- What inspired the name of the band, and how has the band evolved over time?
“The band is 15 years old , and as such I wasn’t there when it first started, but from speaking to Thomas, who was there when it was founded, the name came about through a combination and imagination. They wanted the name to evoke a sense of legends and myth, so that’s where Visions of Atlantis came from. As for the evolution of the band, it’s developed as any band does. It started off as a pioneer of speed symphonic metal, I think similar to Nightwish, and then evolved into pure symphonic metal. With our new album The Deep and The Dark we wanted to make a return to our traditional style, and I think we’ve done that quite well, whilst maintaining some of the elements of previous albums.”
- What was the writing process like for The Deep and The Dark?
“It was a long process with different steps along the way. Initially some of the founding members returned, and it was agreed that they would write the album. We waited for two years, and after that period there wasn’t anything substantive. Some members couldn’t play live due to other commitments in their lives, and we began worrying about the direction the band was going in. Eventually we reached a decision and new members were sought and we sought help. This process took a year, I brought vocal lines and lyrics to the table, and we managed to get everything sorted. I’d say that it’s hard to pick a favourite song from the record, because they’re all so close to me, and quite personal. Though I quite like the first six songs on the record and the last song also. It will be interesting to see the reaction to the songs when played live.”
- What plans do you have for the future?
“Well we’re embarking on a tour with Serenity in February, and the record comes out during that tour. The tour is to show people that yes Visions is still going, as it has been a while since we last released an album. Then we’ll keep touring and play festivals in the summer, and see how people respond to the record.”