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Gravity

    
       
       
       
     
             
Second Reign are a melodic rock band from Switzerland formed in 2017, releasing their debut album 'Gravity' in 2021.    
             
Featuring a powerful interpretation of eighties hard rock, Second Reign deliver an incredible thirteen songs over a sixty minutes play time. The blend of AOR and hard rock is highly infectious - the band delivering a feel good, party atmosphere with each and every song. The party hits the ground running with the heavy hitting 'Uninvited'. Up tempo and full of energy, 'Uninvited' is a glorious galloper that will set pulses racing and get heads nodding fairly hard. The energy level is phenomenal, as Second Reign power on with 'The Truth', a tad heavier, but nonetheless an all out rocker. The blend of AOR with hard rock is just incredible, with the energy unleashed by the band absolutely immense. And just after two songs, Second Reign are delivering a head turner of an aural assault, which shows no sign of abating either - 'Let Me Breathe' picking up the baton and racing forth like an Olympic sprinter heading for the finishing line. But unlike the sprinter, 'Gravity' is not a one hundred metre dash - it's an hour of power and pace...    
             
...and of course, vigorous foot tapping, with the ground suffering an agonising pummelling! With no sign of the extraordinary energy and oomph relenting, the band storm on with the most melodious of all songs heard so far, 'Fire'. With an upturn in heaviness, the band inject more venom and bite - the hard hitting nature of 'Fire' simply incredible! And that chorus too, so addictive and sing a long-able. Even I'm singing along - and I don't even know the lyrics! That is how fucking infectious this album is. Not to mention addictive. Upping the energy once more, 'Falling' hits like a wrecking ball in full flight, the glorious sound of AOR woven into the foot stomping style of hard rock. Second Reign are impressing so much with their debut offering, they gotta be in the running for the most sensational newcomer of 2021 award! 'Borderline' - and no it's not a cover of Madonna's 1984 top ten hit - slows the pace to a power ballad swagger. Feel free to raise your lighters as high as you possibly can, for 'Borderline' demands it, no, orders it!    
             
At just halfway through the album, I can honestly say this is one helluva debut album - turning heads and making rockers all over the world sit up and take notice. The booming energy levels make an emphatic return, with the mid tempo stomper 'Wrong'. AOR blended hard rock has never sounded so good - and this coming from a die hard metal head who grew up in the eighties on a diet of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Kreator, Metallica and Slayer! I, like many metal heads, also have a high appreciation for the rock genre too, feeding on the likes of Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Van Halen and Aerosmith, with a side order of Journey, Foreigner, Kansas, Asia and Boston. So when I say "AOR and hard rock has never sounded so good" - I'm pretty confident I know what I'm talking about. The energy level breaks right through the fucking roof, with 'Another Night' pounding and pummelling the senses. This is what feel good party rock should sound like! 'Another Night' is right up there with such classics as Van Halen's 'Jump', and Motley Crue's 'Kickstart My Heart'.    
             
With expectations of a ballad just because of its title, 'You'll Never Catch Me (When I'm Gone)' is actually an up tempo, highly energetic, hard rocking romp. Second Reign continue to impress and surprise, the band not putting a foot wrong with their debut effort. The consistent level of energy and oomph blended with pizzazz, has remained extremely high since the album began, showing absolutely no signs of dropping. And in the shape of the mighty 'Dark Matter', the levels are as high now as they have ever been. The feel good, smile inducing, party rock flavour is really strong, the Swiss outfit pulling out the stops, delivering a fucking great album.    
             
And the great songs just keep coming... This time it's the heavy hitting 'Uncover' that pulls no punches. The hard rock/AOR blend as pulse racing as it has been all album. I have used the label "party rock" a few times during my review - I really should be using the "arena rock" and "stadium rock" labels too. The Second Reign sound is big, bombastic, and highly melodious. And it ain't finished yet! 'The Big Lie' is quite possibly the biggest, most bombastic, and most melodious song on offer. It is punchy, catchy, and foot tappingly addictive. Now sadly, the album does have to come to an end - but as I always say "there is the replay button to press". 'Home' closes the album with the most eighties feel of the entire album. The classic sound of AOR rises high above the hard rock influence, with Second Reign ending their debut album very much on a high. As surprises go, 'Gravity' ranks very highly.    
             
Overall, a great album of AOR blended hard rock, Second Reign delivering thirteen immense and infectious "stadium" rock anthems.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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