OK, so I know a few of you may not agree with me and would think to keep this project dead in the water. Orange County's 18 Visions just happened to be one of those bands that struck a familiar chord upon hearing their single "Waiting For The Heavens".
I am reminiscing now and can't recall any other tunes I heard of them before that, even though they have a lot of material pre-dating that track. I think it was just the good ol low tone, drop B tuning of the song that caught my attention. Not to mention, I never really got into the 'emo' style music when it was dress shirts, ties, eyeliner and the comb over hair.
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Now it isn't all that bad. 18 Visions had some great hooks, riffs and ultimately perfected the breakdown during a time where breakdowns were starting to become a standard in metal and rock songs. I was fortunate enough to catch them once when opening for Killswitch Engage, From Autumn To Ashes and also support from 36 Crazyfists. Now looking back on that show, that was one crazy venue when some of the bands came on!
The guys came out, did their thing and rocked hard. They knew at this point they had to compete with 3 other metalcore bands. 18V did stick out, I'll admit that. But once the drop tuning came out, it set a much darker feel than some of the other bands. All I got to say is the pits were just as hard as f**k, my buddies in the pit with me can back me up on that.
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So the guys from 18V had quite a number of hits off the albums they released while together. "Vanity" very much put them on the map as a serious band. "You Broke Like Glass" and "I Don't Mind" were ground breaking tracks from the band and were featured on Trustkill Record compilations, and even have some live footage from the 2003 edition of the New England Metal Festival, and Hellfest 2002.
Now 18 Visions did have a few albums ("Lifeless EP", "Yesterday Is Time Killed", "Until The Ink Runs Out") prior to "Vanity", but did not see the reviews and exposure that something like "Vanity" brought them. I always found it odd though at this time in their career they had Bleeding Through/I Am War's Brandan Schieppati as a guitarist before his departure to BT.
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Below, you can check out the track listings, album artwork and some reviews that went along with the albums...
1. Vanity
2. Fashion Show
3. One Hell of a Prize Fighter
4. I Don't Mind
5. The Notes of My Reflection
6. A Short Walk Down a Long Hallway
7. The Critic
8. Gorgeous
9. You Broke Like Glass
10. In the Closet
11. Sonic Death Monkey
12. There is Always
13. Love in Autumn
"Notch up another success for Trustkill Records. The label that brought such heavy hitters as Hopesfall and Poison the Well now brings some Vanity with Eighteen Visions. Call it glam metalcore or emo metal, but what Eighteen Visions accomplishes on its third CD for the New Jersey label is by no means extraordinary, yet it gets the job done. Balancing its 13-song act between driving hardcore, metal mosh breakdowns, and the occasional acoustic tune, this Orange County act has found a successful means to achieve notoriety and brutality simultaneously. The vocals carry much of the album, as James Hart shows a bit of range with some guttural growls while reverting to standard hardcore yells and taking up some actual singing, too.
Lyrically, Eighteen Visions delves into betrayal, bitterness, and the straight-edge lifestyle, yet the bandmembers' capabilities in changing time signatures and styles mask any weakness that may pop up in the lyrics ('One Hell of a Prize Fighter' being a good example). Across the board, a definite comparison could be given to Burn It Down, which isn't much of a surprise since that disbanded group's vocalist, Ryan Downey, is close friends with the members of Eighteen Visions. Integrating various influences allows Eighteen Visions success among emo, hardcore, metal, and indie rock kids, but make no mistake: Vanity is most definitely a metalcore album, just with a nice pinch of this and a taste of that to make it lively. With members from Throwdown and backing from the Trustkill label, one can get a good idea of where this is going, but don't be shocked if you're not some metal kid and you still find yourself jamming along." -All Music
1. Obsession
2. I Let Go
3. Crushed
4. This Time
5. Tower of Snakes
5. I Should Tell You
7. Waiting for the Heavens
8. Lost in a Dream
9. Bleed by Yourself
10. A Long Way Home
11. Said and Done
Eighteen Visions really get the treatment on Obsession, their third full-length for Trustkill. Die-cut heart-shaped box slider, accompanying DVD, an elaborate booklet with evocative, story-based sepia photography -- yep, there was some money spent here. Obsession's music reflects this exposure, too -- it's a million years and a thousand ways from Until the Ink Runs Out. Eighteen Visions have moved consciously into that shadowy realm, the one where the iron poles of metal beat against hardcore spines, and hammer the resulting screams into melodies lanced with pain. It's the new obsession for young men. For 18V in 2004, what prefix lies in front of the "-core"? Unclear. When will the kids grow tired of busy packaging and tunic-rending first-person lyrics ('I've been sleeping here for days/Hope I die before my dreams drive me insane,' from 'Lost in a Dream')?
Who knows. In the meantime, congratulate 18V on making a record that loses itself in the possibilities offered by that weird region of genres in spiky flux. 'Tower of Snakes' is a roaring Deftones tribute; 'I Let Go' and 'Crushed' offer thick yet mainstream-accessible metalcore (the production of Mudrock here is mighty); and 'I Should Tell You,' absolutely incredibly, is a sipping-coffee-in-the-veranda weeper, softer than the softest Hoobastank ballad. 'I watched the falling rain splash upon your face,' James Hart says in his best bedroom voice, and keyboards hiss in the distance for effect. As weird as 'Tell You''s detour into comfy sweatpants and Kleenex is, its rider, 'Waiting for Heavens,' is -- mercifully -- a much better cross of melody and punishing flat-arc distortion. Think Sparta. In the end, Obsession is more than a little schizophrenic. But as that condition seems to be the disorder of the day, at least Eighteen Visions swallow their crazy pills with zesty relish." -All Music
2. Victim
3. Truth or Consequence
4. Burned us Alive
5. Black and Bruised
6. Broken Hearted
7. Pretty Suicide
8. Coma
9. The Sweetest Memory
10. Last Night
11. Your Nightmare
12. Tonightless
"Eighteen Visions should win album production of the year award, because without the bells and whistles latched onto the actual music, this album would feel thin and regurgitated. Still, Eighteen Visions have mastered the art of creating 'the mainstream breakdown' to coincide with the group's highly focused attention on writing more catchy and appealing cuts which craft Eighteen Visions. Eighteen Visions are able to make their diluted and pristinely produced effort into a disc chockfull of accessible and infectious material, making them appealing to a wider audience, but leaving many longtime fans with a sour taste in their mouths." -TuneLab
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"Lifted by years of effort and a new distribution deal with Epic Records, Trustkill Records' Eighteen Visions broke onto the charts with 2004's Obsession, which set up the band's next release as a potential breakthrough. When a recording artist with a number of albums decides to name a new disc after itself, that's often a signal of an attempt at reinvention or introduction to a new audience, and such seems to be the case with Eighteen Visions. The album is not a break with the past, but it does mark a more complete realization of the band's goal of maintaining a distinct heavy metal/hardcore identity while suggesting it can master other styles as well. The most distinct example of this versatility comes six tracks in with 'Broken Hearted,' a song on which Eighteen Visions abruptly switches gears and produces a melodic, midtempo arena rock performance. Lead singer James Hart calms down from his usual harsh howl to a conventional rock vocal style, and the band turns in a surprisingly accessible track, complete with a big, hooky chorus. The first time listening to the album, 'Broken Hearted' comes as a surprise, but upon repeated listenings it's possible to hear more sophisticated parts in other songs -- unusually strong vocal choruses, keyboard riffs, unusual tempo shifts. Eighteen Visions can play contemporary metal with the best of them, turning out songs filled with pile-driving drum parts, thundering guitars, and Hart's obscenity laced, rage-filled screaming. But, unlike their many competitors, they are more than that, and they vary the formula just enough to emerge from the pack." -All Music
***
So all in all, I don't expect everyone to fall in love with these guys, but I sure as hell love spinning the "Obsession" album whenever I want to hear an album from start to finish and be satisfied. The guys officially called it quits in or around July of 2007 with some statements attached:"After several years of touring and quite a few album releases we have decided that it is time to go our separate ways. We have been a band for a very long time and feel good about everything we were able to accomplish. At this point in our lives and our careers we feel its time to move on to something fresh and new. Whether it be music, touring or just being at home to live and enjoy life. We would like to thank all of our fans, friends and families for all of the great support over the years. We would also like to thank all of the bands we have shared the stage with and everyone who has ever worked with the band, opened a door or reached out a hand. We will be playing our final two shows in April. One in San Diego and one in Orange County. Come rock with us one more time." -Mick Morris
"18V had been a band for 10+ years, [...] it just got to the point where we all had different goals and ideas for the band on a musical and touring basis. We all felt it was time to move on to something fresh and new." -James Hart
As for all the guys in the band after the fallout of the group, I think Wiki does a better job than I do at this info:
"Trevor Friedrich was hired by Eleven Seven recording artist Sixx:A.M. for the 'Accidents Can Happen' video. He is now the drummer in the band Never Enough with Eighteen Visions' Keith Barney on guitar. He also drums for the industrial acts Imperative Reaction and Combichrist.
Keith Barney also recently joined hardcore band Monument to Thieves. He also joined California hardcore band Love Thyne just before they officially disbanded.
Ken Floyd is currently working on a new wave band called Hi-Deaf.
Mick Morris is currently on tour as a tech for Hatebreed. He's also busy launching his own clothing line, Dethless Clothing, and holds a popular weekly updated eBay store, selling metalcore band shirts and other related items. He also models for several clothing lines. Morris has also stated that he would be willing to have an Eighteen Visions reunion if the other members were willing to.
James Hart has been working with former Nixons frontman Zac Maloy on a project named Burn Halo. Maloy's previous collaborations include songwriting credits for Chris Daughtry and Bowling for Soup, among others. Keith Barney and Avenged Sevenfold lead guitarist Synyster Gates appear to have also contributed to the project, which has evolved from a solo project into a full band. Burn Halo signed to Island Records, but after the album was completed in early 2008, Island elected not to release Burn Halo’s debut, leaving Hart with the tough job of finding a new home for his project. Burn Halo’s manager, Bret Bair, formed his own label through Warner Music Group, Rawkhead Rekords, to release the record. The band released their debut record on March 31, 2009. Burn Halo's second CD, 'Up From The Ashes' was released in 2011."
Would I want to see them back together? Sure! Who wouldn't want to see a band they like get back together. What era would you like to see them back at. I personally loved the "Obsession" era and woukd love to see them come back with another hit packed album such as that one. All in due time I guess...
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