Visions of Atlantis' 'Wanderers' - Album Review

Austria's Visions of Atlantis, despite having been around for nineteen years at this point, have never really broken through into the big time. The symphonic metal band have released a few strong albums over the years, but for whatever reason they have always remained a division or two below the genre's elite. On the whole, Visions of Atlantis are a band that I am not overly familiar with. I have been aware of them for years but, despite enjoying the odd song that I heard here and there, I only started listening to the band with any earnest towards the end of last year. The band were booked to open for a Kamelot at a show I attended back in March in Birmingham, so I picked up the band's then-latest album The Deep & the Dark in preparation for the show. I found myself enjoying the album a lot, but 2011's Delta which I bought not too long afterwards did not impress at all. I stopped buying the band's albums and waited for the show, where the band impressed. Despite relying on a backing track for the keyboards, which I always find disappointing for bands with prominent keyboard arrangements, the band's short set was a strong one. The set was largely culled from The Deep & the Dark, and the band went down well with the good-sized crowd. I made a mental note to make more of an effort with Visions of Atlantis going forward, and part of that involved picking up a copy of the band's latest album Wanderers, their seventh studio album, which was released last month. Considering the five year gap between 2013's Ethera and 2018's The Deep & the Dark, I was surprised to see the band back with a new album so soon after their last. I do not know everything about the band's history, but it does seem somewhat like they are making up for lost time. A lot of different members have come and gone from the band over the years with drummer Thomas Caser, who is also the CEO of Napalm Records, the only original member left. I get the impression that the creative process for The Deep & the Dark was a strange one too, and was almost put together by committee. It came off the back of a failed reunion of many of the band's original line-up, and it is not all that clear exactly which musicians actually featured on the finished product. With the band's 2019 line-up seemingly stable, at least for now, I suppose the band wanted to get back into the studio as quickly as possible and lay down something that was 'theirs'. The only current member of Visions of Atlantis that definitely featured on The Deep & the Dark, as even drummers were 'name checked' in the liner notes, is vocalist Clémentine Delauney, who has become the real focus of the band. She has become the band's main songwriter - along with producer Frank Pitters - and she is the real star of Wanderers. Fellow vocalist Michele Guaitoli (Overtures; Kaledon; Temperance), who makes his debut with the band here, supports her well - while the rest of the band, and Pitters who handles most of the keyboards, create symphonic, poppy backdrops for their melodies.

The album kicks off with its longest song, the seven-minute plus Release My Symphony. While the length of the track may lead some to believe that the song is more progressive in nature, which it is somewhat, but in my opinion the song really just further displays the band's core sound in a more expansive way. The song's intro is a lengthy one in the context of the band's usual sound however, with a mournful piano setting the scene nicely before Christian Douscha comes in with a weighty guitar riff that is backed by some dancing synths and orchestrations from Pitters. Visions of Atlantis have always taken their cues from the power metal end of symphonic metal, with the first handful of Nightwish albums a clear touchstone (which I know is a lazy comparison but it is apt in this occasion), and the dancing keyboard melodies and chunky guitar rhythms here certainly recall them. The vocals have a much poppier approach however, with Delauney generally dominating throughout. Visions of Atlantis' male singers often seem to be relegated to being a glorified backing singer, but in fairness Guaitoli also makes his presence felt throughout this album. He shares the vocals fairly evenly throughout the lengthy opening song, with the two singers harmonising well during the simple, but effective, chorus. A highlight for me however is Douscha's guitar solo, which takes on a certain Eastern flavour while still fitting nicely inside the grand symphonic arrangements that pin everything together. Heroes of the Dawn has a bit of a folky vibe, something that was explored on a couple of tracks on The Deep & the Dark, with uilleann pipes setting the tone early on before a crunchy guitar rhythm again kicks. Sadly the piper is not credited in the CD's booklet so they cannot be name-checked here, but their addition certainly adds to the overall feel of the piece. They do not change the band's core sound however, and only feature sporadically to add the occasional jaunty melody before giving way to Douscha's tough guitar chords once again. This is a very vocally-dominant song however, with the main melodies coming from the vocal lines. Delauney and Guaitoli share lines again, with the latter kicking things off in fine style, with another fun chorus standing out. Nothing Lasts Forever is something of a ballad, and is a collaboration between Delauney and some of the members of the German band Kissin' Dynamite. It opens with some simple piano lines and her sweet vocals, while the song gradually builds up around her - with layers of strings thickening the sound. By the time the chorus rolls around, Caser adds a little weight with his drums which helps to inject a little power. The song continues at a slow chug, with Guaitoli taking the second verse, and continues in this manner until it finishes. Douscha impresses again with another strong guitar solo, which starts out by emulating the chorus vocal melodies before going off at a musical tangent to great effect.

A Journey to Remember is a bit of a heavier piece, and is built around a dramatic string and keyboard arrangement, while Douscha does the heavy lifting with his guitar - throwing in the odd pinch-harmonic here and there. The opening three songs are all strong efforts, but mostly move along at a mid-pace. A Journey to Remember is the first song to really speed things up somewhat, with Caser providing a kinetic energy to the song with this tight drumming - and Douscha's riffing keeping everything going. It is also a song that really showcases the vocal interplay between the band's two singers. They each get the chance to sing alone, but much of the song is sung in harmony. Their two voices mix really well together, and the song's soaring chorus is a perfect example of their chemistry. Guaitoli only started working with the band last year throughout The Deep & the Dark touring cycle, so it is nice to see that he has already struck up a great relationship with Delauney. A Life of Our Own continues the faster pace established in the previous song, and is notable for being one of two songs here written by Guaitoli. Delauney and Pitters have written the vast majority of the of the album's music, but two songs were brought in by Guaitoli - with Delauney then adding her lyrics to them. They do not divert from the band's core sound however, and it is clear that Guaitoli has honed his songwriting to fit in with the band's style. He also plays the keyboards throughout the song, with his orchestrations creating a grand backing for the piece, while Douscha again adds the rhythm. Completing a hat-trick of faster tunes, To the Universe opens out with driving double bass drums from Caser and dancing, catchy synths right out of the old-school symphonic power metal songbook. Old-school power metal is a bit of a dying art in my opinion, but Visions of Atlantis have whipped up a strong slab of it here - with Delauney even singing in a pseudo-operatic style at times to really nail that old sound. Despite Delauney's strong vocal showing, for me it is Guaitoli that shines the most here. He might not have the biggest range when it comes to power metal singers, but his smooth voice fits perfectly into the song - with his controlled delivery standing out. A shredded Douscha solo also stands out, aiding the pacey feel of the song. Into the Light breaks the run of faster songs, and instead serves itself up as a delicate piano ballad with some excellent smokey vocals from Delauney. The song never really expands beyond its basic beginnings, but that allows it to act as a beautiful mid-album respite. Pitters' piano playing is simple, but full of emotion, and Delauney's vocal display is excellent. It is a true ballad, and even though Casers's drums eventually kick in to back a controlled, emotional guitar solo, the song constantly feels gentle and mournful - which is fitting.

The Silent Scream is heavier, with a spooky, twinkling keyboard intro that is soon joined by one of Douscha's toughest guitar riffs on the album. The early Nightwish comparisons are very apt here, and it is one of the few songs where the bass of Herbert Glos (Dragony) is clearly audible. Glos also makes his debut with the band in the studio on Wanderers, despite being credited on The Deep & the Dark, so it is nice to hear him more clearly on this track - as opposed to being simply a part of the mix! The heavier vibes of the piece allow for a more overall 'metal' performance here. Guaitoli certainly seems to let rip a little more here, with some excellent extended vocal notes that have more grit to them than usual, and Douscha's now-customary solo is full of tortured bent notes and other tricks. The Siren & The Sailor, which of course features some occasional enchanting wordless female vocals, also plays with folky melodies - but this time they are played on the synths and mixed into the band's core sound rather than added on as an extra. Delauney's operatic vocal style is put to good use here too, playing the part of the siren, with the song again really showcasing a strong old-school symphonic power metal sound. Guaitoli largely dominates the verses, before Delauney takes over for a pre-chorus and then dominates the chorus harmonies with her gorgeous symphonic vocals. Douscha's snaking guitar leads and riffs throughout echo the folky synths in the song's intro, but add some real bite to them. The song overall has quite a sinister feel despite some big melodies, and is possibly one of the most emotive and striking tracks on the album. The album's title track, which is a solo Delauney composition, is another piano ballad. Delauney plays the piano throughout the track too, along with taking the lead vocals, which makes the song totally revolve around her and her talents. She really has become a key player in Visions of Atlantis, and the band's rebirth over the past couple of years is largely down to her songwriting abilities and her vocal presence. On Wanderers, with her voice and piano only joined by some subtle strings, she showcases why she is now the face of the band. It is a short, but beautiful ballad featuring lots of gorgeous melodies and delicately simple piano motifs - which is the calm before the storm of the album's closing number. That number is At the End of the World, a powerful, upbeat, and catchy piece is the second song here to be written by Guaitoli. Douscha's choppy riffing drives the piece, while spacey synths and keyboard textures bulk out the song - but in truth it is the song's chorus that is the best moment here. It is easily my favourite chorus on the album, as it is packed full of soaring melodies that just grab you from the first listen and never let go. In my opinion, the song is a perfect album closer, with the fast-pace and huge melodies really ensuring a memorable end to what is a strong collection of poppy symphonic metal pieces. Overall, Wanderers is another strong album from Visions of Atlantis that continues the good work established last year on The Deep & the Dark and builds further on that album - allowing the band's core songwriters and players to really shine. This new era for Visions of Atlantis is proving to be a fruitful one, and I am looking forward to seeing where they go from here.

The album was released on 30th August 2019 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for A Journey to Remember.