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The Second Coming (1988) is the second full-length album by US power metal act Attacker. Released a few years on after their debut Battle at Helm's Deep (1985) it brought with it a new line-up, including a vocalist change from Bob Mitchell to John Leone, as well as new guitarist Tom D'Amico. Both of the new members sadly passed away in 1994 and 2001 respectively. The Second Coming was the last Attacker release for sixteen years, as the band broke up in 1989. They reunited in 2001 and later released their comeback album Soul Taker (2004), once again with Bob Mitchell fronting the band. Bob had parted ways with Attacker again by the time of the group's most recent effort Giants of Canaan (2013) so until that point The Second Coming was, in a way, the odd one out of the Attacker discography. It was re-released in 1999 with bonus demo tracks and new artwork.
I haven't actually heard either Soul Taker or fourth album The Unknown (2006) yet, but The Second Coming is easily the best I have heard from Attacker so far. While a rather short album, not even making a full half hour of music, it seems to accomplish a lot in its short running time. Taking the sound of Battle at Helm's Deep one step further to almost completely throw off any traditional heavy metal roots, The Second Coming is a full throttle US power/speed metal album. I much prefer the vocals of John Leone to those of Bob Mitchell on the debut, which I found it be that album's weak link. Here though, everything seems to work, balancing speed, aggression and melody into one package. The short running time ensures that the album is one I want to keep coming back to time and time again. I think that the band could probably have pulled off something longer when the energy level of the material is this high though.
It's taken me a while to give Attacker a go as my introduction to them was Giants of Canaan and I wasn't overly impressed by that album. I will have to give it another go because of how much I have enjoyed The Second Coming though, as well as the two Attacker albums I've yet to hear. I don't see how any other release from the band is going to be the equal of better of The Second Coming though. This is a USPM classic. I'm confident in a five star rating being fully justified.