Speaking as a guy that's performed in bands, I'm ultra-sensitive to the challenges other bands face in their fight to be heard. Oftentimes, this sensitivity leads to depression-- I'll go to a show, watch a band pour their guts out, then listen to a few idle claps from a mostly disinterested audience. These situations become especially disappointing when the bands involved used to be prominent, but have since fallen from grace. Such was the case when I went to see Vision two years ago. As I watched them toil on stage, I transported myself back five years, remembering when they were playing sold-out shows with hardcore heavyweights like Sick of It All and Agnostic Front. Now, the majority of the audience stayed outside during the their set. I didn't see a band that night; I saw ghosts of a forgotten age.

Thankfully, the Vision buzz has been reborn, and in an attempt to keep the ball rolling, they have released a new full-length entitled The Kids Still Have A Lot To Say. The first two tracks make it clear that this band never intends to be forgotten again. Raw, gritty vocals backed by driving yet melodic riffs announce their triumphant return. For a band that has been playing for nearly a decade, these songs sound impressively fresh and heartfelt.

The remainder of the album doesn't necessarily maintain the intensity and effectiveness of these first two songs, but overall, the band carries the sound of early-90's punk hardcore shamelessly. They seem to operate best when they are at their fastest, though the Avail-tinged strains of "Disguise" show a more subdued approach that is equally convincing.

The only problem with The Kids Still Have A Lot To Say is that it's too long, and it seriously affects one's final appreciation of the album. The band seems to forget that one of hardcore's biggest appeals is its momentary quality, its immediacy. When this sensation is unnecessarily prolonged, it becomes ineffective. I'm sure the band accumulated a lot of material during its silent years, but they should have broken it up into more manageable pieces rather than dumping it on us all at once.

Although the record is by no means perfect, it's certain to put this band back on the playing field where it belongs. Expect good things in the future-- although they have been expressing themselves for nearly ten years, chances are Vision still have a lot to say.

-Kevin Ruggeri