ALBUM REVIEW ~ VISIONS OF ATLANTIS ~ 'PIRATES'

I'm music magazine, visions of atlantis, clementine delauney, master of the hurricane, michele guaitoli, legion of the seas, darkness inside, i will be gone, napalm records, pirates album review, album review — Photo Credit: Stefan Heilemann

Behind the haunting and fantastical theatrics of an album such as Pirates, is an even more dramatic power group under the bold title, Visions of Atlantis. These sword-wielding metalheads from Austria create anthems that sound less like a modern-day rock band and more along the lines of a magnificent film score narrating a great adventure novel. Between ghostly vocals and well-written orchestral pieces, they’re a band that exceeds any and all expectations and explores themes not overused in a lot of today’s music.

“Pirates Will Return,” can make anyone believe the title, with the soaring melodies, anthemic instrumentals, and epic orchestral power worthy of any action-fantasy film. You can imagine the otherworldly journey about to take place from this introduction alone. Vocalist Clementine Delauney provides operatic notes that combined with the moving guitar solo in the bridge and the haunted house organ music, makes for an appetizing and luring siren’s song into the album, drawing audiences from all over.

“Melancholy Angel,” harmonizes sounds closer to artists like Lacuna Coil. The enthralling emotions in this gem are captured in lyrics, enchanting choruses, and hardcore symphonies. The duo vocals between Delauney and male vocalist Michele Guaitoli engage one another perfectly. “I would kill a melancholy angel” is the line sung throughout the chorus feeding the opera with a powerful vow.

The longest track on Pirates counting in at seven minutes is “Master the Hurricane,” beginning in a soulful lullaby delivered by the horns section before flowing into the heavy operatic choir chants and hardcore hammering of the guitar and bass. The soft piano keys hit the bridge perfectly in a melodic serenade, light and engaging, slow and thought revoking.

“Freedom” is the album’s fifth track, a harp-based serenade that brings out the softer harmonies of both vocalists in ghostly nuances and whispers, growing in power as they yearn for something more thrilling. “Freedom” is a deeply moving hymn that’s not to be overlooked or dismissed, the ‘there-must-be-something-more-than-this’ part of a story where you can feel the characters’ emotions and longing, their drive and promises to seek their own path.

Visions of Atlantis released a music video for the next track “Legion of the Seas,” which shows a fierce swordfight with the group dressed for the part. “Legion of the Seas,” is a fast, high-energy bop with busy instrumentals and a challenging guitar solo in the bridge that eases into a piano melody to make the way for the haunting vocals of both singers to return.

The band makes good use of the harpsichord in “Darkness Inside,” a melancholy track fitting for a haunted house fantasy that would find life in the candlelit dungeons of a castle. The song intertwines the heavy-metal aspects with the harpsichord beautifully, and following to “In My World,” is the flute’s comeback, majestic and entrancing. If there’s ever a song to highlight—which would already be a challenge with an album like Pirates full of power—it would be “In My World” for all the various elements between instrumentals, lyrics, vocals, and emotions stirred throughout the track. It holds something special that demands attention. “Mercy,” rolls in with a sailor’s sea shanty intro, reminiscent of Celtic folk songs but with a metal twist.

The pan flutes make a soulful return in the album’s finale, “I Will Be Gone,” joined in by bagpipes and heavy guitar riffs. Triumph fuels this last track, with the competing vocals and the rising chorus proving to be one of the most hardcore sounding songs on the album as Delauney chants the title “I Will Be Gone” throughout. Just like the intro, the horn section finishes the song and the album.

Pirates rings out as a truly overwhelmingly majestic staple of an album, with nothing short of brilliance. Visions of Atlantis put in their best efforts and talents to create this masterpiece which competes if not exceeds some already legendary film scores along with rock albums. Pirates is not an album to dismiss for fans of theatrics, nor is this a band to ignore.

I’m Music Magazine Writer Alice Kearney