The faithful have come in their hordes, and there is not a spare bit of room either upstairs or downstairs at the O2 Academy Islington. It is a warming sight in more ways than one, as not only is the heat from the mass of bodies together approaching the same temperature as the sun, but also the fact that so many are willing to come out midweek to worship at the altar of Visions Of Atlantis, Warkings and Heavy Metal in this space.
Visions of Atlantis – Warkings – Induction
O2 Academy Islington – 11 February 2026
Words: Paul Monkhouse
Photography: Eric Duvet
With the billing of the Pirates And Kings Tour, this double headliner was an irresistible opportunity to see two much-loved bands put on a spectacular show up close, both outfits returning to the UK for a brief two-date stopover as part of a European jaunt.
Warkings
You have to be impressed by the commitment of Warkings, the outfit embracing the imagery of their characters with utter conviction. It would be a bit of a spoiler to reveal their true names, as much as the information is easily found.
Vocalists The Tribune and Morgana le Fay, guitarist The Crusader, bass player The Viking and drummer The Spartan inhabit their roles without any need to look any deeper into their mythical backstories.
They know that this is a tongue-in-cheek image, free of the po-faced posturing of some bands, but without doubt both the numbers and the performances themselves more than stand on their own.
This is a show with real substance, the visuals not there to cover the cracks in the material, and as such, it is impossible not to get swept along with it all.
After the portentous intro tape fades, when Warkings tear into Genghis Khan’s furious battle Metal, the only thing to do is to hold on tight and enjoy the ride.
Masters of audience participation, the chant along Maximus is greeted like an old friend, the masses turned into a sea of bloodthirsty warriors and with the guttural vocals of le Fay added to the mix for Odin’s Sons, things become a lot darker and mysterious.
There are touches of the symphonic during Armageddon, the wild riffing of The Crusader and the runaway locomotive drive of Sparta, making it an adrenaline-soaked rush, full of grand gestures and sweeping scope.
Proving that they do not take themselves too seriously, a ‘Shield Maiden’ is sent across the crowd on an abortive mission to get Tribune a drink from the bar, the audience holding her high but lacking direction as she gamely sits in a large black rubber ring during Warriors.
The band have obviously hit on a winning formula. Epic romps like Hangman’s Night and the anthemic Kings of Ragnarök bring the perfect balance of hooks and punch, and an almost throwaway cover of Opus’s Live Is Life turns into a battle cry that everyone can sing along to.
After a blistering We Are The Fire sees some charging in circles around a crew member holding a giant hammer aloft, it is a race to the finish with the one-two knock-out blow of Sparta and Gladiator, the latter featuring a snatch of the Top Gun theme to bring things to a suitably heroic and cinematic end, the battle won.
Visions Of Atlantis
With ancient fields of war being replaced by a galleon, complete with cannons, Visions Of Atlantis very happily embrace their swashbuckling style, and with its haunting opener shifting into cinematic Metal, To Those Who Choose To Fight is an unbeatable start to the set.
Clémentine Delauney is an arresting vocalist, her voice combining a real purity with rich warmth, and when blended with the voice of Michele Guaitoli, the two bring a great female and male dynamic that lifts their sound to heady levels.
Much should be said of Christian Douscha’s fretwork, too. His solos are nailed with a balance of flash and precision, the charging riffs perfectly sitting on top of the rhythmic firepower of drummer Thomas Caser and bass player Herbert Glos.
The addictive Clocks is followed by a brief interlude as Delauney’s birthday is celebrated before Tonight I’m Alive somehow manages to sound like Shakira if she had been brought up on a diet of dirty Euro Metal.
The tour’s titular Pirates And Kings sees Warkings crowd onto the stage as both bands join together in the titanic and anthemic attack with a sound loud enough that it could have probably been heard back in their homelands.
Such touchstone moments are a reminder of the true power of when a collection of Metal musicians and a crowd come together in a joyous communion, the rest of the world disappearing and all the troubles that come with it, all forgotten in something that unites on an almost cellular level.
Like a siren, Delauney is an utterly captivating presence when onstage, radiating an indefinable quality and with her semi-Operatic vocals on Legion Of The Seas, she just demands attention.
It would be a mistake, though, to think of her as the sole focus of Visions Of Atlantis, as that is far from the case. Each member is a vital part of what Visions Of Atlantis are, contributing their own magic to a performance that is not short of peaks.
Highlights are many, though it would be difficult to beat the incandescent and moving Underwater. But with the whole audience sat on the floor and rowing to Pirates Will Return, and a thrilling Armada certainly are a triumph of both heart and soul.
With an encore of the stunning and multi-layered Master The Hurricane and an uplifting Melancholy Angel, it was all over, and the love affair was cemented between band and the spent and sweaty audience.
Whilst lesser bands fill arenas, it cannot be long before all three acts see themselves walking the same stages, and the thought of what they could do with the space and budget to do what they truly want to is an endlessly tantalising one.
Life-affirming and utterly glorious, nights do not come much better than this.
Induction
Before the two titans of mythical metal laid waste to the place, it was the turn of fast-rising young rockers Induction to kick things off in suitably heavy style. With the new album Love Kills having been critically acclaimed, the chance to get out on the road to tear into the new songs was grabbed with both hands, and whilst room on the stage was tight, the quintet certainly made the most of their thirty-minute slot.
Featuring guitarist Tim Kano Hansen, the son of Helloween and Gamma Ray legend Kai Hansen, the young German outfit play their own brand of stripped-back and modern Power Metal with passion.
Numbers like the grand opener Beyond Horizons and a blistering Steel And Thunder impress with their power and relentless drive. Vocalist Gabriele Gozzi is hugely impressive in his delivery, which is pure swagger and grit. Definitely ones to watch, Induction are heading for the big leagues.
