Vision of Disorder
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| Vision of Disorder | |
|---|---|
 Left to right: Mike Fleischmann (bass), Matt Baumbach (guitar), Tim Williams (vocals), Mike Kennedy (guitar), Brendon Cohen (drums) |
|
| Origin | Long Island, New York |
| Country | United States |
| Years active | 1992–2002 |
| Genres | Metalcore Hardcore |
| Labels | Roadrunner Records TVT Records |
| Members | Tim Williams Matt Baumbach Mike Kennedy Mike Fleischmann Brendon Cohen |
Vision of Disorder was a hardcore / thrash metal band from Long Island, New York, USA. The band's frenetic and socially aware amalgam of hardcore and thrash metal gained the band a strong underground following before their demise in 2002.
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[edit] History
Guitarists Matt Baumbach and Mike Kennedy formed the band in 1992 with vocalist/lyricist Tim Williams, drummer Brendon Cohen, and bassist Mike Fleischmann. Fleischmann left the band and VOD opted to perform during this fledgling period without a bass player.
Bassist Fleischmann later returned to the fold and the quintet went on to release a series of demos and songs on compilations before VOD released their seminal 7" record, Still (released on Striving for Togetherness Records) in 1996. This album includes the original versions of the songs Through My Eyes and D.T.O.
The Still EP attracted a strong underground following, particularly within the Long Island's hardcore community. This was sufficient to earn the band a major label record deal. VOD's self-titled debut was released in 1996, on Roadrunner Records' subsidiary label, Supersoul). It was lauded by many old-school hardcore aficionados for its mixture of innovative sounds built on traditional hardcore roots.
The album Imprint (released on Roadrunner Records), followed the band's self-titled two years later. This album received ambivalent reviews: many old VOD fans disliked their new creative direction, whereas many of the fans that Imprint had attracted appreciated the band's seemingly innovative sound. Imprint created a permanent rift between Vision of Disorder and some longtime fans who couldn't get past the band's mutated sound and the "raw" production values that their major label sophomore record boasted.
After touring in support of Imprint, Vision of Disorder became relatively inconspicuous within the heavy music spectrum. However, they eventually returned to the public eye, divested of Roadrunner Records and announced their plans to release For the Bleeders, a compendium of 9 demo songs that VOD re-recorded specifically for this record. For the Bleeders was released in 1999 on independent label, Go Kart Records.
Staying true with their desire to explore what they were capable of musically, Vision of Disorder released the southern rock-influenced album, From Bliss to Devastation, released on TVT Records in 2001. Using their own signature musical ingredients in conjunction with musical elements reminiscent of Soundgarden and Alice in Chains, The band's TVT album debut was ultimately a commercial failure. The fans' reception was lukewarm as the old fans who withstood Vision of Disorder's approach with Imprint were even less impressed with this effort, and the fans who were introduced to VOD through their sophomore record were indifferent towards FBTD's new and uncharacteristic sound.
Apparently frustrated by a lack of record company support from both Roadrunner and TVT Records, Vision of Disorder went on an extended hiatus in 2002, and eventually disbanded, as singer Williams and guitarist Kennedy formed the touring and recording metalcore band bloodsimple.
VOD reunited briefly in order to play a 3-song "mini-set" during a September 24th show with the bands bloodsimple. and Karnov (drummer Brendon Cohen and bassist Mike Fleischmann's current musical ensemble). The response to the set was positive enough for the band to play a full reunion set at 2006's Super Bowl of Hardcore in Manhattan. The band is rumored to be planning a final reunion tour for sometime between 2006 and 2007[citation needed].
[edit] Members
- Tim Williams - Vocalist
- Matt Baumbach - Guitarist
- Mike Kennedy - Guitarist
- Mike Fleischmann - Bassist
- Brendon Cohen - Drummer
[edit] Discography
- Demo 93' (distributed on cassette tape)
- Vision of Disorder/Loyal to None Split 7" (Hearsay Records, 1994)
- Demo 94': The "Extra Shit" Demo (Cassette, 1994)
- Demo 95' (distributed on cassette tape)
- Vision of Disorder/Loyal to None Live on WUSB Riptide Radio (Split cassette, recorded live, 1994)
- Vision of Disorder Live on WUSB Riptide Radio (distributed on cassette tape, 1995)
- Still (EP) (Striving for Togetherness Records, 1995)
- N.Y.H.C. Documentary Soundtrack (Striving for Togetherness Records, 1996)
- Still (EP) (Spain Import, 2 extra tracks) (Soulforce Records, 1997)
- Vision of Disorder (Supersoul/Roadrunner Records, 1996)
- Vision of Disorder/Nanchaku - Split 7" (Japanese Import) (Dea Records, 1997)
- Resurrecting Reality (EP) (Crisis/Revelation Records 1998)
- Imprint/Choke 7" (Japanese Import) (Dea Records 1998)
- Imprint (Roadrunner Records, 1998)
- Imprint (Japanese Import, 1 extra track) (Roadrunner Records, 1998)
- Landslide/Twelve Steps To Nothing - Split 7" w/Dive, Uzamaki(Japanese Import) (Dea Records, 1999)
- What You Are/Jada Bloom - Split 7" w/ Minor League, Wrongside (Japanese Import) (Dea Records, 1999)
- For the Bleeders (Go Kart Records, 1999)
- From Bliss to Devastation (TVT Records, 2001)
- From Bliss to Devastation (Japanese Import, 2 extra tracks) (Victor Entertainment Japan, 2001)
[edit] Trivia
- Vision of Disorder filmed and released music videos for the songs Imprint (a track taken from the album of the same name), and Southbound (a track taken from their last record, From Bliss to Devastation).
- During the tumult with TVT records, vocalist Tim Williams and guitarist Matt Baumbach started a side-project called "DRAG", purportedly wrote 30 songs, and then languished until finally Tim Williams moved on to bloodsimple. with other VOD guitarist Mike Kennedy in tow.
- Fix8 was the original moniker for Tim Williams and Mike Kennedy's latest band, bloodsimple.
- Tim Williams found Vision of Disorder's name in a textbook while he was still attending high school.
- Mike Fleischmann and Brendon Cohen are members of a new band, Karnov, which played their live debut in Sept 2005, opening up for bloodsimple. on Long Island, NY.
- One of the longest tenured roadies for VOD was a fellow named B. Folly, singer for Karnov.
- Drummer Brendon Cohen toured with Bloodsimple during the summer of 2006, resulting in 3/5's of VOD's classic line-up back for the attack.
[edit] External links
- Vision of Disorder An unofficial Vision of Disorder website (doesn't seem to be maintained anymore, but still contains a lot of VOD information)
- MP3.com
- Interview with Tim Williams
- TVT Records
- Retrospective of VOD
- Photos of RTTP
- Karnov's MySpace page (band which includes VOD members Mike Fleischmann and Brendon Cohen)
- Billboard.com review of a 2006 VOD reunion show
- B.Folly Myspace page for former VOD roadie.
