Visions Unseen - Echoes Through Time

Angry Metal Guy

Time and memory are innately connected. In the hourglass of life, the sand of time from the top steadily and mercilessly passes to the bottom, where it may live on as memories. Musings of this nature are the inspiration of Echoes Through Time, the debut album of Visions Unseen from Montréal, Canada, which is billed as “a meditation on the impermanence of existence and the memories that persist long after all else has faded.” Yet, the mind is but an imperfect, finite vessel unable to remember all. Is Echoes Through Time memorable enough to remain in the hourglass or will it spill out through the cracks?

Visions Unseen resides somewhere between technical and melodic death metal without feeling fully like either. Guitarist Rémi Legresley,¹ who creatively spearheads the group, plays vaguely neoclassical leads and solos, though you won’t hear much of the hyperactive shredding commonly found in modern tech death. The meat of the riffwork recalls Revocation’s burly brand of death metal battling against the turbulence of The Black Dahlia Murder. There are trace elements of Gojira groove at times, although Yann Guénette’s bass lines tend to be more hulking and rattling. Visions Unseen managed to nab the drum services of Simon McKay following the breakup of The Agonist, who refuses to let the frequent stylistic shifts throw him off balance.

Echoes Through Time by Visions Unseen

Though the goal of combining multiple genres is for them to complement one another, the risk is a final product that doesn’t feel like it belongs anywhere. The latter is, sadly, the case with Echoes Through Time. The melodies are not particularly striking; this is no Retromorphosis or Dååth with ultra-hooky guitars that zip around. Likewise, when vocalist Patrick Goyette sings, he sounds more intent on conveying grit than a tune. Neither does Visions Unseen offer the intense sensory overload that defines tech death. The guitar solos are enjoyable (particularly in opener “Forged in Resolve” and closer “The Final Reckoning”), but they also lack purpose and structure, nor are they virtuosic enough to wow from that standpoint. Worse, the musical tones almost always come across as clinical or emotionally devoid, one of tech death’s most common pitfalls.

In truth, I would enjoy Echoes Through Time more if not for the smothering demeanor of the vocals. The guttural screams and growls are often needlessly loud and belligerent, leaving many passages charred on the outside and undercooked on the inside like an ill-fated steak. But when the compositions are occasionally given a chance to breathe, glimpses of potential shine through. The synth-led interlude midway through “Breaking the Illusions” and the tranquil guitar plucks in “The Final Reckoning” provide much-needed nuance, as well as a reprieve from the noisy assault. Interestingly, many of the intros and outros are what show the most promise, most notably the buildup of ominous keyboards and the peppy melodeath riffing bookending “Nothing Will Remain.” In like manner, McKay’s strong drumwork bolsters the opening moments of “Edge of Eternity” beyond what they would have been otherwise.

Much like its cover artwork, Echoes Through Time contains many competing ideas and philosophies that don’t completely come together. Neither the guitars nor the vocals carry enough melodic potency to cement a lasting place in my memory, even after many front-to-back spins. The style of the guttural vocals doesn’t feel like a good fit, distracting from or even actively hurting the overall experience. Visions Unseen is capable of writing ear-catching sections, but they are generally concentrated in the intros and sometimes feel totally divorced from the remainder of their respective songs. Ultimately, those looking for melody and/or technicality in their death metal would likely find more success elsewhere.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Self-Release
Websites: visionsunseen.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/people/Visions-Unseen
Releases Worldwide: August 11th, 2025

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