Draft:Pirates II Armada

Pirates II Armada is the ninth studio album by Austrian symphonic metal band Visions of Atlantis, released by Napalm Records on 5 July 2024.

Reception
The album received mostly positive reviews. Tuonela magazine said of the album: “By combining folk and power metal elements with a strong symphonic metal backbone, “Pirates II – Armada” is an adventurous and spectacular album that takes the piracy theme that VISIONS OF ATLANTIS developed on their previous releases to new heights with twelve tracks that are worthy of the Jolly Rogers. This is a great example of the old adage ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ as they don’t really do anything new on this record, yet the end result feels fresh, varied, and highly enjoyable as the formula not only works wonderfully but also allows the band to incorporate different elements into it and thus expand the album’s sound design. Couple that with the gorgeous voices of Clémentine Delauney and Michele Guaitoli and a polished production by Felix Heldt (with the mixing and mastering done by the renowned Jacob Hansen) and you have yourself a great symphonic metal album with an immersive atmosphere to boot.” Blabbermouth described of the album: "VISIONS OF ATLANTIS have really hit their stride and have slowly developed their own gently unique take on florid, theatrical metal. The key lies in the way they are dedicated purveyors of super-sharp and punchy pop-metal bangers, but rendered in the most vivid, decadent and widescreen way. Triumphant opener "The Land of the Free" sums it all up in just a few minutes: a fiendishly catchy hook married to a lavish, profoundly visual backdrop, delivered with ruthless efficiency. "Monsters" is even more direct, but while the foreground is all about instant impact and a massive chorus, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS embellish the background with deft, dramatic color and shimmering walls of synths. In contrast, "Tonight I'm Alive" is out of its tiny mind, as Delauney and co-vocalist Michele Guaitoli strut and twirl their way across exotic rhythms, fueled by positivity and, presumably, the inspirational spirit of the pirate community. It's a joyous, celebratory moment. Elsewhere, the title track is brutal, streamlined and powered by action movie energy; "Collide" is a sublime piece of songwriting, as the album's sharpest melodies thrive over a stately, melancholic march; "Underwater" is a woozily lachrymose ballad, with an astonishing vocal from Delauney. There are some more progressive, indulgent moments, too. Most notably, "The Dead of the Sea" provides a pivotal eruption of orchestral pomp and operatic fervor midway through the record with both vocalists hitting new heights of gleefully overwrought showmanship. Similarly, the closing "Where the Sky and Ocean Blend" is a grandiose symphonic squall, awash with musical theatre dynamics, but still thunderously metallic to the core.”

Personnel

 * Band members
 * Clémentine Delauney – female vocals
 * Michele Guaitoli – male vocals
 * Christian Douscha – guitars
 * Herbert Glos – bass
 * Thomas Caser – drums