Vanishing Point (band)
Vanishing Point are a progressive metal band based in Melbourne, Australia.
Vanishing Point | |
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Silvio Massaro performing live in Sydney, 2005 | |
Background information | |
Origin | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
Genres | Progressive metal |
Years active | 1995–present |
Website | www.vanishing-point.com.au |
Members | Silvio Massaro Chris Porcianko Luke Beltramello Adrian Alimic James Maier |
Past members | Joe Del Mastro Tommy Vucur Leonard Kopilas Jack Lukic Danny Olding Pep Sammartino Andrew Whitehead Adrian Alimic Jake Lowe |
History
1990's
The band formed in the early 1990s with the line up of guitarist Tommy Vucur, drummer Jack Lukic and bassist Joe Del Mastro, from an earlier band Eye. Vocalist Silvio Massaro and keyboard player Pep Sammartino joined the band in the mid 1990s and the band changed its name to Vanishing Point. Soon after Andrew Whitehead joined as a guitarist.
Vanishing Point's first album, and In Thought was recorded in 1996, and released in Europe by Angular Records in 1997. The following year it was re-issued in Australia by Metal Warriors. The re-issue featured a bonus track, Inner Peace, which featured new guitarist Chris Porcianko, who replaced Whitehead.
In 1999, Vanishing Point supported Yngwie Malmsteen. Sammartino left the band and was replaced by Danny Olding. Soon afterward, Vanishing Point headed to Germany for the 2000 Wacken Open Air festival. Later that year the band's second album Tangled in Dream was released in Australia and internationally by Germany's LMP label.
2000's
In late 2001, Vanishing Point returned to Europe for a tour with Gamma Ray and Sonata Arctica, during which Olding provided live keyboards for Gamma Ray. Returning to Australia in 2002, Vanishing Point toured with Edguy. Olding left the band after this tour.
Vanishing Point worked on their next album throughout 2003 before making an appearance at the Metal For The Brain festival in Canberra. Leonard Kopilas from Manic Opera joined the band in place of Olding as recording continued, but Vanishing Point was forced into an involuntary hiatus due to ongoing differences with Metal Warriors. This led to Vanishing Point discontinuing their management with Metal Warriors. In 2005 Vanishing Point returned to a live performance at Metal For The Brain, and then a show with Nightwish in Melbourne.
Embrace The Silence was released in 2005 internationally by German label Dockyard 1 and in Australia by the Riot! label. Late that year, Del Mastro left the band and was replaced by Steve Cox.
During 2006, Vanishing Point supported Black Label Society and Gamma Ray on the Melbourne leg of their Australian tours. In December Lukic and Cox lef the band. They were replaced by Adrian Alimic, also of Manic Opera and Christian Nativo . Jake Lowe was enlisted to perform live keyboards
In May 2007, Vanishing Point supported DragonForce in Australia and New Zealand. The band's fourth album The Fourth Season was released on 24 August 2007, through Dockyard 1. In February 2008 Vanishing Point supported Iron Maiden, performing a single show in Perth and two shows in Melbourne. Vanishing Point appearedwith Black Majesty and Helloween in February 2008. In July 2008 Vanishing Point supported Joe Satriani for his two Melbourne shows.
In late September 2008 Vanishing Point once again took off for Europe this time supporting good friends Sonata Arctica with Norway's Pagan's Mind, the tour was a success and the band played in many new countries where the band had never been to before. Vanishing Point returned home to Australia for a short break and then to fully concentrate on writing the follow up album to The Fourth Season.
2010's
In 2010 Vucur, Alimic and Lowe left the band. In 2011 Simon Best joined the band on bass, followed by Scott Griffith on guitar and in February the recording for the fifth album began. Progress has been slower than the band anticipated with there being personal / family loss as well as Scott Griffith deciding to spend more time on his own band which was receiving interest from prospective record companies overseas.
Discography
- Released: 2000
- Format: CD
- Label: LMP (Germany, world), Metal Warriors (Australia)
- Singles: "Never Walk Away", "Two Minds, One Soul"
- Released: 2005
- Format: CD
- Label: Dockyard 1 (Germany, world), Riot! (Australia)
- Released: 24 August 2007
- Format: CD
- Label: Dockyard 1 (Germany)
- Singles: "Surrender"
Distant is the Sun
- Released: 21 February 2014 (worldwide), 4 March 2014 (US)
- Format: CD
- Label: AFM Records (Germany, world), Rockstar Records (Australia)
- Singles: "Distant is the Sun", "When Truth Lies", "Circle of Fire", "The Endless Road"
Dead Elysium
- Released: 28 August 2020
- Format: CD
- Label: AFM Records (Germany, world), Octane Records (Australia)
- Producer: Dean Wells
- Singles: "Dead Elysium", "Salvus", "Count Your Days"