Vanishing Point

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Vanishing Point
Vanishing Point.jpg
Background information
OriginMelbourne VIC
GenresProgressive metal
Years active1994 - present
LabelsMetal Warriors, Riot!, Angular, AFM, Rockstar
Associated actsEye, Teargas, Elysian, Manic Opera, Envenomed, Black Like Vengeance
MembersJames Maier, Silvio Massaro, Chris Porcianko, Gaston Chin, Damien Hall
Past membersAdrian Alimic, Steve Cox, Scott Griffith, Joe del Mastro, Leonard Kopilas, Jake Lowe, Jack Lukic, Danny Olding, Pep Sammartino, Christian Nativo, Simon Best, Jordan Trevan

Band Members

  • Current Line-Up
    • James Maier (guitar)
    • Silvio Massaro (vocals)
    • Chris Porcianko (guitar)
    • Gaston Chin (bass)
    • Damien Hall (drums)
  • Former Members
    • Jordan Trevan (drums) 2015 - 2020
    • Simon Best (bass) 2010 - 2015
    • Christian Nativo (drums) 2007 - 2015
    • Scott Griffith (guitar) 2011 - 2012
    • Tom Vucur (guitar) 1994 - 2010
    • Adrian Alimic (bass) 2006 - 2010
    • Jake Lowe (keys) 2008 - 2010
    • Leonard Kopilas (keys) 2004 - 2008
    • Jack Lukic (drums) 1994 - 2006
    • Steve Cox (bass) 2006
    • Joe Del Mastro (bass) 1994 - 2006
    • Danny Olding (keys) 1999 - 2002, 2003
    • Pep Sammartino (keys) 1994 - 1999

Band Information

Vanishing Point is a melodic progressive metal band from Melbourne. The band came together in the mid-90s with Jack Lukic, Joe Del Mastro and Tom Vucur drawn from a previous outfit called Eye. Their 1996 debut In Thought found international release in Europe almost a year before it became available in Australia. Vanishing Point supported Yngwie Malmsteen in 1999 and after the amicable departure of keyboards player Pep Sammartino added Danny Olding before heading to Germany for Wacken Open Air in 2000. Tangled in Dream came out in 2000 and Vanishing Point went to Europe in late 2001 and toured widely with Gamma Ray and Sonata Arctica, during which time Olding also provided keyboards for Gamma Ray's live shows. Vanishing Point then supported Edguy on their Australian tour in May 2002, after which Olding left the band. A year later he re-joined as they worked on their third release but after a brief stay he left again. Vanishing Point continued to work on the follow up to Tangled in Dream throughout 2003 and finished the year with a performance at Metal for the Brain.

Over the next twelve months, Leonard Kopilas began working with the band in the keyboard role, but Vanishing Point didn't play live again until January 2005. After this they appeared at Metal for the Brain in Canberra and supported Nightwish in late March. With the third album constantly delayed because of wrangles with labels and other problems and extensive periods away from live performance, Embrace the Silence was finally released in May 2005.

Joe Del Masto departed in early 2006 and was replaced by Steve Cox from Teargas. Vanishing Point then went on to support Black Label Society and Gamma Ray later in the year before Jack Lukic decided to resign in December. Two weeks later, Cox also left. They were replaced by Adrian Alimic and Christian Nativo and in 2007 the band toured Australia and New Zealand with DragonForce. The Fourth Season was released in late 2007.

Vanishing Point appeared as the main support act for several shows on early 2008 tours by Iron Maiden and Helloween and Jake Lowe replaced Kopilas. In November 2008 the band toured Europe with Sonata Arctica and Pagan's Mind. After that tour, Vanishing Point was forced into hiatus in 2010 when founding member Tom Vucur, Lowe and bassist Adrian Alimic all left. Simon Best replaced Alimic and Scott Griffith was in for Vucur by mid-2011. James Maier replaced Griffith mid-2012 in a further line-up reshuffle and Vanishing Point finally completed their fifth album late in the year. Following its release in February 2014, the band were to support Royal Hunt on a two-date Australian tour, but that was cancelled. The next year Jordan Trevan of Elysian replaced Nativo but Vanishing Point was mostly inactive for several years until the announcement of a new album and line-up in 2020. The supporting tour in late 2021 was held over until mid-2022 because of COVID restrictions.

Discography

Albums:

1996 In Thought Angular
2000 Tangled in Dream Metal Warriors
2005 Embrace the Silence Riot!
2007 The Fourth Season Riot!
2014 Distant is the Sun Rockstar
2020 Dead Elysium AFM