Released earlier in 1998 on the independent Timestyle label,
Second Coming's self-titled third release caused quite a stir among the major labels, eventually leading to a bidding war. Capitol Records won the battle, remixed and reissued the album, and added three extra songs not present on the original version. Producers
Kelly Gray and
Dudley Taft have helped the band achieve a heavy, thick, metallic grunge sound (circa
Alice In Chains' Facelift and Dirt), with mammoth guitar riffs, classic rock vocals, hefty drumming, and a touch of experimentalism thrown in from time to time. And with a sudden reappearance of the early-'90s Seattle sound (Creed,
Days of the New, etc.), the time seemed right for
Second Coming. Highlights include the first two tracks, "Confessional" and "Soft," as well as "Free," "Unknown Rider," and others. ~ Greg Prato