Vanishing Point return with new album: Distant is the Sun THE NEW CHAPTER QUICK BIO Vanishing Point - a 5 piece Melodic Metal band hailing from Melbourne, • Vanishing Point was formed in Australia have returned with their strongest album to date. Receiving rave the early 1990’s. reviews both internationally and domestically - Distant is the Sun is the • In Thought, the band’s debut album bands 5th album and shows the band in all their melodic fury. Distant is the was released in 1997 and reissued in 1998. Sun has the same melodic vibe as with past albums but has a fresh, heavier • In 1999 Vanishing Point sound, along with new members Simon Best (Bass Guitar) and James supported Yngwie Malmsteen. "Bushy" Maier (Guitar). Produced by Dean Wells (Shredville Studios) and • In 2000 Vanishing Point Ermin Hamadovic (Systematic Productions) and mixed & mastered by Seeb performed at Germany’s prestigious Levermann and Dennis Koehne, Distant is the Sun shows the band pushing Wacken Open Air Festival, and later itself to new heights. that year Tangled in Dream was released to great critical acclaim. In the time since Vanishing Point’s inception, the band has released five full • In late 2001 the band toured length albums. Vanishing Point have toured Australia and the world many Europe in support of Gamma Ray times over, playing some of the largest and most influential festivals the and Sonata Arctica, and then world has to offer (they were the first unsigned band ever to play the Edguy around Australia in 2002. prestigious Wacken Festival in Germany). • In 2003 work started on their third album, and Embrace The It hasn't come easy though, recalls Chris Porcianko;“It’s been a lot of Silence was released in 2005. hard work. We’ve definitely suffered for the joy of creating music, yet Later that year the band supported we have no regrets! The future is where the real excitement for this Nightwish, then Black Label band lies." Society in 2006 and finally DragonForce in 2007. The fifth album had been a long time in the making, but the band is proud • The band’s fourth album, The of the end result and hopes many fans worldwide will see a positive Fourth Season was released in progression since The Fourth Season, whilst retaining the core elements of 2007. the soaring melodic metal sound that they have grown to know and love • 2008 Vanishing Point had the over the years. privilege of supporting Iron Chris describes the album, “It’s a little more technical, more progressive, Maiden, Joe Satriani and Helloween more of a step forwards, compared to how we were previously, yet keeping as well as another European tour our melodic feel intact." with Sonata Arctica and Pagan's Mind. Vanishing Point released the latest album (Distant is the Sun) on the 24th • 2009 the band began working on of February after signing a deal with AFM records in 2014. They later their fifth album, and a shift in signed with Rockstar for Australia distribution and recently with Rubicon band membership occured, which resulted in some delays. for Japan. • Between 2010 and 2012 the band The band has released one music video clip from the new album: emerged with a new lineup. 'When Truth Lies' • February 2014, band signs with https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgJYsQav90E AFM records and releases the Also a lyric video for 'Circle of Fire' featuring Tony Kakko of Sonata Arctica band's latest 'Distant is the Sun'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od7PPU4kMVQ BAND BIOGRAPHY Vanishing Point was formed in but Vanishing Point was forced supported Iron Maiden, performing a the early 1990′s with the line up of into an involuntary hiatus due to single show in Perth and two shows in guitarist Tommy Vucur, drummer Jack ongoing differences with Metal Melbourne. Lukic and bassist Joe Del Mastro, from Warriors. This led to Vanishing Point an earlier band called Eye. Vocalist discontinuing their management with Vanishing Point appeared alongside Silvio Massaro and keyboard player Metal Warriors. However, in 2005 the fellow Australian power metal Pep Sammartino joined the band in band returned to a live performances band Black Majesty on tour with the mid 90′s and the band changed it’s at Metal For The Brain, and then Helloween in February 2008. name to Vanishing Point. Soon after a show with Nightwish on the Andrew Whitehead joined as a second Melbourne leg of their Australian tour. In July 2008 Vanishing Point supported guitarist. The band concentrated their Embrace The Silence was released Joe Satriani for his two Melbourne efforts on songwriting and recording mid-year internationally by their new shows. and their first album, and In Thought label, Germany’s Dockyard 1 and in In late September 2008 Vanishing was recorded in 1996, and released Australia by the Wollongong-based Point once again took off for Europe in Europe by German label Angular Riot! label. Late in the year, Joe Del this time supporting good friends Records in 1997. The following Mastro announced his departure from Sonata Arctica with Norway’s year it was re-issued in Australia by Vanishing Point. After completing Pagan’s Mind, the tour was a Melbourne label Metal Warriors. The a final round of live shows with the success and the band played in many re-issue featured a bonus track, Inner band, he was replaced by Steve Cox new countries where the band had Peace, which featured new guitarist from Melbourne Hard Rock band never been to before. Vanishing Chris Porcianko, who replaced Andrew Teargas, and Thrash Metal band Point returned home to Australia Whitehead. Black Like Vengeance. for a short break and then to fully In 1999, the band concentrate on supported Yngwie writing the follow Malmsteen before up album to The Pep Sammartino Fourth Season. amicably left the band to pursue 2009 was spent other avenues. writing and playing He was replaced shows both locally by Danny Olding. and interstate Soon afterward, where the band was Vanishing Point received positively. headed to Germany Unfortunately the for the 2000 writing process had Wacken Open Air hit a dead end with festival. Later that some members year the band’s wanting to pursue second album different avenues Tangled in Dream musically. Eventually was released in this led to a shift in Australia by Metal band membership. Warriors and internationally by In 2010 co-founding Germany’s LMP member Tommy label. The following eighteen months During 2006, Vanishing Point Vucur left the band due to musical was a busy period for the band. In late supported Black Label Society and differences. Adrian Alimic and Jake 2001, Vanishing Point returned to Gamma Ray on the Melbourne leg Lowe also departed the band in 2010. Europe for a tour with Gamma Ray of their Australian tours. On 7th of In 2011 Simon Best joined the band and Sonata Arctica, during which December Jack Lukic announced his on bass, followed by Scott Griffith on Olding provided live keyboards for departure due to family commitments guitar and in February the recording Gamma Ray. Returning to Australia and 22 days later Cox also left. He for the fifth album began. Progress in 2002, they toured the country with was replaced by Adrian Alimic, also was slower than the band anticipated German band Edguy. Olding resigned of Manic Opera and Christian Nativo with there being personal/family loss from Vanishing Point shortly after took the place of Jack Lukic (on and Scott Griffith departed the band. the tour was completed. drums). Jake Lowe was enlisted to perform live keyboards, and in May In May 2012 Vanishing Point added Vanishing Point worked on their 2007, Vanishing Point supported James Maier as the new second guitar next album throughout 2003 before DragonForce in Australia and New player, completing the lineup once making a rare live appearance at Zealand. again. As of late 2012, the new album the annual and prestigious, yet now is completed, and early 2014 the defunct Metal For The Brain festival The band’s fourth album The Fourth band signed with AFM and released in Canberra. Leonard Kopilas from Season was released on the 24th the much anticipated 5th album, Manic Opera joined the band in place August 2007, through Dockyard 1. 'Distant is the Sun'. of Olding as recording continued, In February 2008 Vanishing Point DISCOGRAPHY REVIEWS & ACCOLADES Reviews and articles: Distant http://www.trendkillmagazine.com/march2014/ is the Sun www.metalobsession.net/2014/02/21/vanishing-point- distant-is-the-sun/ 2014 http://sfmedia.com.au/vanishing-point-distant-is-the-sun-cd- review/ 4/5 http://themusic.com.au/reviews/album/2014/02/19/ vanishing-point-distant-is-the-sun-brendan-crabb/ 4 /5 “In Thought is a very good debut album that does exactly what it was In Thought meant to do: Demonstrate the talent and creativity of Vanishing Point. Their ability to create good melodic riffs is showcased on this (1997, reissued in 1998) album, and the maturity of the songs is quite impressive considering the band members were about 19-20 years old back then.” 8.5/10 Eric Chiasson, MetalEater.com reviewer “The first thing that impressed me was the excellent musicianship Tangled in and songwriting of the album, the guitars and keyboard makes an terrific duo, while the vocals are delightfully interpreted, a good mix Dream of power with emotion. As for the cover art, let’s say no more, see it (2000) for yourself, just gorgeous, you don’t get this kind of enthusiasm in “each album you buy. Looks aside, I must say that this sounds great too, almost each song is a killer one, full of catchy rhythms, great keyboards and emotional yet potent vocals.” 9/10 “ Undercraft, MetalStorm.net reviewer “...this album just proves why I’m so goddamn obsessed with the Embrace The Australian Metal scene! It’s brilliant and diverse! This album is just majestic / epic / all those other adjectives used to describe the best Silence of the best in Melodic Metal.” (2005) 100% Kerry Mustaine, Metal Archives reviewer “Beautiful, epic, powerful, not cheesy, not lame, heavy, technical, brilliant, a f**king masterpiece.” 96% Wahnsinn, Metal Archives reviewer “For all the reasons you can think of, “The Fourth Season” is an The Fourth album of flagrant melodic and lyrical brilliancy, whose elegance and emotional strength will be hard to even equal.