Live | Visions Of Atlantis + Illumishade + Seraina Telli – 013 – Tilburg [NL]

2 October 2024

A highly anticipated evening full of awe is what we get presented tonight at the double sold-out Tilburg venue. With lines of spectators blend attending either K-pop’s B.I. in the main venue, or the triple metal play at the smaller and more intimate stage, energy in the 013 area buzzes. The ‘all blacks’ and ‘pirates’ entering later, quickly dissolves the lines and upon entering the ‘Next’-stage squeezing into the jam-packed arena is a game on its own.

Three of the finest Swiss metal bands to roam the European stages are scheduled, and it will be an evening covering a wide and varied field of the metal spectre. Telli’s post-punk pop metal is energetic in its core while Illumishade displays cinematic heavy progressive prowess incorporating nesting melodies into their heavy combusted metal tracks. Both guests will raise the stakes for the unrivalled headliner Visions of Atlantis, the stand-alone force in epic pirate metal today. Let’s get metal!

SERAINA TELLI

Seraina Telli’s solo albums made significant waves in the rock and metal scene. Her musical repertoire blends hard rock, metal, and progressive rock, while her last album cooks up these styles with a modern punky attitude. It displays her diversity of talents as a singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist.

Her debut `Simple Talk’ Telli achieved national acclaim in her native Switzerland. Building momentum, she reached new heights with her sophomore effort `Addicted to Color’, reaching top spot on the album charts.

Tonight, she opens the trio of female fronted acts and immediately puts her full-frontal attitude into place. With Burning Witches, she previously forged her name in the realms of metal, and this evening she kicks into gear full frontal. Energy-laden, colourful and on the mark, she radiates stellar energy. The title track of `Addicted to Color’ proves a genuine show starter unloading power, displaying confidence with the crowd’s participation increasing. ,,Wish You Well” and the potent rocker ,,I’m Not Sorry” display Telli’s abilities switching guitar for mic and vice versa. Her multi-coloured personality and neon hair light up in the blue spots adding to the energy. 

Shifting back gears Seraina picks up her purple guitar for a timid solo version of the gut-wrenching ballad ,,All Your Tears”. Mirrorball and dimmed lights for lustre, Telli belts out in agony, gripping the audience with her sincerity. ,,Think!” shoots the performance back into high gear holding up fiercely. Backed by a solid groove and jagged riffs of (also) former Burning Witches guitarist Esmée van Sinderen the song propels interaction and leads into the social criticism of ,,Modern Warrior” with Seraina addressing the current state of the world, and van Sinderen putting in a wah-driven solo. It resonates with the audience, participating front to back, raising the stakes for the next two bands.

ILLUMISHADE

Illumishade kicks into gear with ,,Elegy” setting an impressive tone introducing the timid audience to their signature sound. Blending progressive and orchestral elements, the band ingredients from bands like Amaranthe while incorporating technical riffs reminiscent of Dream Theater. This potion brews and broils with an impressive fine toned feeling for drama and alternating intensity. Crafted around nesting melodies, the songs are pitch perfect, while also harnessing an intricate metallic poise that propels the band’s live performance.  Tonight, it is no different with Illumishade winning a lot of metal hearts with their performance.

Lead vocalist Fabienne Erni’s dynamic range and engaging stage presence forge immediate interaction. Her performance is captivating, with her vocal techniques enchanting the audience throughout the set. Climbing the risers frontstage she takes the spotlight predominantly while displaying fierce vocal techniques. Her pitches are perfect delving from her wide range. Supported by skilled keyboard work from Mirjam Skal striking the right tone underneath her echo-laden sound, the impact increased. Skal also adds playful modern twists and scenic melodies bordering cinematic. 

Aside Skal and Erni it’s the instrumental prowess of guitarist Thomas Wolfe, swinging his axe frequently, who makes a lasting impression. His interaction and playing are sublime, unloading razor-sharp riffs and technical dazzling melodies massaging his fretboard. The solos are impressive, the alternating riffs and licks are djenty and metallic accelerating tracks like ,,Elegy” and ,,Enemy”. The bombardment of double bass drums, incisive dynamics and tempo changes laid down by Marc Friedrich add to the progressive driven textures, with Yannick Urbanczik utilizing his dynamic bass playing atop. He is a silent force, mediating between drums and guitars, and an unmistakable stronghold of the band’s forceful, yet eclectic progressive sound.

Impressive to hear how the vocals and melodies are holding up performed live, without having severe impact. The poppy tinged ,,Cloudreader” as a perfect example, displaying the band’s compositional finesse. 

The energy in the venue grows with each song, particularly during ,,In the Darkness” with high audience participation. ,,Tales of Wonder” and ,,World’s End” bring a climactic end to their performance, showcasing their ability to maintain high energy levels throughout. Illumishade succeeds in energizing the crowd, with the attendees expressing enthusiasm for their music and stage presence. Striking is the audience’s increasing engagement as the set progresses, with highlights piling, creating a perfect orbiting stance for the headliner.

VISIONS OF ATLANTIS

Visions of Atlantis delivers an impressive theatrical experience, at times rivalling a night at the opera. Beginning their set with ,,To Those Who Choose to Fight” and ,,Land of the Free” immediately engage the audience with powerful vocals from Clémentine Delauney and Michele Guaitoli. Their interaction is fluid and contradicts and injects a rich textural performance, feeding off one another. Delauney’s and Guaitoli’s blend their voices harmoniously, taking the spotlight with their wonderful interaction. Michele is in fine form today, with his rough and powerful vocals, rousing the audience and bringing some entertainment with his stories and one liners. And let’s not dismiss Clémentine’s theatrical persona and radiant personality, enticing the male majority of the audience.

The stage set like a medieval harbour; it evokes memories of a theme park. Colorful light and setting add to the lustre and appeal of the stage. Visions of Atlantis’ combination of symphonic elements with driving heavy metal holds up since their debut. Well balanced and appealing, the rich sound creates resonance throughout the packed (and sold out) venue tonight. Leaving spectators in awe, the band builds on nesting melodies, enormous hooks, and swirling keys. 

Actively engaging with the crowd, the interaction is pristine. During ,,Rise” fans actively join in on the verses and choruses, enhancing the overall concert atmosphere. Vibrant to the core, the music resonates with their fans. This interaction is a recurring theme, with moments like the “jump marathon” during ,,Melancholy Angel” and the entire audience sitting down rowing on ,,Pirates will Return”, leaving the audience exhilarated. This however is not my cup of tea, though it is enjoying to see the high amount of participation. 

Their setlist is a mix of new tracks from their latest album ‘Pirates’ and `Pirates II – Armada’ interlaced with tons of fan favourites from previous albums. Songs like ,,Heroes of the Dawn” and ,,Legion of the Seas” are particularly well-received, while ,,Monsters”, ,,Clocks” and ,,Hellfire” easily nest in the head, balancing the setlist well. The feedback is intense as the band’s performance and when Guaitoli reflects on past gigs and this being their biggest sold-out performance of the tour, performing at “the cradle” of the genre, the audience raves. ,,Master of the Hurricane” and the title track of the last album `Armada’ bring the evening to a blissful end. 

Visions of Atlantis has successfully carved out a niche in the symphonic metal scene, blending theatricality with musical depth. Tonight’s concert not only showcases their evolving sound but also highlights their commitment to fan engagement and memorable live performances. Whether through powerful vocals or interactive moments, they leave a lasting impression.

All photos by Edwin van Hoof