Metal Underground.com

I’ve searched all through the CD jacket, the promo sheet, and the web to try to learn who writes the lyrics for the alt-rock act Vertigo. Highly visual and sometimes erotic, they read more like poetry than song lyrics, and are the hidden gem to be found in "The Coming and the Going."

The vocals provided by newcomer Lindsey Stamey are eerily beautiful too, with so much similarity to Flyleaf’s Lacey Mosley that Flyleaf fans should certainly check out this act. There’s also a similarity in instrumental style, though Vertigo’s heaviest tracks are more in line with Flyleaf’s more mellow "All Around Me." Still, they easily fit within the same genre.

Instrumentally, Vertigo is a little less alternative and a bit more rock, though they have a tendency to overdo the synthesizers, particularly on the fourth track, "Please (don’t)." The sometimes over the top synths give an early 80’s punk and hard rock feel to some of the tracks, but fortunately they’re lost in the background most of the time.

There’s a versatility in style that makes choosing a favorite track challenging, but I will say that the second half of the CD is surprisingly better than the first. Vertigo may start out slow, with some strange tempos in "Silent Alarm," and some just plain missteps between drum and vocals, but by the halfway point, Vertigo seems to find their footing with "Techne," an almost 90’s dance beat tune that may sound mainstream, but is very good.

"Vehicles" is probably the most notable track because it shows an array of elements that I’d like to see Vertigo bring to the table more often. It’s an eclectic mix of punk tempo and vocals, with some tribal drums and an acoustic guitar. Surprisingly, it all melds together and works very well.

Overall, it seems Vertigo is still trying to find their niche on their sophomore release, but with "The Coming and the Going" they have laid the groundwork to become a quality alt-rock act. Though lighter than a lot of metal fare, fans of Flyleaf, the 90’s Concrete Blonde, and any other nearly but not quite goth female fronted acts should give Vertigo a shot.