Vanishing Point

Vanishing Point
Origin	Melbourne VIC
Genres	Progressive metal
Years active	1994 - present
Labels	Metal Warriors, Riot!, Angular
Associated acts	Eye, Teargas
Website	http://www.vanishing-point.com.au
Members	Simon Best, James Maier, Silvio Massaro, Chris Porcianko, Christian Nativo
Past members	Adrian Alimic, Steve Cox, Scott Griffith, Joe del Mastro, Leonard Kopilas, Jake Lowe, Jack Lukic, Danny Olding, Pep Sammartino

Band Members

• Current Line-Up
  • Simon Best (bass)
  • James Maier (guitar)
  • Silvio Massaro (vocals)
  • Chris Porcianko (guitar)
  • Christian Nativo (drums)

• Former Members
  • 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
  • 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 (drums), Joe Del Mastro (bass) and Vucur drawn from a previous outfit called Eye.

In Thought found international release in Europe almost a year before it became available in Australia and is mid-paced, highly melodic progressive metal, competent but not particularly interesting and suffers from rather ordinary production. 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 the prestigious Wacken Festival in 2000. The band's second album is a much more complete work, awash with dense melody and catchy songs and has won considerable support in Europe. They 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 the band 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, Vanishing Point has remained a remarkably resiliant band; their album Embrace the Silence was released in May 2005.

In late October 2005, it was announced that Joe Del Masto had decided to leave Vanishing Point. After finishing off the band's few remaning live commitments, he departed in early 2006 and was replaced by Steve Cox from Teargas. Vanishing Point them 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 Alimic and Nativo and in 2007 the band toured Australia and New Zealand with DragonForce. The Fourth Season was released in late 2007 and tied with Requiem Mezzo Forte by Virgin Black on the Full Metal Racket listener's poll, when it was voted #6 metal release for the year.

Vanishing Point appeared as the main support act for several shows on early 2008 tours by Iron Maiden and Helloween; Jake Lowe replaced Kopilas. In November 2008 the band travelled to Europe to tour with Sonata Arctica and Pagan's Mind. Since returning from that tour, Vanishing Point has spent time writing another album but was forced into hiatus in 2010 when both founding member Tom Vucur and bassist Adrian Alimic 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 it was cancelled.

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

Compilation tracks:

Year	Track Title	Album Title	Label
1999	"Inner Peace", "Forgotten Self	Halloween Metalfest 99	Metal Warriors