Your favorite metal band in the world?

That's a pretty good record for this industry.

CanuckFan wrote:They're first album is their worst, but they improve. They're good band, but nowhere near as good as some others out there...They have an awesome ballad I adore called "Return to You."

I've got a soft spot for VoA's debut. Despite it being amateurish and totally unoriginal to the degree that they even blatantly rip melodies off (though they are simple anyway) and all that I can't help but love it. I LOVE this style of music and it's just fun to listen to. I get the feeling that the musicians' hearts were really in it, and it was more like a fan project (just read the booklet).

In fact, I like the demo even better because the vocals can be heard better and the instrumental parts are longer. Of course, this also means that the hilarious Austrian accent of Mario comes out more strongly. By the way, I have a feeling that the similarity of the title of the demo ("Morning in Atlantis") to Edenbridge's debut ("Sunrise in Eden") is not entirely coincidental, and in fact I wonder if the band name is not a nod to Stratovarius's "Visions" and their live album "Visions in Europe".

Their third album is superior in every respect, technically/objectively speaking, but somehow does not quite catch me as much, emotionally. It feels more sterile.

See, I'm not just a tech-whore. I can enjoy some pretty bad (or REALLY cheesy music, too.

Did you know that Melissa wrote "Return to You" herself? It refers to her father whom she lost early in life.

Have you ever checked out Aesma Daeva, the band she was a vocalist before her stay in VoA? They're a band from Minneapolis, MN and their sound is actually pretty unique: All the singers they've had are REALLY operatic and they have progressive and electronic/darkwave influences, albums about interesting concepts and have "covered" real opera arias, and they can even sound fairly aggressive at times.

I know that VoA opened for Tarja in Vienna. A friend who was at the gig was positively surprised, especially the new singer impressed him. His opinion of VoA hadn't been exactly great, either. To answer your initial question, Joanna Nieniewska is their current vocalist.

@ Almagest

I thought Nicole was way over-singing in the first album, but I liked the next two a lot. I didn't know that Melissa wrote "Return to You" for her father...That is one of my favourite metal ballads EVER.

I haven't listened to Aesma Daeva, but I am now intrigued.

But, no, the got rid of Joanna and now have someone called Maxi Nil. There was some discussion about this on the VoA Last.fm page...People went to the Tarja shows expecting to see Joanna and this other woman came out...No word on why on their web site, but someone on Last.fm was saying that the record label didn't like Joanna.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visions_of_Atlantis#Band_Members

Also, I've seen footage from when they opened for Tarja and that definitely isn't Joanna up there on stage...

Also: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=439891563&blogId=497809100

You can actually listen to many Aesma Daeva tracks on last.fm!

Also note that their debut appeared in 1999, so they can hardly be called a copycat.

I will definitely check them out! Tomorrow!

I really like Mario Plank!

CanuckFan wrote:But, no, the got rid of Joanna and now have someone called Maxi Nil. There was some discussion about this on the VoA Last.fm page...People went to the Tarja shows expecting to see Joanna and this other woman came out...No word on why on their web site, but someone on Last.fm was saying that the record label didn't like Joanna.

Uhm, why did you ask that question if you could google it?

Haha, just imagine a NW concert and suddenly a singer nobody knows comes out!

I actually like Mario's voice, too.

CanuckFan wrote:I really like Mario Plank!

Mario Plank? Never heard of him. Sorry for being such a noob!

Male vocalist in Visions of Atlantis!

CanuckFan wrote:Male vocalist in Visions of Atlantis!

Oh.

@ Almagest

Re.

Uhm, why did you ask that question if you could google it?

You're kidding right?

Right?

CanuckFan wrote:Does anyone here listen to Visions of Atlantis? What happened with that singer they hired - Johanna N-something? I see she isn't with the band and they've got someone else. The only info I've seen online is on their Last.fm page, but nothing official has been said on their site or forum.

I was referring to this. I thought you just wanted to know if they have a new singer, and her name. I only just realised that you were more interested in what happened with Joanna. Sorry.

But you could try sending Joanna a message over her MySpace profile

@ Almagest

But you could try sending Joanna a message over her MySpace profile

A) I don't have MySpace

B) I wouldn't want to just send her a message out of the blue saying, "Um, what happened with you and VoA?" It seems kind of ... nosy & rude of me....

Well, I could ask somebody else to do it.

There may be fans who have been in contact with Joanna before.

Almagest wrote:Well, I could ask somebody else to do it.

There may be fans who have been in contact with Joanna before.

OK.

I just wish VoA would post something on their site. Not like an open letter or anything - just some official announcement. They seem very quiet about the whole thing, leaving it up to Maxi to make an announcement on her MySpace blog. It seems odd to me.

Yes, I know. That's really strange. Even their MySpace still lists Joanna. I know no precedent for this. But perhaps they are not ready to give up on her just yet.

But I have just noticed that there is an announcement on VoA's MySpace, on their blog. Haven't you seen that one, CanuckFan? Seems the last.fm people have also missed this one or chosen to ignore it in favour of rumour-milling.

@ Almagest: No, I totally missed that. Thanks for the head's up. Now my questions are put to rest!

Whatever health problem Joanna is having, I wish her all the best!

@ Almagest

Am listening to Aesma Daeva radio on Last.fm - great band! I also heard this band called Mortal Love that I really enjoyed. There is some good stuff. I also like the Atargatis they played.

The two AD songs I've heard - Artemis & Darkness - are really good!

Atm It's Kreator!

It would definitely be Iron Maiden \m/ Them and Finland put aside, i listen to Judas Priest, Arch Enemy, Winter's Verge, Metallica, Kamelot, Megadeth, Savatage, Black Sabbath, Bruce Dickinson, Halford, King Diamond... xD

Caleb wrote:It would definitely be Iron Maiden \m/ Them and Finland put aside, i listen to Judas Priest, Arch Enemy, Winter's Verge, Metallica, Kamelot, Megadeth, Savatage, Black Sabbath, Bruce Dickinson, Halford, King Diamond... xD

James will love you for loving Savatage!

CanuckFan wrote:

Caleb wrote:It would definitely be Iron Maiden \m/ Them and Finland put aside, i listen to Judas Priest, Arch Enemy, Winter's Verge, Metallica, Kamelot, Megadeth, Savatage, Black Sabbath, Bruce Dickinson, Halford, King Diamond... xD

James will love you for loving Savatage!

Yeah! Jon Olivia FTW!

Welcome to MFF Caleb!

James wrote:

Yeah! Jon Olivia FTW!

Welcome to MFF Caleb!

Tnx man! And I agree, both Jon and Criss are FTW!

Atm, It's Nightrage and Dragonland haha XD

Such a difficult question for anyone. However I will indulge in the conversation and add something more specific like an album mostly to make it easier for me.

Blind Guardian - Somewhere Far Beyond
Kalmah - They Will Return
Sonata Arctica - Ecliptica
Pantera - Far Beyond Driven
Children of Bodom - Hatebreeder
Dark Tranquillity - Damage Done
Norther - Mirror of Madness

That's just the tip of the ****.

along with Amorphis... Iron Maiden.

up the irons! \m/

Arsis. The music those guys come up with never cease to amaze me.

Honorable mention:

The Absence, In Flames (early stuff) and Animals as Leaders