Band:	Lizzy Borden
Album:	Visual Lies
Style:	Heavy metal
Release date:	August 1987

01. Me Against The World
02. Shock
03. Outcast
04. Den Of Thieves
05. Visual Lies
06. Eyes Of A Stranger
07. Lord Of The Flies
08. Voyeur (I'm Watching You)
09. Visions
10. Me Against The World [demo version] [2002 re-issue bonus]
11. Lord Of The Flies [demo version] [2002 re-issue bonus]
12. Visual Lies [demo version] [2002 re-issue bonus]
13. Me Against The World [bat2theskull remix version] [2002 re-issue bonus]

Although having already released two by Metal Blade' standards successful albums, Lizzy Borden were still hoping for a chance to make it really big. In Lizzy Borden's own words the band "really wanted to get on MTV" and with "Me Against The World" the band achieved just that. Unsurprisingly, the songs on "Visual Lies" take a more commercial turn, but the band stays true to it's roots. No matter how many times it was labeled a sell-out album, "Visual Lies" still employs a distinct sense of metal songwriting only with more emphasis on melody than on unbridled energy. Compared to the band's earlier, over-the-top style, Lizzy Borden toned down their act a great deal, now favouring mid-paced tempos, vocals focused more on memorability than hitting high notes and a far more glossy production. Thankfully, during the course of making two albums the band also picked up a healthy amount of pop sensibility and there are more than enough hooks around to keep things interesting.

Interestingly enough, the album's aforementioned lead single "Me Against The World" has an almost power metal feel to it. Imagine the same song with a more forceful production and it would not sound amiss on a say Vicious Rumors album. Needless to say it is one of the strongest cuts here, rivaled only by the tremendous "Eyes Of A Stranger" which gives the Queensrÿche song of the same name a run for it's money. Not quite as commanding but with similarly infectious melodies are "Shock" and the other original contender for the lead single "Outcast". A bit weaker is, regrettably, the obligatory ballad and title track "Visual Lies". The song is neither as emotionally intense as their earlier ballads or as well-wrought out as the ones on "Master Of Disguise". Truth be told, "Visual Lies" cannot pass as an exceptional album, but it is not half bad either.