars though because these guys are the most talented band in modern rock...if you ask me."