Eighteen Visions, the seminal metal band that recently announced they had reformed and signed with Rise Records recently released their long-awaited new album, XVIII. The album is both mission statement and battle cry as well as being a blistering, dense, and diverse album. Recharged and newly partnered with Rise Records, 18V sound liberated from the expectations of the outside world and driven only by their own personal and artistic directive. This is the album promised by the raw alchemy of every other Eighteen Visions record. The unrelenting force and unashamed ambition that fueled every stylistic incarnation of this always evolving and never boring band: it’s finally fully realized in the sound of XVIII. The album was made at home in Orange County, with U.K. transplant and multi-instrumentalist producer Mick Kenney at the helm. His close relationship with the guys in the band (vocalist James Hart, guitarist Keith Barney and drummer Trevor Friedrich) lent itself to the most fully realized recording in their discography, emphasizing every strength of 18V’s unique arsenal. Among the album’s many highlights is Live Again a moving tribute to bassist Mick Morris, who passed in 2013, “Picture Perfect” a super heavy, dirgy assault on fakery and wolves in sheep’s clothing, dripping with menacing melody and Fake Leather Jacket, a molotov cocktail tossed at the music industry, threatening and staunchly confident. You check out Live Again below!
We manged to catch up with James Hart as he talked about the latest video, album and more!
How has the video of Live Again gone down so far with fans?
So far it seems like everything we’ve put out there has gotten a great response. We’re already over 30,000 views in just a couple of days. I feel like that’s great considering we’re still building our social media following and we’ve been away for so long. All of these social media outlets didn’t exist when we were a band ten years ago. It’s been fun watching that grow and being able to interact with fans.
How much does this track mean to you guys with it being a tribute to Mick Morris?
It was important for us to acknowledge Mick on the album. He was a big part of our band for a long time. Though he wasn’t super involved in the writing process from album to album, he was definitely great on stage and a fan favorite. His passing came after the band had split up, but we felt like his absence was something we needed to address. It’s great for both the band and our fans to have a tribute like this on the album. It definitely helps create an emotional connection to the song and album for anyone that was fortunate enough to ever know Mick or watch him play.
So you’ve also released your album XVIII, how proud are you for this release?
The three of us are very proud of this album. It all came about so naturally. I haven’t had this much fun making an album since the earlier days of 18V. Back when there was no pressure or stress to making an album. Before we started writing the album, Keith took a look at the catalogue and asked himself “what were we best at?” and focused on that. When it came to writing and arranging lyrics and vocal ideas, I just wanted to have fun. There was just so much freedom in this process. We were all on the same page from the start and I feel like we were really able to capture what Eighteen Visions’ sound is all about.
How was your release show in The Observatory a few days ago?
SOLD OUT! It was absolutely insane. You haven’t been a band for ten years and you’re playing in this big room. You don’t know what to expect. When it came to our performance, we wanted to give our fans something they’ve never seen from us before. We wanted to create a vibe and set a strong tone for the entire set. We opened up with “She Looks Good In Velvet” which was the first song off of our “UNTIL THE INK RUNS OUT” album. From there we went right into “Psychotic Thought” which was originally recorded for our first LP “YESTERDAY IS TIME KILLED” and later re-recorded for “THE BEST OF” album. I think those first two songs took people by surprise. We never really let up from there and went through selections from most of our catologue. I don’t think our fans were expecting so many pre-VANITY era songs. It was heavy and agressive from start to finish.
Was it good to go back to your home town to release the album?
Of course! I don’t think we could imagine our first show back anywhere else. Of course there are other cities, states and countries we’d love to get back to, but it made the most sense to do it at home. We definitely wanted to share this experience with our friends and family. Of course the fans made the experience so amazing for us, but for our friends and family to be there, to see that response was definitely special.
If you could work with any band on a new song, who would it be and why?
I’m a pretty big Killswitch Engage fan. I think it would be cool to musically blend their dual guitar metal approach with the heaviness of our sound. I wouldn’t have to change much for my vocal approach, but I think it would be a killer sound.
What was your first gig that you ever attended as a kid?
I think it was an Integrity show back in 1994. I really didn’t get much exposure to live gigs before that. I just remember feeling the intensity and how tight knit the scene there felt. Like everyone knew everyone there. I felt like I was accepted and a part of something.
What’s the alternative scene like in Orange County?
Today, in 2017, I’m not quite sure. I know it’s not what it was in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. From what I hear, the scene isn’t as big as it once was. It just doesn’t feel like Orange County is the melting pot it once was for metal and hardcore. I’ve been away from it for quite some time so I can’t quite say what it is exactly that’s caused it to be that ways.
How supportive have the guys at Rise Records been?
RISE has been the best. They’re very into the band and our vision for things. I think that’s what makes them so successful. With us, they’ve just let us do our thing. They’ve let us be true artists musically and visually. We can feel an honest excitement from them when it comes to Eighteen Visions and the new album. I think too for a label, when you’re signing bands you love, you’re signing them for a reason. Because you’re passionate about their music and what they’ve done in the past. You get excited to be a part of something you love and that’s where you can just sit back and watch it develop. There’s a mutual trust there between the artist and label. Something I’ve not experienced in a long time. I’m glad we’ve landed where we have. Everything has just been so perfect.