SHOTGUN MESSIAH – Second Coming [Digitally Remastered]

Divebomb Records has reissued & remastered for the first time two SHOTGUN MESSIAH essential albums (only avalilable in CD). Let’s go now with their second, the Melodic Hard Rock masterpiece “Second Coming“.

Two years after the release of the first album, vocalist Zinny J. Zan abruptly announced that he was quitting the band and heading back to Sweden.
Without missing a beat, bassist Tim Skold promptly stepped up to take over the frontman position, and Shotgun Messiah came back with a vengeance on album number two: ‘Second Coming’.

If the Rock Gods were fair, then “Second Coming” would’ve gone multi-platinum.
The thirteen songs on this second Shotgun Messiah CD are superb, having a more US hard rock bite that completely blow away everything on the sleazier first album.
But what makes this that good is the fact it mixes like few albums of the era melodic hard rock, glam, US hard rock and hair metal with a sense of melody and catchiness that amaze.
Nowadays, Scandinavian melodic hard rock rule, but twenty-five years ago they were a rarity on heard in Europe. Well, Shotgun Messiah blended the US sound with the unique Swedish touch and the results were stupendous.

The songwriting, the performances, the arrangements are simply great… and production … “Second Coming” is one of the best produced / mastered albums from the genre. The shiny, glossy sound obtained by Tim Skold (now handling lead vocals), guitarist Harry Cody and Pat Regan (Kiss, David Glen Eisley, Graham Bonnet) is top notch.

Tim Skold proved to be a formidable frontman in his own right, with a grittier but melodious vocal style which was tougher and less screechy/aggravating than Zinny had been at times.
Harry Cody should be one of the most underrated six-string heros of the genre, as his licks & solos are good as – or better – than most of his contemporaries that enjoyed way more success than him. He should be, without a doubt, herald in the same category as Guitar Gods like George Lynch, Vivian Campbell, Nuno Bettencourt, etc.
Bold statement I know, but just listen to Cody shred on this CD and you will agree.

“Second Coming” was aimed directly at fans of harder-edged hair metal bands like Skid Row (who were flying high with their crunchy Slave to the Grind album at the time).
The ultra-catchy “Heartbreak Boulevard” got its fair share of MTV play and would become Shotgun Messiah’s signature track, and the band also cut a video for the semi-acoustic “Living WIthout You”, a bitter, sarcastic ‘breakup song’ in which Skold essentially tells the object of his affections “if you don’t want to be with me… fine, then f@ck off.”
But there’s more, this album is full of gems; the kickin’ “Red Hot”, the Californian Melodic Hard Rock bliss of “Nobody’s Home” and “Free”, the anthemic “I Want More”, the atmospheric mid-tempo “Ride The Storm”, or the razor “Can’t Fool Me”.

Shotgun Messiah ST and this “Second Coming” are essential albums to understand the evolution of ’80s hard rock / glam / sleaze in years to come. These records influenced tons of bands (Crashdiet would not have existed without Shotgun Messiah), and defined a particular sound in the L.A. scene.

Both CD’s have been out of print since its original editions, nor available anywhere for digital purchase. So hands down to Divebomb Records for these wonderful reissues.
The original tapes of “Second Coming” were remastered by Jamie King at The Basement Studios, and this reissue feature expanded liner notes, including essays on Shotgun Messiah’s journey from Scandinavian rising stars to Sunset Strip heroes.

I have both albums in its original editions (a treasure) and this Remastered Reissues have improved the original sound updated to modern times 2015. “Second Coming” really sounds fantastic.
Go and buy it now at a decent price before it went out of print again.
ESSENTIAL

01 – SexDrugsRockN’Roll
02 – Red Hot
03 – Nobody’s Home
04 – Living Without You
05 – Heartbreak Blvd
06 – I Want More
07 – Trouble
08 – Ride The Storm
09 – I Wanna Know
10 – Babylon
11 – Free
12 – You & Me
13 – Can’t Fool Me

Tim Skold – vocals
Harry Cody – guitars
Bobby Lycon – bass
Stixx – drums
Pat Regan – silly percussion (9)

BUY IT
divebombrecords.bigcartel.com/product/shotgun-messiah-second-coming
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