VISIONS OF ATLANTIS

Ahoy mates! How’s about we talk a little pirate metal! ARRRRG!   Visions of Atlantis have made their very first visit to Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom supporting DragonForce and all of us scallywag’s are prepared for a clap of thunder

Visions of Atlantis (VOA I will call them) is an Austrian metal band that was formed back in the year 2000.   Hard to believe they have been around this long, as I haven’t really heard of them until I saw a lot of heavy marketing all over the internet the past couple years flogging their latest album ‘Wanders’.   They have a fresh new one coming out in May 2022 timeframe called “Pirates”.

VOA has had a lot of changes over the last 22 years, with only one original member from back in 2000.  That is the drummer, Thomas Caser being the only seadog left to steer the ship.   The band is also unique with 2 singers onboard with Clementine Delauney (female vocals) and Michele Gualtoli (male vocals).  The rest is musicians Herbert Glos on Bass and Christian Douscha on guitar.

The band rolls out on stage, all wearing pirate gear, and begin to swashbuckle their way into the first song that being ‘Master the Hurricane’ from the Pirates album.   Both of these singers do a duet type singing back and forth, with a lot of drama acting as they sing them.  No, we don’t see sword fights or canons but who knows, maybe in the future if they start to headline?  Imagine the marketing possibilities and a big budget stage (like Amon Amarth with their Seadragon and ship?)

The music can be described as a symphonic/opera type – something like the band Nightwish if I could describe it.   They are quite entertaining to watch as both singers frolic about with one another during the songs.  They played 2 songs – Return to Lemuria and The Deep & the Dark from the older album “The deep & The Dark” (2018).  Understandably they concentrate on the last 2 albums for this performance, 3 songs off of the Wanders album with Journey to Remember, Life of our Own, Heroes of the Dawn and 4 off the upcoming album Clocks, Master the Hurricane Melancholy Angel as well, as ending the show with a flag waving during ‘Legion of the Seas’ (also from Pirates).  Was kinda funny with the flag as Michele wacked Clementine in the face with it (don’t think that was planned).  In total we got 9 songs in the set that gave us a good idea of what this band is all about.

Being that VOA were in town to support Dragonforce , they did very well in motivating the crowd behind them.   I was surprised how well they managed to get the audience participation going with the fists in the air!   VOA did an outstanding job and I am sure they have just created a fan base for the next sailing to Vancouver!