Over three years in the making,
Utris' second album
The Long Walk Home mixes muscular guitar riffs with commanding vocals and layered, polished production values. Songs like "Some Gurls" and "Spain" sound like a bit like a cross between
Soundgarden's later singles and
Chris Cornell's solo work, while shimmering, reflective pieces like "1000 Words" and "White Rust" meld droning, vaguely Eastern-inspired arrangements with earnest melodies. "Remain the Same," the album's closing track, combines
Utris' dynamic and meditative sides into a 12-minute epic. Over the course of
The Long Walk Home, the band's melodic sense becomes somewhat monotonous, but the album is still a solid debut as well as a unique spin on anthemic, post-grunge rock. ~ Heather Phares