What do you get when you take one of California's best in metalcore, toss in some melody and bring in well known producer Mudrock to file off any rough edges? You get "Obsession." Just what Eighteen Visions promises with their newest full length, which indeed is something to obsess over. With an album featuring songs ranging from the chaotic, to a harmony fused piano ballad it's obvious that Eighteen Visions have that certain variability that most bands don't pull off so well. But then again most bands don't have five full length albums under there belt, not including a "best of" record. The Orange County quintet brings their trademark intense, fast moving riffs and driving rhythms to the table with "Obsession," but isn't without catch. This head first dive into passion and emotion is loaded with more hooks than Captain Ahab going after Moby Dick. Each chorus bringing enough melodic power to have your head bobbing to the beat, you just better be ready for the verse switchover or your head might fall off. It seems producer Mudrock, who has also fine tuned the sound of metal maniacs Avenged Sevenfold, has brought out the best in these OC boys. Starting with the title track "Obsession" you get a hint of what's in store on the CD. The words "Desire, Depression, Obsession" being whispered before they're belted out at you over the flow of guitar, drums and harmonizing vocals which float in the background, later all fading into ringing noise leading into the next song. Track number two "I Let Go" starts off with a driving beat, a pick slide and goes right into palm muted guitars and a verse vocal pattern riddled with minor notes but when the chorus hits you'll find it dancing in your head even after the song has ended. The standout song on the CD and my personal favorite is track 11 "Said and Done" which features piano and crystal clear vocals complete with falsetto backing. It's an incredible song that you wouldn't expect to find on an Eighteen Visions record but there it is. From start to finish this CD rushes with the exact same sound that these guys have been mastering for years but with everything different. If you're an Eighteen Visions fan you won't be disappointed and if you've never listened to them, this album is definitely the one to start with.

Eighteen Visions has been the brink for a while. Now with a major label distribution and, apparently, a bigger recording budget, the band has kicked out the album that should shoot them over the top. Their sound has changed somewhat on this offering. They sound like an old DC band crossed with Shift. Not that that's bad in any way, especially since I love both of those things. "Tower of Snakes", the fifth track on the album, is really the one to listen for; this track has all the makings of a monster hit, with pummeling drum lines, guitar licks that sound like they could be from Dillinger Escape Plan, and DC style-tinged vocals. The production on this album is out of control, and really forces the true sound of the band to the forefront. Eighteen Visions will prove to be one of the true talents to emerge from the Screamo scene in the immediate future.

The question plaguing Eighteen Visions' Epic debut Obsession is this: Is their latest disc hardcore with a rock edge, or rock with a hardcore edge? After all, the infinitely stylish Orange County band is not only in possession of one of the more fashionable looks, but its music is tantamount to what Stone Temple Pilots would sound like if it made a hardcore record. The Visions - especially hip-shaking singer James Hart - appear flashy, sassy and not afraid to insert a deadly, groove-laden breakdown smack dab in the middle of a verse-chorus-verse structured song. Battering ram tunes like "Crushed" and "This Time" bloom with moshing breakdowns that many O.C. hardcore bands have patented, but 18V aspires to be more than your average O.C. hardcore band. They're just giving the hardcore scene a much-needed dose of songwriting ability and rock star-ness.

Those screamy makeup-wearing dudes in Eighteen Visions once defined the sound of Trustkill, but on Obsession, they have ventured into the world of the slightly more melodic. "Crushed" starts off sounding like Metallica, but redeems itself halfway through when it kicks into some of their better "emo" moments. "This Time" is a great rock song, with singer James Hart's nearly Scott Weiland-esque snarl etching the track into your head for days. Eighteen Visions are playing big rock now, with an album that contains songs that can get hardcore kids dancing easily as it can fill the arenas. While the screams still make the occasional appearance, the album is on the most part straight-up rock, and it's great.

This record really surprised me. I've never been a fan of this band, and I wasn't prepared for this to change. However, it has. From the first track this record took hold of my ears and didn't let go. It's so funny because it's not the record I would have expected this band to make. Maybe that's why I like it so much. The only thing I can say is it's kind of like the record that Stone Temple Pilots would have made if they were still around, and decided they needed to be a little tougher. If you haven't heard it, or don't want to based on the way this band used to sound, you should do yourself a favor and pick it up straight away.

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.

In a time when bands are repeatedly pigeonholed into genres and sub-genres time and time again, bands seem to grab hold of a style or a moniker and run it as far into the ground as they can before running out of ideas. If they change, they are dubbed sell-outs. If they don't, their fans become jaded and move on, claiming the gimmick is tired. Music listeners today have their shelves lined with one or two albums from countless bands without any semblance of longevity, simply because many bands today lack versatility. Eighteen Visions has blown this idea to pieces with their latest release, "Obsession." A heavy melodic hard rock band with hardcore roots and an intense emotional foundation, Eighteen Visions is breaking through with an album which stirs all emotional angles, breaks musical boundaries, and houses an intensity rarely achieved by the bands around today. "Obsession" was released by Trustkill Records - a label known for its bevy of innovative, young, hardcore and heavy rock/metal bands. The opening title track acts as an ignition switch for the roller-coaster ride to follow by pounding three words that define the album; Obsession, Desire, Depression. As it builds, the track leaves the listener intrigued with what is to come, and desperately wanting more. The second track, "I Let Go", is a well written heavy rock song. It has a definitive rock feel with a good upbeat pulse and a catchy chorus. The track has the feeling of a radio friendly band, with an edge that many mainstream bands lack. Unlike many bands spinning through your FM waves, this band reeks of talent and energy, and is a model for what music should be. "Crush", begins with an distorted riff that foretells a heavier feel than the last track, and the rest of the song agrees. The bands versatility shine in this track , as a hardcore rock atmosphere blends with shades of Stone Temple Pilots and even early Silverchair to create an interesting mix of sounds. The lyrics cry out to an absent father, which many listeners can relate to, for sure. The next track, "This Time" houses a similar feel as the previous, but with more harmony in the melodic chorus. The song breaks down into a hardcore scream for a bridge, and quiets into an acapella cry, before erupting into an emotionally heavy closing. Vocally, James Heart really shows himself as he bears all through this song and much of the album. "Tower of Snakes" is a slower pulse, but perhaps the most torrential of the album. True to the bands hardcore roots, this song would excite fans of some of the hardest bands out today. An angry forceful track, "Snakes" is defined by the crushing guitar riffs, dynamic drums, and the awesomely brutal breakdown towards the end. Lyrically, the simple yet provoking phrase "Are you running away from me? Are you running away from YOU?" seems to speak volumes in so little words. In direct contrast to the previous track, "I Should Tell You" is a melodic alternative ballad which again proves the bands endless versatility. In blending the traces of such diverse bands like A Perfect Circle and HIM with a more upbeat and positive vibe, the song could be mistaken for a pop-rock band if not for the complex and layered guitars, and well written emotional lyrics. "Waiting for the Heavens" is a definite signature track for the flexibility of this record. Over the four minutes the song spans, the band manages to push the powerful simplicity of their hardcore sound, mix in a bit of melodic complexity, and slam the perfectly forceful chorus without skipping a beat. This is one of the best on the record, and proves to hardcore fans that melody can be heavy, while showing the rock fans that hardcore is not musically immature. The following three tunes "Lost in a Dream", "Bleed by Yourself", and "A Long Way Home" continue to show that Obsession is extensive as heaviness, subtlety, emotion, complexity, simplicity, and a wide range of elements find there way through these songs. The band shows their ability to blow away a Metallica crowd and wow the fans at a Incubus concert as the same time. After all this, the closing track, "Said And Done" could have found its way on a Muse or Radiohead album without many noticing. The powerfully soft ballad features piano, choir-like singing, and will surely evoke a series of lighters at a live show. As this song ends, so does the journey that is the album "Obsession". One of the most diverse and complete albums ever written, Eighteen Visions has hit a grand slam with this release. So many music fans claim loyalty to multiple areas of rock music, and Eighteen Visions does them all, and does them all well. Never before has one band managed to pack so many drastically different styles into one album without sacrificing the integrity of their fans and their music. "Obsession" is a masterpiece.

It's pretty obvious that Trustkill is really putting a lot of faith behind Eighteen Visions' new album Obsession. The new disc from the four Orange County boys James Hart (vocals), Keith Barney (guitar), Mick Morris (bass), and Ken Floyd (drums) comes complete with valentine card like packaging, a DVD and a 10-page booklet loaded with album photography. The whole package immediately gives off the idea that Eighteen Visions has something different planned for us this time around. The look of the album for one is very different. There's a very aristocratic 50's theme about it with the characters in the booklet pictures sporting clothing and smiles straight out of Happy Days. The photographs are black and white and made to look faded, but that's about the only bleak thing you'll find within them. The couple pictured looks genuinely happy, like nothing could halt them in their love for each other. This theme of calm seas as opposed to a storm continues once you actually listen to the album. Though James Hart does let out a scream now and again the majority of the time now he is actually singing. The rest of the band has softened too as there is now much more emphasis put on choruses and hooks than on the band's previous album Vanity. Whether you find the band's attempts to be more accessible instead of punishing as a form of progression or a step back is completely up to you. What everyone will have to admit though is what Eighteen Visions has succeeded at what they have attempted. The album starts out pretty harshly with the opener 'Obsession' which finds James Hart crooning the same twelve words over and over again, slowly building in his anger till the album clicks over to the second track 'I Let Go'. The track shows off Eighteen Visions' new tweaked sound in all of its melodious glory, as Keith Barney's guitar switches easily from a slower chug to the song's awesomely catchy chorus. 'Crushed' is harder than 'I Let Go' with James Hart showing off a more disgusting sounding style of singing before breaking into tortured screams. The proceedings go back into softer territory though with the track 'This Time' which bounces more than it pounds before leading into yet another catchy chorus. 'Tower of Snakes' begins with some rather creepy sound effects before chugging into the album's most devastating territory, sounding awfully like a lot of the songs from Vanity. The rest of the album continues the harder-to-softer pattern before ending with 'Said And Done', a very slow and somber song that shows Eighteen Visions doing their very best Radiohead imitation. The album highlight 'Waiting For The Heavens' is also on the second half of the album, showing the band finding a very nice medium between their old-fashioned aggression and their newfound sense of melody. It's going to be interesting to see how the diehards react to Obsession. Though the album sounds much more focused than a lot of the band's earlier recordings it seems like this disc cuts out a lot of the youthful energy and innovation that made Eighteen Visions so fun to listen to before. Still, if this is truly what Eighteen Visions wants to play than I guess this is what we're going to hear, and truly its not that bad. They really do know how to write catchy choruses and meaningful lyrics. If we don't like it there's still two billion other metalcore bands out there to try on for size.

Eighteen Visions have always been infamous for their unique take on hardcore with a touch of glamour rock, Vanity being the highest showcase of their work. With Obsession, the boys seem to have toned things down quite a bit, at least vocally, with results that aren't anywhere near unpleasant, just not common for a band with as an aggressive past as Eighteen Visions'. There's no doubt the band will lose the interest of some of the 'hardcore' fans, but at the same rate they're also likely to draw in more mainstream interest, their signing to Epic Records being a prime example of just that. Now, don't get me wrong, Eighteen Visions still have their hardcore tendencies on Obsession, it's just that the melodies are more frequent than that found on Vanity. Constant similarities to Stone Temple Pilots are also present in the vocals, as well as similarities to Vision of Disorder, both in the music and in the vocal stylings. True highlights of the album are found in tracks like "Obsession", the album's title track, and "Tower of Snakes" a true pit anthem. "Obsession" kicks off the album and does so in an excellent manner, with chanting that slowly leads into a hardcore masterpiece. "Tower of Snakes" is definitely the album's most brutal cut with breakdowns that prove Eighteen Visions are still hardcore at heart. Though with "Obsession" the heaviness of Eighteen Visions has suffered some what, the band's live show could not be better, as their performance on this year's Skate and Surf Fest was nothing short of incredible. "Obsession" takes Eighteen Visions in a new direction, but also proves the band's dedication to produce music that is not only truly unique, but also music that doesn't limit itself to one genre. "Obsession" is highly enjoyable and a good listen.

When you compare old Eighteen Visions material to the new Eighteen Visions material there really isn't much to compare, the sound is so much different than what the band is creating now that it is at times hard to believe you are listening to the same band. "Obsession" for Eighteen Visions just proves to be another step in the direction of moving away from the old and embracing the new. "Obsession" is an excellent album, containing a heavy hardcore/metal sound while adding in a bit of a pop flavor and a majority of hard rock. The more pop driven moments appear on "I Let Go," a song that is a good rock song in general, but is far from what the rest of "Obsession" ends up sounding like. The album's opening track "Obsession" is a great introduction to the record, with a heavy rock flow and the repetitive lyrics of "Desire, Depression, Obsession" that flow into the track "I Let Go." "I Let Go" sounds like a song that the band wrote just for the radio, the one you usually listen to the album and stop and think that the band might just be selling out for radio time. It's a good song, just not something you would hope to associate with Eighteen Visions. "Tower of Snakes" along with "Crushed" and "Waiting For The Heavens" are great tracks. In "Waiting For The Heavens" vocalist James Hart sings "This life is so called murder" an awesome tag line in the song resembling the title track off of the band's last Trustkill release "Vanity" very much. If you dig the band's last release, "Vanity," than there is a very strong possibility that "Obsession" is just right for you. For those older Eighteen Visions fans that pushed the band aside after hearing them mellow-out with "Vanity," "Obsession" will be yet another disappointment. Overall, Eighteen Visions have proven "Obsession" to be a hard rock record. They have basically abandoned most of their metal ties (although their still are a few to be found here and there on "Obsession") for a hard rock sound. "Obsession" is a good record; however it would be even better if it was the real Eighteen Visions. For me, "Obsession" just makes me miss the old Eighteen Visions, and although I think the new record is great, I don't think of it as being associated with the old Eighteen Visions, it is the new Eighteen Visions. I have a feeling that the old Eighteen Visions will never be seen again, and although this is a sad fact, it could be worse, their new album could be real bad, but instead it is an enjoyable 11-track hard rock album. Check it out if you think you are up for some good hard rock; if you are looking for some good metal I wouldn't bother.

18V have found peace. Metal and chaos aren't part of their personality anymore and melancholy and doomy riffs have taken over. Balancing in the epicentre of bands like Alice in Chains (intense vocals on some songs, plus grunge riffs), Life of Agony (groove) and Him (the atmosphere) they have made a record which could become really really big within the alternative scene. With their previous record "Vanity" this direction had to be expected, but now they have found equilibrium, which was hard to find on the older record where they were looking for a destination. Now they have arrived. On the DVD you can see how they made "Obsession". I only hope they will not throw their last touches of heaviness overboard for their next record. Don't have to be concerned about that just now, and this album just rocks.