Review and Photos by Fred Kuhlman
Promoter: 13th Floor Entertainment (https://www.13thfloorentertainment.com/ )
Venue: The Nile Theater (https://www.theniletheater.com/ )
Date: Monday April 29th, 2024
Tour with: Korpiklaani & Illumishade

It was March 5th, 2020. I attended a Dragonforce concert with my friend. He told me to watch the band that had this amazing female singer and that I would really enjoy her voice and their music. So, I wondered off to take my photos and the first band came on stage. Due to the Dragonforce equipment already being setup on the stage, the lead up bands had very little room. The group started with “The Deep & the Dark”. This beautiful, tall statuesque singer came on stage with this voice that was like butter. A minute later a male singer joined her and his voice blended with hers so well that it produced this wonderful harmony. Their voices reminded me of the 60s group, The Mamas & Papas. After finishing my photography of the band, I returned to my friend and told him he was correct, that she was a marvelous singer. He looked at me and told me it was the next band that he was talking about.
This band, that I immediately fell in love with, was Visions Of Atlantis also known as VOA. VOA was initially founded in 2000 by drummer Thomas Caser. Over the years different members have come and gone from the group. In 2017, singer Clémentine Delauney, guitarist Christian Douscha and bassist Herbert Glos joined Thomas Caser. Michele Guaitoli joined the group while they were recording their live album The Deep & the Dark Live @ Symphonic Metal Nights in 2019. So, we know have the following line-up for VOA that consists of lead singers Clémentine Delauney and Michele Guaitoli, drummer Thomas Caser, guitarist Christian Douscha and bassist Herbert Glos. This is the only line up that I have ever seen.
Going back to when I first saw VOA, you notice the date. This was the last concert I saw and many of us saw for the next year or more. Just a few days later, the world shutdown and concerts were put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, I have been lucky enough to see VOA every time they pasted through the greater Phoenix area including their current tour with Korpiklaani & Illumishade at the Nile Theater (See review of concert my website www.beneathadesertsky.com ).

Since concerts started back up, a small group of fans have gathered at every VOA concert and had a little party. I joined this group. Most of the group goes to the VIP experience that VOA has prior to most shows. After the show we get together and discuss the show and other shows we want to see in the future. At this last show we were lucky enough to be joined by the members of VOA. They had a day off before traveling to Denver for their next show. I was lucky enough to talk to each member of the band include a long talk with Michele. The following is a little of what we talked about. I am going on memory, but hopefully I got the just of it correct (Michele, if I got anything wrong, please let me know and I will correct).
While talking with Michele, we discussed the VIP experience. According to Michele, the current VIP experience was only $45 US (Not sure what the cost will be on EU tour later this year). Having talked with other concert goers about the VIP experiences they had with other bands, they told me they got a VIP laminate, a signed poster (or photograph), possibly a signed CD and sometimes a photograph with a member of the band and that it cost a whole lot more. According to my friends and Michele, VOA offers a little different experience at their VIP. They have the normal signed poster (2 this time), a VIP laminate, photos with the entire band and the ability to get an item signed (no CD offered, you provide your own). The real difference is that they do a special acoustic set of a few songs (about 20 minutes) as a special treat for the VIP attendees. All of this for only $45. Everyone that attended the VIP experience really enjoyed it and said they would definitely do it again. Michele said that they (VOA) decided having the acoustic set was something different and that they (VOA) wanted to give their fans something special to remember.
Tonight’s show was an experience of frustration and amazing resilience by the band. They were the middle band in the concert. According to each of the band members, everything was working perfect during the sound check prior to the VIP experience. However, once they started to play the first song, “Master the Hurricane”, and everyone was on stage, things started to go wrong. I can’t remember the exact order, but I believe that Herbert’s bass cut out first. Then Christian’s guitar was lost. While they were attempting to fix the issue, Michele’s and Clémentine’s mics started cutting out. For the next 10 minutes the band, their roadies and finally the club technicians attempted to fix the issues. Nothing seemed to work. Talking with Michele, he said that after a few minutes, when they realized things would not get fixed, they asked the road crew to go and get their VIP acoustic equipment from the bus so they could continue the show. During this time to appeases the crowd, Clémentine started to do an acapella version of “Clocks”. It was so popular, the crowd started singing along with her. Finally, the acoustic equipment was brought on stage and the band settled into doing an “Unplugged” (MTV show) version of their music.

Thomas moved out front and sat and played a cajón. Herbert finally got his bass to work and Christian played the acoustic guitar. They attempted to connect the guitar to the amp, but it would not work so instead they placed a mic in front of the guitar. Michele had a small keyboard that he played while also singing. They played for over 30 minutes.

Michele, Herbert and Thomas all said that it was a power issue and that was why their equipment was cutting out. I did see the house technicians attempting to provide other power sources but no luck. A few days later I was at another concert and the middle band again seem to have issues where the lead guitarist’s amp seem to cut out intermittently. It seems that the venue might have a power issue and needs to look into it. It is only going to get worse with it getting hotter and more power will be required to cool the venue.

Talking with Michele, we discussed the shift in the band’s music after 2019. The band had always themed their songs around the sea. But in 2000 they seemed to make a shift to more of a Pirate theme. Michele said that during the pandemic, the band figured they need to chart their own path and not follow other metal bands. With his and Clémentine’s voice blending so well together, they decide that they would continue with music that emphasized the harmony and melodic blending of their voices and not inject guttural roars that most other metal bands utilize that have a female-male singing pair. Michele said that the break during the pandemic was good for the band because they figured out their way forward and were able to create a lot of new music. But Michele said they were glad to finally be back on the road and playing to their fans again.
I would like to thank each member of Visions Of Atlantis for an unforgettable night and the chance to talk with them. I would also like to thank their record label, Napalm Records for granting me the opportunity to review and photograph the show. Hopefully when Visions Of Atlantis comes back to the valley, I will be able to attend the VIP experience to experience what all of my friends talk about.
Unfortunately, VOA will be releasing their new album, Pirates II: Armada on July 5th after their USA tour ends. Check out their website for the different packages available of this album release. They will have CD Digipacks, CD & Vinyl combinations and Vinyls of different color schemes. Looks like my album budget will be put to the test this summer. So go to their website or Napalm Records to figure out which package you want.
Visions of Atlantis Social Media sites:
Website: https://www.visionsofatlantis.at/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/visionsofatlantisofficial/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visionsofatlantis/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/VisionsOfAtlantisOfficial
Record Label:
EU: https://napalmrecords.com/visionsofatlantis
USA: https://www.napalmrecordsamerica.com/visionsofatlantis
Visions of Atlantis
Photos © Fred Kuhlman 2024, All Rights Reserved