Label : Napalm Records
Review by Tony Cannella
It’s only been a few months since Austria’s Visions of Atlantis returned with their new singer Maxi Nil and the excellent “Delta” album. There is no doubt that all eyes were watching to see what VOA would come up with after such a lengthy absence, and I think it is safe to say that that they delivered. Now they return with a new 6-song EP called “Maria Magdalena”, and VOA continues to ride the momentum that they established with “Delta“. I was not aware that the song “Maria Magdalena” is actually a cover of a song by a German pop singer named Sandra, but damn it still sounds like a Visions of Atlantis song to me. It is an up-tempo catchy number that features some great vocal work from Maxi and Mario who have great chemistry together. “Melancholia” is next and is arguably the best track among the six included here. It starts off with a slower tempo, piano and Mario Plank’s vocals before the song picks up in heaviness and turns into a powerful track. Mario handles a large portion of the vocals while Maxi joins in on harmonies and the chorus. “Change of Tides” begins with a heavy symphony vibe and soon develops into a melodic track that sees Maxi and Mario trading off vocals and the song itself is so catchy and has a memorable hook that just reels the listener in. Maxi takes center stage on the ultra melodic “Distant Shores” as the EP is completed by a re-working of “Last Shut of Your Eyes” (originally on the “Cast Away” album), and “Beyond Horizon – The Poem Part II”. “Beyond Horizon” in particular is a beautiful ballad and after the thunderous melodic metal that comprises the EP, I can’t think of a better way to end things. It has been well documented that VOA have undergone a number of line-up changes over the years, but let’s hope that this is the one that sticks. In my opinion Visions of Atlantis have become one of the top bands in the Symphonic Metal genre and “Maria Magdalena” is further proof of this.
Rating – 90/100
Tracklist
- Maria Magdalena
- Melancholia
- Change of Tides
- Distant Shores
- Last Shut of Your Eyes
- Beyond Horizon – The Poem Part II
Line Up
- Maxi Nil – Vocals
- Mario Plank – Vocals
- Cris Tian – Guitars
- Werner Fielder – Guitars
- Martin Harb – Keys
- Thomas Caser – Drums
Links