Vanishing Point (band)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications.
Primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of the article are generally not sufficient for a Wikipedia article. Please include more appropriate citations from reliable sources, or discuss the issue on the talk page.
This article has been tagged since February 2008.

Vanishing Point
Silvio Massaro performing live in Sydney, 2005
Background information
Origin	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genre(s)	Power metal Progressive metal
Years active	1995-present
Label(s)	(Germany) Dockyard 1 (Australia) Riot!
Associated acts	Eye Manic Opera Teargas
Website	www.vanishing-point.com.au
Members
Silvio Massaro Tommy Vucur Chris Porcianko Adrian Alimic Leonard Kopilas Christian Nativo
Former members
Joe Del Mastro Steve Cox Jack Lukic Danny Olding Pep Sammartino

Vanishing Point are an Australian 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 albums as of 2008.

[edit] History

The band formed in the mid 1990s with the line-up of vocalist Silvio Massaro, keyboards player Pep Sammartino, guitarists Chris Porcianko and Tom Vucur, drummer Jack Lukic and bassist Joe Del Mastro, with the last four drawn from an earlier band called Eye. 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 will be appearing alongside fellow Australian power metal band Black Majesty on tour with Helloween in February 2008.