Visions of Atlantis - Pirates (2022)

Finally stabilizing their sound and style around lead vocalist Clémentine Delauney, Visions of Atlantis unleashes their best album of their career with “Pirates”. Featuring nearly one hour of music, this release further elaborates on their pirate-related themes and creates a very dynamic and engaging mood thanks to dramatic atmospherics alongside soaring dueling vocals and killer instrumentation.

Setting a very regal mood thanks to its lush vocal arrangements and lively guitar leads, “Pirates Will Return” perfectly opens this very engaging release. The band showcases its versatility with the moody duets of “Melancholy Angel”, the over the top symphonic arrangements of “Master The Hurricane”, and the playfulness of “Clocks”. All pieces are perfectly brought to life with the masterful vocal duets of Clémentine Delauney and Michele "Meek" Guaitoli, perfectly boosted by excellent drumming and crushing guitar solos.

Far from linear, the band keeps songs short to be able to deliver theatrical short-story sized chunks like “Legion of the Seas”, “Darkness Inside”, and our favorite “In My World”. This last track brings us back to the earlier days of the band, particularly in the “Delta” years. There is definitely something for everybody, as songs like “Mercy” are heavy, explosive and intense, while others like “Heal The Scars”, satisfy the fan’s cravings of Power Ballad-like pieces.

Closing with the melancholic “I Will Be Gone”, Visions of Atlantis manages to deliver one hell of an explosive release that will please all of their fans and will place them alongside the best of the genre. While we are not big fans of the whole pirate theme, the music is undeniably amazing and the vocal arrangements are top notch, making it one of our favorite albums of 2022.

Label: Napalm Records

Release: May 13th, 2022

Genre: Symphonic Power Metal

Country: Austria