Vanishing Point (band)
Encyclopedia
Vanishing Point are an Australia
n power
/progressive metal
band from Melbourne. The band incorporates symphonic elements into their sound through a prominent keyboard role in their music. The band has released four album
s as of 2008.
Tommy Vucur, drummer
Jack Lukic and bassist
Joe Del Mastro, from an earlier band called Eye. Vocalist Silvio Massaro, keyboards player
Pep Sammartino Joined the band in the mid 90s, They changed the band name to Vanishing point. guitarist
Chris Porcianko joined in the late 90s. Concentrating their efforts on songwriting and recording, the group's first album In Thought
was recorded in 1996 and released in Europe
by German
label Angular Records
in 1997. The following year it was issued in Australia by Melbourne label Metal Warriors.
In 1999, the band supported Yngwie Malmsteen and American band Nevermore before Sammartino amicably left the band to pursue other avenues. He 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 by Metal Warriors and internationally by Germany's LMP label. The following eighteen months was a busy period for the group. 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, they toured the country with German band Edguy
. Olding resigned from Vanishing Point at this time.
Vanishing Point worked on their next album throughout 2003 before making a rare live appearance at the annual 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 problems with Metal Warriors. However, in 2005 the band returned to live performance at Metal for the Brain in February and then a show with Nightwish
on the Melbourne leg of their Australian tour. Embrace the Silence was released mid-year internationally by Germany's Dockyard 1 and in Australian by the Wollongong
-based Riot!
label. Late in the year, Joe Del Mastro announced his departure from Vanishing Point. After completing a final round of live shows with the band, he was replaced by Steve Cox from Melbourne hard rock band Teargas.
During 2006, Vanishing Point supported Black Label Society
and Gamma Ray on the Melbourne legs of their Australian tours. On 7 December Jack Lukic announced his departure due to family commitments and 22 days later Cox also left. He was replaced by Adrian Alimic, also of Manic Opera and Christian Nativo took the place of Lukic. 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 appeared alongside fellow Australian power metal band Black Majesty
on tour with Helloween
in February 2008. In July 2008 Vanishing Point supported Joe Satriani
for his 2 Melbourne shows.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n power
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
/progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band from Melbourne. The band incorporates symphonic elements into their sound through a prominent keyboard role in their music. The band has released four album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s as of 2008.
History
The band formed in the early 1990s with the line-up of guitaristGuitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Tommy Vucur, drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Jack Lukic and bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Joe Del Mastro, from an earlier band called Eye. Vocalist Silvio Massaro, keyboards player
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
Pep Sammartino Joined the band in the mid 90s, They changed the band name to Vanishing point. guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Chris Porcianko joined in the late 90s. Concentrating their efforts on songwriting and recording, the group's first album In Thought
In Thought
In Thought is the debut album by the Australian progressive metal band Vanishing Point.-Track listing:# "The Only One" − 4:07# "Vanishing Point" − 5:54# "Wind" − 0:46 # "In Company of Darkness" − 6:57# "Dream Maker" − 5:10...
was recorded in 1996 and released in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
by German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
label Angular Records
Angular Recording Corporation
Angular Recording Corporation is an independent record label originally based in New Cross, South East London. Set up in June 2003 by two ex-Goldsmiths College students, Joe Daniel and Joe Margetts, who reclaimed a local Ordnance Survey Triangulation Station and made it their first artefact: ARC 001...
in 1997. The following year it was issued in Australia by Melbourne label Metal Warriors.
In 1999, the band supported Yngwie Malmsteen and American band Nevermore before Sammartino amicably left the band to pursue other avenues. He was replaced by Danny Olding. Soon afterward, Vanishing Point headed to Germany for the 2000 Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
festival. Later that year the band's second album Tangled in Dream was released in Australia by Metal Warriors and internationally by Germany's LMP label. The following eighteen months was a busy period for the group. In late 2001, Vanishing Point returned to Europe for a tour with Gamma Ray
Gamma Ray (band)
Gamma Ray is a power metal band from Hamburg, northern Germany, founded and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from the German power metal Helloween. Hansen is the current lead vocalist, guitarist as well as the chief songwriter of Gamma Ray. The band is known as one of the most prominent...
and Sonata Arctica
Sonata Arctica
Sonata Arctica are a Finnish power metal band from the town of Kemi, originally assembled in 1995. Their later works contain several elements typical of progressive metal.....
, during which Olding provided live keyboards for Gamma Ray. Returning to Australia, they toured the country with German band Edguy
Edguy
-Demos, AFM years :Edguy was founded in 1992 by 14-year-old students Tobias Sammet, Jens Ludwig, Dominik Storch and Dirk Sauer. The name "Edguy" was an affectionate epithet for Mr. Edgar Siedschlag, their math teacher at the time. In 1994, the band released two demos, Evil Minded and Children of...
. Olding resigned from Vanishing Point at this time.
Vanishing Point worked on their next album throughout 2003 before making a rare live appearance at the annual Metal for the Brain
Metal for the Brain
Metal for the Brain was Australia's largest heavy metal music festival. The event was held in Canberra annually, usually towards the end of the year, and featured Australian bands almost exclusively...
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 problems with Metal Warriors. However, in 2005 the band returned to live performance at Metal for the Brain in February and then a show with Nightwish
Nightwish
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
on the Melbourne leg of their Australian tour. Embrace the Silence was released mid-year internationally by Germany's Dockyard 1 and in Australian by the Wollongong
Wollongong, New South Wales
Wollongong is a seaside city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 82 kilometres south of Sydney...
-based Riot!
Riot Entertainment
Riot! Entertainment is an independent record label, music distribution service and tour promoter based in Wollongong, Australia. According to their website, Riot is Australia's biggest heavy metal music distribution company. The company serves as the Australian distributor for Nuclear Blast, Metal...
label. Late in the year, Joe Del Mastro announced his departure from Vanishing Point. After completing a final round of live shows with the band, he was replaced by Steve Cox from Melbourne hard rock band Teargas.
During 2006, Vanishing Point supported Black Label Society
Black Label Society
Black Label Society is a heavy metal band formed by Zakk Wylde, with nine studio albums, one live album, two compilation albums, one EP, and three video albums released since formation of the band.-Formation and Sonic Brew :...
and Gamma Ray on the Melbourne legs of their Australian tours. On 7 December Jack Lukic announced his departure due to family commitments and 22 days later Cox also left. He was replaced by Adrian Alimic, also of Manic Opera and Christian Nativo took the place of Lukic. In May 2007, Vanishing Point supported DragonForce
DragonForce
DragonForce are an English power metal band from London. Formed in 1999, the group is known for its long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-based lyrics, and electronic sounds in their music to add to their retro video game-influenced sound. Guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman are the only two...
in Australia and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. 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
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, performing a single show in Perth and two shows in Melbourne. Vanishing Point appeared alongside fellow Australian power metal band Black Majesty
Black Majesty
Black Majesty is a power metal band from Melbourne, Australia. The band was formed in 2001 by ex-members of prominent bands on the Australian metal scene and after the release of a three track sampler album they were signed to a 5-album contract with German-based label LMP Records...
on tour with Helloween
Helloween
Helloween is a German power metal band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt...
in February 2008. In July 2008 Vanishing Point supported Joe Satriani
Joe Satriani
Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations...
for his 2 Melbourne shows.
External links
- Vanishing Point official website
- Vanishing Point at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Dockyard 1 Records
- Never Walk Away Video Clip