Classic Album Review. Vision of Disorder, Imprint

Vision of Disorder, Imprint (Roadrunner Records-1998)

Now here we have some real heavy metal for you. Ok not so much metal but hardcore and a band that were a member of the NYHC (New York hardcore) scene. Many take the HC music to be just a bit much for them to listen to. Or as some say 'too loud' or 'too heavy'.

Put that a side for now and think about the logistics of what this band were doing. They were involved in a scene, one that was pretty one dimensional at that. Many of the bands did sound similar, but they were offered a major label deal. There first album was released on a subsidiary of Roadrunner and gained many positive reviews.

So Roadrunner took the band under there wing and let them do the next on there label. Imprint was recorded in two weeks and you can tell. Raw and loud but with melodic undertones it seems to mix hardcore and metal and split fans when released.

Many of the fans felt the sound was not what they liked, shame they missed out on a fine album. It may not sound like true NYHC but it does sound fucking amazing.
The limited production here does nothing but add to the sound, two weeks in a studio to put down an album going out around the world on a major label is insane. But the pressure paid off!

Vocalist Tim Williams could cut through an army with his screaming and shouting. I have never heard a performance like it, every track has the same utter sharp spiteful voice. But here is where it splits the old fans as he will sing as well in what could be described a clean voice. Well more so to add calm to the music, and it works. It is easy to make heavy music sound different but near impossible to make it sound different and good.

Oh don't forget the guitars here as well, Guitarists Matt Baumbach and Mike Kennedy seem to gel so well in a scene where it is uncool and unnecessary to have two guitarists they have rewrote the book. Riffs and palm muted thrash are littered all over this album at the same time adding to the sound with small interludes for the vocals to come in and make you wonder if this band are made with CGI. 

This album is the reason the band parted ways with some in the band wanting the old sound and some seeing where they wanted to be. It was also the reason they walked away from Roadrunner as they deemed the two week recording way to little. But sometimes the record company get it right and here they did.

The band went on to make two more albums with the first being rerecorded demos and the second a bizarre attempt to break the grunge/nu metal market.

Roadrunner took a gamble here and it did not work. but the next gamble did, Slipknot had a double platinum selling debut the next year. Vision of Disorder were and are way better then them and I hate to say it.. but it could have been them.

Imprint is available on amazon via download and CD.