Eighteen Visions (sometimes shortened to 18V) was founded in 1996 by James … Read Full Bio ↴Eighteen Visions (sometimes shortened to 18V) was founded in 1996 by James Hart and Ken Floyd (who then played drums), the only members of the original line-up to perform with the band until they disbanded. The band reunited in 2017 with Hart, guitarist Keith Barney, Josh James and Trevor Friedrich.

Their debut release was the "Lifeless" EP on Life Sentence Records. They followed this with a full-length album titled "Yesterday Is Time Killed" on Cedargate Records. Upon switching to Trustkill Records, they recorded their 2000 album Until The Ink Runs Out. For their next album, "Best Of", the band re-recorded much of their earlier, out of print, material. The music style of the band changed a lot since their 2002 debut "Vanity", which birthed a music video single for "You Broke Like Glass" which played in heavy rotation via MTV2's Headbangers Ball. Eighteen Visions then released "Obsession" in 2004 which would be their last album for Trustkill Records.

On July 18 2006 they released a self-titled album through Epic Records. Their single "Victim" climbed the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks, and was the official theme song of WWE Vengeance that year.

Eighteen Visions broke up in April 2007.

On February 9, 2017, an official Instagram account of the band was launched, with James Hart, Keith Barney, and Trevor Friedrich being tagged on the first picture which contained the message, "the countdown begins..." All three members uploaded the same picture onto their respective private accounts as well. They continued to share studio footage and a teaser of a new song. Mick Kenney (Anaal Nathrakh) was revealed to be producing, mixing, and mastering the band's comeback record at his Huntington Beach, CA studio The Barracks.

On April 20, 2017, ten years from the day of their farewell show at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, the band confirmed details surrounding their comeback album XVIII, which would be released on June 2 via Rise Records. They also released a full stream and music video for "Oath." They released a second single, "Crucified," on May 9 with a lyric video. Both songs are under 2 minutes in length and marked the return of heavy screaming as a prominent element of the band's sound. The band also confirmed that one of the album's tracks, "Live Again," is a tribute to the late former bassist Mick Morris. The third single released was "The Disease, the Decline, and Wasted Time" on May 25.

In June 2017, it was revealed that Ken Floyd couldn't take part in the reunion due to his full-time job as a tour manager for Zedd. It was also reported that the band decided not to replace Mick Morris with another bassist out of respect for him. Instead, his bass tracks will be used at live shows for the songs released prior to 2017. Keith Barney, however, ruled out the possibility of any extensive touring in the near future due to full-time jobs that band members have.

XVIII was released as planned on June 2, 2017, coinciding with the release of a music video for "Live Again" and a show at The Observatory in Santa Ana with Retox and Seizures.

I Let Go
Eighteen Visions Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Could you, maybe,
Stop this from happening?
And I know it hurts, but
You don't have to walk away

And I don't know why
I want to stop myself from feeling low
And I don't know why

Lies know my name and lies I show

And I don't know why
I want to stop myself from feeling low
And I don't know why
I don't know why I even try

I can't be that way
When my life looks this grey
So I let go
I let go

And I don't know why
I want to stop myself from feeling low
And I don't know why
Lies know my name and lies I show

And I don't know why
I want to stop myself from feeling low
And I don't know why
I don't know why I even try

I can't be that way
When my life looks this grey
So I let go
I let go

I can't be that way
When my life looks this grey
So I let go
I let go

I've gotta leave it alone this time
Or I'll wallow in my mind
I've gotta leave it alone this time
Or I'll wallow in my mind

I've gotta leave it alone!
I've gotta leave it alone!
I've gotta leave it alone!
I've gotta leave it alone!

I can't be that way
When my life looks this grey
So I let go
I let go

I don't understand
Why clouds sit on my head
It looks like rain
I feel shame

I can't be that way
When my life looks this grey
So I let go
I let go

I don't understand
Why clouds sit on my head
It looks like rain
I feel shame

I can't be that way
When my life looks this grey
So I let go
I let go

I don't understand

Why clouds sit on my head
It looks like rain

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Eighteen Visions' "I Let Go" seem to be referencing a struggle with depression and a desire to overcome negative feelings. The first verse seems to address someone who may be trying to help but is perhaps not doing so in the most effective way. The singer acknowledges that the situation is painful but pleads with the other person not to walk away. The chorus expresses a sense of confusion and frustration with oneself. The singer wants to stop feeling low but doesn't know how. The repeated line "And I don't know why" shows a sense of helplessness and a lack of understanding of one's own emotions. The second verse continues this theme and adds a layer of deceit as the singer acknowledges that they also lie. The repetition of "I don't know why" highlights a sense of confusion and begs for an explanation.

The repeated refrain of "I can't be that way / When my life looks this grey / So I let go / I let go" echoes the chorus and seems to be a way of convincing oneself to move on from negative emotions. The third verse introduces the idea of leaving things alone to prevent wallowing in one's own mind. The repeated "I've gotta leave it alone" shows a sense of determination to break free from negative cycles of thought. The outro repeats the chorus and adds some additional imagery about clouds and rain, perhaps representing the singer's emotional state.

Overall, "I Let Go" seems to be a visceral expression of the experience of depression and negative emotions. The repetition of certain phrases creates a sense of helplessness and frustration, while the repeated refrain is a reminder that the singer is ultimately in control of their own thoughts and emotions.

Line by Line Meaning

Could you, maybe,
The singer is asking if someone can help him prevent a negative occurrence.

Stop this from happening?
The singer is questioning if it's possible to prevent something unfortunate.

And I know it hurts, but
The singer acknowledges that the situation is painful.

You don't have to walk away
The artist persuades someone to stay and not abandon them.

And I don't know why
The artist is confessing that they lack an explanation.

I want to stop myself from feeling low
The singer desires to prevent themselves from feeling depressed.

Lies know my name and lies I show
The singer admits that they embrace falsehoods or deceit.

I don't know why I even try
The artist views their efforts as futile.

I can't be that way
The artist declares that they refuse to be in a negative state.

When my life looks this grey
The artist's life appears to be cloudy or gloomy.

So I let go
The singer is accepting that they can't control everything and need to release their worries.