“I write about the human soul. The pirate world is just the coating.”

Congratulations on the new album. How are you feeling?

Clémentine Delauney: I am very excited to release Pirates 2 - Armada. We believe it's richer, deeper and even better than Pirates. We are convinced that our fans will love it.

The album is called "Pirates 2". Did you already plan the second part while writing the first or did it just happen?

Clémentine: It just happened. When we released Pirates, our main focus was to make this drastic change and call ourselves a pirate band. We created a stronger image and a whole universe from the ground up. When writing Pirates 2, we thought about what defines Visions of Atlantis. The cinematic aspect is important to us, so we released the orchestral version of Pirates. We wanted to create something cinematic and a saga, hence Pirates 2. We wanted continuity so that listeners feel like they are entering a whole world, not just an entry in a discography.

So there will be Pirates 3?

Clémentine: Mick (Michele Guaitoli, singer) is constantly writing new music. I saw a folder on his desktop called Pirates 3 (laughs). As long as we are happy with the development and as long as we have things to explore within this universe, there is no reason to change it.

Where do you find the inspiration for the songwriting?

Clémentine: The key was to make the pirate theme as broad as possible. We didn't want to be realistic or historically accurate pirates because that would limit us. Instead, we added magical elements to make the universe more interesting and richer. Among the pirate adventures, battles and monsters, I write about the human soul. The world of pirates is just the shell; the core is about human emotions and struggles. Mick's diverse songwriting helps too. We have pop singles and bombastic symphonic metal coexisting on the same album, reflecting the diversity of pirate life and allowing us to explore a variety of moods and atmospheres.

Do you have a favorite song on this album?

Clémentine: I connected with all of them because I put a piece of my soul into each song. This time I was more involved in the songwriting process because Mick and I were able to work together personally. However, The Dead of the Sea is my favorite because of its unique vibe.

Do you think that the album release of Exit Eden (Clémentine's second band) earlier this year influenced the songwriting for Visions of Atlantis?

Clémentine: No, they are completely separate projects. I'm not involved in the songwriting for Exit Eden, just the visual artistic direction. This separation allows me to focus on Visions of Atlantis without repeating myself.

You've just toured the United States and have shows planned in Europe this fall. Is there a difference in the reaction of the audience?

Clémentine: Yes, North American audiences are generally more open and demonstrative. They get more physically involved, for example with circle pits and moshing, which we don't see so often in Europe. Touring the US is also more challenging due to greater distances and fewer amenities. However, the energy and support from the North American audience makes it worthwhile. In Europe, we've also had great audiences in Poland, Budapest, the Czech Republic and Milan. We are looking forward to our upcoming European tour, especially since we are playing more shows as headliners.

You are playing a few open-air festivals before the tour. Is there a festival you're particularly looking forward to?

Clémentine: I'm really looking forward to the Times To Rock in Sweden and the John Smith Rock Festival in Finland. These are places we don't often visit and the connection with the Scandinavian audience is something I'm looking forward to.

Do you prefer open-air festivals or club shows?

Clémentine: Both have their charm. Club shows offer closeness to the audience, especially when we are headlining. Our fans are very dedicated and often dress as pirates. Festivals, on the other hand, feel different as you are playing for a larger, anonymous audience and also battling with the elements. Each has its own unique energy, but I perhaps lean towards club shows for the direct connection with our fans.

Floor from Nightwish released a solo album last year, Simone from Epica is about to do the same. Are you also planning something in this direction?

Clémentine: Yes, I've started working on solo material. A few years ago, I released a song on my Patreon page that my closest fans loved. I plan to develop this further and hopefully focus more on it later this year and next.

Our platform, Dark Divas, focuses on empowering women in metal. What is it like to work in a male-dominated business?

Clémentine: Women are becoming more and more accepted in metal, which was originally created by men for men. Metal is often seen as masculine because of its energy, but women also feel the need to express their anger and frustration. Symphonic metal, for example, appeals to women with its romantic and nostalgic elements. However, categorizing bands as female fronted metal is limiting and often neglects the actual music. We should be recognized as musicians, not just female musicians. The key is to focus on artistic uniqueness and quality. Women should try not to please anyone, but find their own voice and identity in the metal scene.