Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Eighteen Visions - XVIII (2017)
Eighteen Visions split up in 2007 then reformed 10 years later for their 7th album titled XVIII, the roman numeral for 18. Founding vocalist James Hart managed to reunite with guitarist Keith Barney and drummer Trevor Friedrich for the album. Then they toured with guitarist/bassist Josh James as a replacement for Ken Floyd and Mick Morris, the latter who whom passed away in 2013. The band actually used bass tracks recorded by Morris when performing live, to respect his memory. They didn't have another full-time bassist until just a year before this review, when Dan Smith joined in along with drummer Matt Horwitz replacing Friedrich.
Anyway, before the band's split, they were at the top of their metalcore game in the early 2000s. Then in the mid-2000s, they made a dreaded less heavy turn into mainstream hard rock. But now we're heading into the band's comeback album that's more extreme than anything they've done before. In saying that, some things about XVIII prevent the album from reaching the greatness of their early 2000s material...
Opening the album is the two-minute "Crucified", which does what the opening track of Obsession has done, setting the tone for the album. This time we have colossal metal riffing and the vocals of James Hart that are more vicious than in the earlier days of the band. There's more consistency to come in the album, but keep that in mind before they sneak in a bit of their mid-2000s hard rock. We have more of the heavy pattern in "The Disease, The Decline, and Wasted Time" with total rage in the verses, calling the lyrical target a "f***ing leech" with a "f***ing disease" and a life that's a "f***ing waste of time". He sounds so p*ssed off in metalcore disharmony, as the riffs and chords rise in the chorus and breakdown stomping through. The structure in "Underneath the Gun" goes from rock-out verses to a metallic breakdown. Its music video was inspired by the John Carpenter film They Live, even having an audio sample from the movie in the song's intro. The heaviness and usage of film samples definitely throws back to the destructive Until the Ink Runs Out, albeit with more melody. "Live Again" seems to tribute to Morris, though the song is a bit harrowing.
The furious "Laid to Waste in the Sh*t of Man" has their earlier Throwdown-ish hardcore, as the stellar riffing and drum kicks continue to rage on. "Oath" is a two-minute lookback at straight edge hardcore, made heavier thanks to the production work of Mick Kenney (Anaal Nathrakh, Make Them Die Slowly). "Spit" is longer but not interesting.
"Picture Perfect" is a total fail, with the Marilyn Manson-infused music and lyrics making me cringe. "Fake Leather Jacket" turns things around as another highlight, and the strongest one here too. There are more of the vengeful screams by Hart, "LIAR!!!! SADIST!!! CORPORATE!!! RAPIST!!!" The heavy verses and anthemic choruses are the best of what the album has in store. "For This I Sacrifice" has more dynamic diversity, as the crushing screams alternate with melodic singing.
See, this is what Eighteen Visions needs to sound like in the heavier tracks, like Vision of Disorder on steroids. They would then pay tribute to that band and other rock/metal bands in their cover album 1996. Luckily they didn't cover a song by Velvet Revolver, because when 18V goes that stylistic route in a few songs in XVIII, it didn't go so well....
Favorites: "Crucified", "The Disease, The Decline, and Wasted Time", "Underneath the Gun", "Laid to Waste in the Sh*t of Man", "Fake Leather Jacket"