Metalcore band Eighteen Visions have released a new track, “1996.” The release of the brand new single comes after the release of a variety of covers that the band produced, including Alice in Chains’ “Them Bones” and Vision of Disorder’s “D.T.O.”

“1996” is a dark, piercing track filled with lead singer James Hart’s screaming metal vocals, loud, energy-packed drums and destructive, distorted guitar sounds. Across the three-minute track, the band constantly switches up drum rhythms to keep the listener on their toes, not knowing what to expect. Near the end of the song, Hart lets out a belt of pure rage while he is overwhelmed by the head-banging drums and guitars. 

According to Theprp, Hart said that “1996” is about an encounter he had with a white supremacist Nazi in Huntington Beach, CA in 1996. When thinking back to the story Hart said, “As I entered the detention room I took a shove from one of the Nazis we had a beef with that carried over from the previous school year.” Hours later Hart fought him outside the school where he “exposed him and his hateful ideas to those that witnessed the events.” Hart brings out all the anger he felt towards this Nazi on “1996.” He sings, “In 1996/I was just a kid/Not taking your shit/Fuck what you believe,” in reference to the Nazi he fought. 

Eighteen Visions are set to perform at Furnace Fest in September 2021, joined by acts like Cave In, Converge and Touché Amoré in Birmingham, AL. Back in October 2020, the band released a six-track EP titled Inferno. Led by lead single, “Sink,” the band made a punishing return since their last album, “XVII,” in 2017. Prior to their 2017 release, Eighteen Visions had been broken up for 10 years. The band was formed in 1995 and released 5 albums in 10 years.