Ozzfest ’97. A 15 year-old Blistering and his old man made the trek to the Star Lake Amphitheater in Burgettstown, PA to catch the likes of Pantera, Type O Negative, Fear Factory, and Machine Head, four bands who at the time, were in constant rotation in this scribe’s walkman. The second stage was pilfered with numerous major label entrants, including the Roadrunner trifecta of Life of Agony, Coal Chamber, and the band in question, Vision of Disorder. Upon hearing’s VOD’s set, Mr. Gehlke made some comment to the effect of “these guys are all noise, and nothing else.” Ah, old people. Always confused.
(Note: My dad turned 50 this year. Hopefully he doesn’t take umbrage to the above comment.)
And thus Vision of Disorder are back after an 11-year layoff with The Cursed Remain Cursed. In the pure historical context, they were one of the few bands that totally embodied metalcore, a few years before it got out of hand. Thanks in large part to the band’s re-entry into the live scene, Cursed sounds fresh and angular, knifing its way through 11 songs that pack hearty quantities of Tim Williams-bred vitriol, and smooth riffing.
Lots of energy and zip here, most notably on “Hard Times,” which has some riffs right in the gully of Imprint. This is where VOD finds its groove, in the sub-punk, but still metal resonate sounds of hardcore, but with the punch and spite of metal. Therefore, no one is going to confuse jams like “Blood Red Sun” or the crunchy “The Seventh Circle” for anything but metal of the core variety. Plus, Williams sounds just like he did ten-plus years ago; perhaps a bit more restrained, but definitely on the mark for lead single “Set to Fail.”
It’s a bit silly to say this, but the kids probably won’t get Vision of Disorder. They’re adult-oriented hardcore, if there is such a term. Yet, The Cursed Remains Cursed bubbles with the type of intensity that made this Long Island bunch a band to watch 15 years ago, when Pantera were the kings, Ozzy’s rep was still intact, and my dad went out and bought Coal Chamber’s debut album based on their performance that day alone. We all get a free mulligan, especially him.
Vision of Disorder on Facebook
(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)