(Photography by James Chen)
On April 21, Austrian melodic/symphonic power metal buccaneers, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS, made port in San Diego at Brick by Brick and kept their word: “Pirates Will Return”. Fans at the show were seen raising their fists, jumping, dancing, headbanging, and even “rowing” on the floor, all thanks to the incredible pirate theatrics.
Their recent albums, Pirates (2022) and Pirates II – Armada (2024), culminated in an impressive live release, Armada (Live Over Europe) (2025), which is readily available on Spotify and largely formed the basis of their setlist that night. Having previously played opening slots, such as supporting Korpiklaani in 2024, Visions of Atlantis’ headlining performance proved incredible from beginning to end. Brick by Brick was absolutely packed from wall to wall with pirates (fans) on this Monday night.
The seamless synchronization between pirate frontman Michele Guaitoli and captivating siren Clémentine Delauney, bolstered by the heavy artillery from Christian Douscha, Herbert Glos, and Thomas Caser. Michele and Clémentine stand out as one of the finest, most talented, and charismatic vocal duos in heavy music. Their contrasting vocal styles kept the energy flowing majestically throughout the entire performance. Michele infused power and fun into the stage with his wild pirate persona, while Clémentine mesmerized the crowed, driving them into a frenzy and putting massive smiles on every face.
The show’s final segment was both highly entertaining and physically demanding. It began with the pirate ship rowing during “Pirates Will Return,” continued with relentless jumping during the “jump, jump” anthem “Melancholy Angel,” and, of course, the roaring chants of “HAIL JOLLY ROGER!” and “ARMADA!” during the iconic hit “Armada.”
