Eighteen Visions is a band that successfully combines elements of traditional metal with nu metal impulses. . . and does it well. Flashes of alt-rock, notably post-grunge, also light up their sonic horizon. The Orange County, California outfit formed in 1996, and Obsession is their first album to barge onto The Billboard 200 album chart. No mean feat. And no fluke. This is powerful stuff that rages with great visceral emotion while still containing enough finesse to engage the listener on a variety of levels.
The doors crash open with the title track and its totally uber thunder. Tumbling, galloping drums and James Hart's furious, acidic vocals get the apocalypse started. Lyrically, it's one of the most compact songs ever. For the most part, Hart screeches over and over "Obsession, desire, depression" with the only other words being "Nothing is meant to be/ Love never wanted me." Still, that's all it takes to convey the intense nihilism of the song.
Things get a little more musical with the new age, hard rock of "I Let Go," which finds the meeting point of modern alt-rock and Iggy Pop's latter day, heavier stuff while allowing Hart to hit his melodic stride on the chorus. Tougher still is the landslide-like "Crushed." With its power rhythms and mighty drumming (skinsman Ken Floyd is a great flogger) it's a number Metallica would be proud of.
Possibly the pick of the set is the beautifully chaotic and thoroughly angst-ridden "Tower of Snakes." The guys work overtime on the mayhem, then, at the two-minute mark, the rhythm section moves into a steady thudding pattern before the machine-gun guitar riffage of Keith Barney takes center stage. The lyrics are intense too: "You sucked the blood right out of life."
On "Lost In A Dream," the band mixes it up more, fusing more traditional metal and post-grunge: '80s axes, husky drums and melodic singing make for a spirited but more hook laden experience. By contrast, the speedy "Bleed By Yourself" uses rumble drums and very muscular axes to create a sound that brings to mind a large carnivore chasing its prey through the jungle.
The album closes with the beautiful, slightly gothic piano ballad, "Said and Done." Like the aftermath of battle, it is a strikingly poignant moment.
These Cali boys have really hit their stride with Obsession. Each track has its own particular power, exhibiting a creativity that certainly isn't commonplace. A very fine album and a band to watch!
By Adrian Zupp
