Under The Influence #18: Visionist on “The Color Clear” by Reflections!

Every Wednesday we let one of the lesser lights of heaven from the Metal scene take center stage and talk about one of their influences. Today it’s the turn of Progressive Metalcore heroes and the opening act of the first ever incarnation of Radar Festival Visionist!

“The Color Clear” is the third studio album from Twin Cities, Minnesota band Reflections. Crossing genres and blending Metalcore, Progressive Metal and DJent, the album was released in 2015 having had the legendary Will Putney produce and record it in New Jersey. It actually received mixed reviews with the band style shifting to return to a sound found between their first two albums and left behind. The Nu-Metal introspection of the lyrics from Jake Wolf see a deep dive into reflecting on years of abuse leading to addiction and ultimately self harm.

Visionist guitarist Matt Judd comments: “As a band with five members it can be hard to decide on just one record but the one that specifically stands out to all of us and especially me in particular is ’The Color Clear’ by Reflections. A record that has ethereal melodic songs like the opening track “Pseudo”, yet also disgustingly heavy tracks like “Shadow Self”. It feels like guitarist Patrick Somoulay has a no-f***s-given attitude to how heavy he could make these riffs. Combined with some amazing guitar and drum parts that I don’t think anybody else could have written, and the heartfelt, gut-wrenching vocals and lyrics from vocalist Jake Wolf. Lines like, “I can see you forgot about me, I’m nothing more than a memory” from “Amulet”. Lyrics like this can be found all over the album that look at dealing with loss, pain and mental trauma and what it’s like to feel like you might disappear. This record is chaotic and melodic. Everything from the artwork to each instrument’s part comes together perfectly. All of these are reasons why this stands out to me as one of the greatest modern metal records of our generation and a masterpiece”

Visionist are currently working on new material but their December 2018 EP “Cycles//Aftermath” is out now!