[usr 9.0 text=”true”]
REVIEW – I first discovered VISION OF DISORDER around the time of Imprint. While most metal fans seems to think that the band would never return to the high point of that release, I am in the minority. The Cursed Remains Cursed in 2012 was a monster, just an all out balls crushing hardcore ferocious sound from below the realms of Hell. I made the comment at the end of my review in 2012, “ how can they possibly follow up a record this massive”. The answer is simple. Razed To The Ground is a great follow up record, you have the hardcore monster that fans of the band is so inviting for, but it also contains a more restrained mid-paced commercialized sound as well that seems to bridge the last few years to its 90’s Roadrunner past. While I feel some fans will get behind the opening track Heart of Darkness with its fury and obnoxious riffs. Where people always compared this band to Pantera in the past, this opening track would make Phil happy. You have this insanely catchy and crunchy guitar attack with a vocal delivery that mixes hardcore, restraint and all out “ Fuck all”. How do you get the fans to react after being beaten into submission with that opening track you give them another love letter from the fires of hell with Hours in Chaos.
The first two tracks alone will probably maim a lot of kids in the pits. Such an insane intensity that the tempo is all over the place. You are then dared to go into Electric Sky. Electric Sky is just a slow mid-tempo attack that showcases why Tim Williams is such an underrated vocal god. It has this sick break in the middle that really nods to the old school of metal with a kiss to the new school. This record seems to melt all these styles together to create a record that I feel VOD fans will be torn about. While the heavier songs will win them over, there are one or two songs that I feel fans will take a few additional listens to get into. Comparing this to their past releases, I feel it honors the fans and keeps them faithful while showing it did not shed its roots. For a band that has had more hits than misses, this is again another hit for the band. In a year when people claim “ Metal is Dead”, you have not sent that memo to VOD. They opened the grave and made that bastard come back to life. This is a great metal album by a very underrated great metal band.
