Visions of Atlantis
Encyclopedia
Visions of Atlantis is a symphonic power metal band from Styria
, Austria
, founded in 2000. The original line-up consisted of Werner Fiedler (guitar), Mike Koren (bass), Christian Stani (vocals), Chris Kamper (keyboard), Nicole Bogner (vocals) and Thomas Caser (drums). Inspiration came both from successful symphonic power metal band Nightwish
and from the myth of Atlantis
. The equal combination of male and female vocals distinguishes Visions of Atlantis from Nightwish however and is more reminiscent of bands such as Lacuna Coil
.
, Werner Fiedler, Thomas Caser, Christian Stani and Chris Kamper decided in August 2000 to work out a concept inspired by the secret of Atlantis
. Later in summer Nicole Bogner joined the project, this was the birth of Visions of Atlantis.
A first demo, Morning in Atlantis was released in 2000. In 2001 they signed with TTS Media Music/Black Arrow Productions, and in 2002 their first album, Eternal Endless Infinity
was released. 2003 saw a change in line-up, replacing Christian Stani with Mario Plank and Chris Kamper with Miro Holly. Now with Napalm Records
, Visions of Atlantis released their second album Cast Away
in 2004.
In late 2005 Nicole Bogner left the band due to commitments elsewhere. She was replaced by Melissa Ferlaak
(formerly with Aesma Daeva
) and Wolfgang Koch replaced Werner Fiedler. In 2006 Martin Harb, who already played with VoA on their tour in Mexico in 2003, replaced Miro Holly.
In May 2007, VoA released their 3rd album Trinity
, mastered at Finnvox studios
and recorded at Bavarian Dreamscape Studios).
In September 2007, the band began their first North America
n tour with Epica
.
On November 28, 2007, a message was posted on the official VoA website saying that Melissa Ferlaak and Wolfgang Koch had left the band, both citing personal reasons (Ferlaak and Koch were married in May 2008).
Following this Visions of Atlantis announced a few days later that their ex guitarist, Werner Fiedler, had rejoined the band. They were advertising on their website the position for a female vocalist for several months, and on September 3, 2008, they finally announced that they had found a new female singer; however, her identity wasn't revealed until February 1, 2009, as the 20-year old Austrian soprano vocalist Joanna Nieniewska..
On July 29, 2009, VoA announced that because of health problems, Joanna Nieniewska is no longer in the band but will continue to support VoA behind the scenes.
The band announced the replacement vocalist, Maxi Nil
from Greece.
On December 3, 2010, VoA announced the new title of their 4th studio album Delta
which was released on February 25, 2011.
On July 18, 2011, Bass player Mario Locher left the band due to crucial internal differences. In a recent interview Harb said that the band is not planning on replacing him. Instead, they will continue without a bassist as a fixed band member.
In August 2011, the band announced the title of their first EP Maria Magdalena, it was released on October 21, 2011.
Demos
EPs
Styria (state)
Styria is a state or Bundesland, located in the southeast of Austria. In area it is the second largest of the nine Austrian federated states, covering 16,401 km². It borders Slovenia as well as the other Austrian states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Burgenland, and Carinthia. ...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, founded in 2000. The original line-up consisted of Werner Fiedler (guitar), Mike Koren (bass), Christian Stani (vocals), Chris Kamper (keyboard), Nicole Bogner (vocals) and Thomas Caser (drums). Inspiration came both from successful symphonic power metal band Nightwish
Nightwish
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
and from the myth of Atlantis
Atlantis
Atlantis is a legendary island first mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written about 360 BC....
. The equal combination of male and female vocals distinguishes Visions of Atlantis from Nightwish however and is more reminiscent of bands such as Lacuna Coil
Lacuna Coil
Lacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Formed in 1994, the group has had two name changes since being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal and was inspired by the combination of gothic imagery and music...
.
History
Fascinated by the myth AtlantisAtlantis
Atlantis is a legendary island first mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written about 360 BC....
, Werner Fiedler, Thomas Caser, Christian Stani and Chris Kamper decided in August 2000 to work out a concept inspired by the secret of Atlantis
Atlantis
Atlantis is a legendary island first mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written about 360 BC....
. Later in summer Nicole Bogner joined the project, this was the birth of Visions of Atlantis.
A first demo, Morning in Atlantis was released in 2000. In 2001 they signed with TTS Media Music/Black Arrow Productions, and in 2002 their first album, Eternal Endless Infinity
Eternal Endless Infinity
Eternal Endless Infinity is the first album by symphonic power metal band Visions of Atlantis and was released in 2002. A new edition was released November 29, 2004 and contains 3 bonus tracks from their demo "Morning in Atlantis".-Track listing:...
was released. 2003 saw a change in line-up, replacing Christian Stani with Mario Plank and Chris Kamper with Miro Holly. Now with Napalm Records
Napalm Records
Napalm Records is an Austrian independent record label focused on heavy metal and hard rock.Originally, Napalm Records focused mainly on black metal acts such as Abigor and Summoning and folk metal bands such as Falkenbach and Vintersorg....
, Visions of Atlantis released their second album Cast Away
Cast Away (album)
Cast Away is the second album by symphonic power metal band Visions Of Atlantis, and was released in 2004.-Track listing:# "Send Me a Light" – 4:38# "Cast Away" – 4:42# "Lost" – 3:57# "Realm of Fantasy" – 3:59# "Pharaoh's Repentance" – 4:27...
in 2004.
In late 2005 Nicole Bogner left the band due to commitments elsewhere. She was replaced by Melissa Ferlaak
Melissa Ferlaak
Melissa Marie Ferlaak Koch is an American soprano, lead singer for Echoterra and former singer of Aesma Daeva and Visions of Atlantis . She currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is married to Wolfgang Koch, the former guitarist of Visions of Atlantis. The couple married on May 3, 2008...
(formerly with Aesma Daeva
Aesma Daeva (band)
Aesma Daeva is a symphonic metal band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.-Early:Aesma Daeva formed out of the early collaboration of Nick Copernicus and John Prassas in La Crosse, Wisconsin circa 1998...
) and Wolfgang Koch replaced Werner Fiedler. In 2006 Martin Harb, who already played with VoA on their tour in Mexico in 2003, replaced Miro Holly.
In May 2007, VoA released their 3rd album Trinity
Trinity (Visions of Atlantis album)
Trinity is the third studio album by Austrian symphonic power metal band Visions of Atlantis and features American vocalist Melissa Ferlaak...
, mastered at Finnvox studios
Finnvox studios
Finnvox Studios is a recording studio located in Helsinki, Finland. Founded in 1965, it was the first studio in Finland dedicated for music recording. Many metal bands have had albums mastered here , including Sonata Arctica, Nightwish, Finntroll, HIM, Moonsorrow, Holy Knights, Ram-Zet, Throes of...
and recorded at Bavarian Dreamscape Studios).
In September 2007, the band began their first North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n tour with Epica
Epica (band)
Epica is a Dutch symphonic metal band founded by guitarist and vocalist Mark Jansen subsequent to his departure from After Forever. They are known for their symphonic sound and the use of female vocals and male growls performed by Simone Simons and Mark Jansen, respectively. All six members write...
.
On November 28, 2007, a message was posted on the official VoA website saying that Melissa Ferlaak and Wolfgang Koch had left the band, both citing personal reasons (Ferlaak and Koch were married in May 2008).
Following this Visions of Atlantis announced a few days later that their ex guitarist, Werner Fiedler, had rejoined the band. They were advertising on their website the position for a female vocalist for several months, and on September 3, 2008, they finally announced that they had found a new female singer; however, her identity wasn't revealed until February 1, 2009, as the 20-year old Austrian soprano vocalist Joanna Nieniewska..
On July 29, 2009, VoA announced that because of health problems, Joanna Nieniewska is no longer in the band but will continue to support VoA behind the scenes.
The band announced the replacement vocalist, Maxi Nil
Maxi Nil
Maxi Nil is a Greek rock and metal singer. In 2003 she joined the Greek metal band On Thorns I Lay, who intend to release an album with her as a singer, sometime in 2011. In 2003 she also joined the band Elysion as both a singer and a songwriter...
from Greece.
On December 3, 2010, VoA announced the new title of their 4th studio album Delta
Delta (Visions of Atlantis album)
Delta is the fourth full-length album by Austrian Symphonic power metal band Visions of Atlantis featuring the new vocalist Maxi Nil. It was released on February 25, 2011.-Track listing:# "Black River Delta" - 4:34# "Memento" - 6:38...
which was released on February 25, 2011.
On July 18, 2011, Bass player Mario Locher left the band due to crucial internal differences. In a recent interview Harb said that the band is not planning on replacing him. Instead, they will continue without a bassist as a fixed band member.
In August 2011, the band announced the title of their first EP Maria Magdalena, it was released on October 21, 2011.
Discography
Albums- Eternal Endless InfinityEternal Endless InfinityEternal Endless Infinity is the first album by symphonic power metal band Visions of Atlantis and was released in 2002. A new edition was released November 29, 2004 and contains 3 bonus tracks from their demo "Morning in Atlantis".-Track listing:...
(2002) - Cast AwayCast Away (album)Cast Away is the second album by symphonic power metal band Visions Of Atlantis, and was released in 2004.-Track listing:# "Send Me a Light" – 4:38# "Cast Away" – 4:42# "Lost" – 3:57# "Realm of Fantasy" – 3:59# "Pharaoh's Repentance" – 4:27...
(2004) - TrinityTrinity (Visions of Atlantis album)Trinity is the third studio album by Austrian symphonic power metal band Visions of Atlantis and features American vocalist Melissa Ferlaak...
(2007) - DeltaDelta (Visions of Atlantis album)Delta is the fourth full-length album by Austrian Symphonic power metal band Visions of Atlantis featuring the new vocalist Maxi Nil. It was released on February 25, 2011.-Track listing:# "Black River Delta" - 4:34# "Memento" - 6:38...
(2011)
Demos
- Morning in Atlantis (2000)
EPs
- Maria Magdalena (2011)
Current members
- Maxi NilMaxi NilMaxi Nil is a Greek rock and metal singer. In 2003 she joined the Greek metal band On Thorns I Lay, who intend to release an album with her as a singer, sometime in 2011. In 2003 she also joined the band Elysion as both a singer and a songwriter...
- Vocals (2009...) - Mario Plank - Vocals (2003...)
- Cris Tían - Guitars (2011...)
- Martin Harb - Keyboards (2006...)
- Thomas Caser - Drums (2000...)
Past members
- Werner Fiedler - Guitars (2000–2005, 2007–2011)
- Mario Lochert - Bass (2010-2011)
- Michael Koren - Bass (2000–2009)
- Joanna Nieniewska - Vocals (2009)
- Melissa FerlaakMelissa FerlaakMelissa Marie Ferlaak Koch is an American soprano, lead singer for Echoterra and former singer of Aesma Daeva and Visions of Atlantis . She currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is married to Wolfgang Koch, the former guitarist of Visions of Atlantis. The couple married on May 3, 2008...
- Vocals (2005–2007) - Wolfgang Koch - Guitars (2005–2007)
- Miro Holly - Keyboards (2003–2006)
- Nicole Bogner - Vocals (2000–2005)
- Christian Stani - Vocals (2000–2003)
- Chris Kamper - Keyboards (2000–2003)
External links
- Official site
- Vision of Atlantis at Myspace
- Visions of Atlantis at Napalm RecordsNapalm RecordsNapalm Records is an Austrian independent record label focused on heavy metal and hard rock.Originally, Napalm Records focused mainly on black metal acts such as Abigor and Summoning and folk metal bands such as Falkenbach and Vintersorg....
- Column by Melissa Ferlaak at ME Metalhour
Videos
- "Lost" (2004) at Napalm RecordsNapalm RecordsNapalm Records is an Austrian independent record label focused on heavy metal and hard rock.Originally, Napalm Records focused mainly on black metal acts such as Abigor and Summoning and folk metal bands such as Falkenbach and Vintersorg....
(WMVWindows Media Video'Windows Media Video is a video compression format for several proprietary codecs developed by Microsoft. The original video format, known as WMV, was originally designed for Internet streaming applications, as a competitor to RealVideo. The other formats, such as WMV Screen and WMV Image, cater...
) - "New Dawn" (2011) at Napalm RecordsNapalm RecordsNapalm Records is an Austrian independent record label focused on heavy metal and hard rock.Originally, Napalm Records focused mainly on black metal acts such as Abigor and Summoning and folk metal bands such as Falkenbach and Vintersorg....
(WMVWindows Media Video'Windows Media Video is a video compression format for several proprietary codecs developed by Microsoft. The original video format, known as WMV, was originally designed for Internet streaming applications, as a competitor to RealVideo. The other formats, such as WMV Screen and WMV Image, cater...
)