Eighteen Visions

Eighteen Visions fuse intricate, frequently asynchronous blasts of metallic hardcore with fragments of thrash, heavy stomps, and sharp dark textures, shaping them into unified, hard-hitting pieces that sometimes shift into breakdowns and grooves. Every track showcases anthemic, full-throated vocals from frontman James Hart, whose live delivery carries a wry, exaggerated grandeur suited to massive venues. The group’s striking visual aesthetic, commanding stage presence, and distinctive style separated them from other metalcore acts, keeping the scene dynamic through ongoing reinvention.

Formed in 1995 in Orange County, California, by Hart and drummer Ken Floyd, the band issued a single and a full-length CD—one via a European label—before Racetraitor singer Mani Mostofi connected them with Trustkill. At that stage the lineup included Hart, Floyd, bassist Javier Van Huss, and guitarists Brandan Schieppati and Keith Barney, who also handled vocals in the metal outfit Bleeding Through and the straight-edge act Throwdown, respectively.

That configuration produced a Trustkill 7" single and the album Until the Ink Runs Out. Issued in 2000, the record quickly positioned Eighteen Visions among the leading names in hardcore, a standing reinforced by extensive summer touring and prominent festival slots. Early in 2001 Van Huss departed; Salt Lake City native Mick Morris took his place. The stylish Southern California straight-edge band then revisited its earlier, out-of-print recordings plus the Trustkill 7" track for a fresh collection titled Best of Eighteen Visions.

During the second half of 2001 the group wrote songs for its next Trustkill release, Vanity, which appeared in May 2002; afterward Schieppati left to focus exclusively on Bleeding Through. Two years later they delivered Obsession. Shortly before its June release the band signed with Epic, yet the album still came out on Trustkill. It received strong reviews from outlets such as Revolver and Metal Hammer, the latter naming it Album of the Year. Following intensive touring that included a Warped Tour run and shared bills across the U.S. with Atreyu, HiM, and Avenged Sevenfold, the band played U.K. dates supporting Lostprophets.

Seeking a bigger sonic palette and a “huge sound,” Eighteen Visions issued their self-titled Epic debut in July 2006, now featuring drummer Trevor Friedrich while Floyd handled guitar. That record would mark the end of the original run; the members chose to disband in spring 2007 and performed two final shows that April in California. A decade afterward the group reunited in 2017 with Hart, Barney, Friedrich, and Josh James, releasing the fittingly titled XVIII—their first new material in ten years—on Rise Records.