Thursday, December 8, 2022

REVIEW SECOND COMING "DEATH FUCKING METAL" & "WILL NOT ENTER HEAVENS GATE"

During the preparation of the Mightiest story that is yet to come, I had the pleasure of a great promo package that also included two releases by the death metallers from Second Coming. Second Coming are the death metal counterpart to Mightiest due to personal overlaps, whereby the expression "Second Coming" denotes  a Christian belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. But not only the title "Will not enter heavens gate" suggests that we are definitely not dealing with passionate Christians here, haha.
Second Coming existed from 1997-2005, according to Metal Archives, then reformed briefly in 2019 for a show and LP reissues of the discs named here. Whether there will be any further activities is probably written in the stars, but it would definitely be desirable! Admittedly, the band has never become known beyond a status as an absolute insider tip, which means that many potential listeners never got to enjoy the band's great, raw underground death metal. A fate that the band shares in some respects with Mightiest, also these are unfortunately much too underrated in relation to the quality of the music.

Second Coming, if one differentiates between the various schools, clearly tends in the US direction. Massacre, Master, a bit of Deicide, old Six Feet Under (in glorious "Haunted" times) should serve as clues. Furthermore, bands like the Czechs of Krabathor and Hypnos also come to mind. The material is really groovy in the right places and can also convince in terms of intensity and hardness. I would especially like to emphasize the really great vocals of the singer, which form the almost perfect mixture of grunting on the one hand, and yet powerful-understandable articulation.

"Death fucking metal" is a six-track EP from the distant year 2000. Especially the opening track "Angel Soul" kills everything. As a treat there is a cover version of Mayhems "Deathcrush" at the end.

"Will not enter heavens gate", the album from 2002 follows the same lines, but seems more concentrated and focused at one point or another. 

Absolutely recommendable stuff for people who are into raw, yet well played underground death and like the bands mentioned above! Both releases are available as CD or LPs limited to 150 pieces in red vinyl (Death fucking metal) and white-gray marbled vinyl (Will not enter heavens gate). However, many copies should not be available, if I look at the numberings of my LPs, so hold on! I hope the band will reunite respectively become active again and give the scene one or two more gigs or maybe even a new album?