Vanishing Point / Embrace the Silence 2005 Avalon / Japan

Vanishing Point is a Progressive Metal Band from Melbourne Australia, they are not too known, at least they weren't known to me. After getting their second work Tangled in Dream from 2000 I found myself giving the album a lot of listenings. At first their singer seamed not to fit in the music style, but after almost a year of constant spins, I started to understand that there was something different about Vanishing Point, all of a sudden the album kept growing in my brain and started making sense a lot.

Their career goes back as far as 1997 when they debuted under a German label with "In Thought" their second effort; Tangled in Dream came three years later and had such impact that finish touring partners Sonata Arctica covered the song "Two Minds One Soul".

Although the original formation has seen a few changes lately on this album there was still a classic band gathered and that was: Silvio Massaro on Vocals and composition, Tommy Vucur on Guitars, Chris Porcianko Guitars, Joe Del Mastro on Bass Jack Lukic on Drums and Leonard Kopilas on Keyboards who replaced the departed original member Danny Olding. Their music is not as intricate or explosive, yet very cohesive with a thick sound and a taste for great touching lyrics. Their style ends up being one on it's kind, spanning their influences from Pink Floyd or Arena through the heaviness of Threshold and a few hints of old Marillion.

Singer Silvio Massaro's got a voice not to easy to assimilate, a bit on the low range, and also bright he sounds at times like Fish, Marillion's first vocalist. He gives to the band a touch of mixed Darkness and Light. Vanishing Point's Music stays heavy and on "Embrace" every detail is been much more taking care of: Vocal range, guitar solos, drumming and a cohesive final sound mix.

Embrace is much more heavier that it's predecessor album, Tangled in Dream (00). It starts with the power speed influenced track "Hollow", where the keyboard leads the song throughout the piece, the emotive poetry of guitar man Chris Porcianko and singer Silvio Massaro along the well crafted music are brilliant too.

My virtue, another high point on the album leaded by piano and slow mid tempo music patterns it's a great strong number and in which we can start hearing a more developed guitar playing. This masterpiece is basically everything from what many people out there would be fighting for to come up with, fine songs and hooking writing.

If Only I and Live To Live are moments of talented fast riffing and melodic vocal lines while Embraced and Seasons of Sundays bring the balance of quietness needed at this point on the record, where the basic atmosphere of the keyboards are the pivoting center in Vanishing's music.

The uplifting pianos on Reason and the song Breath continue with the touching vibe, a close feel to more progressive songs like Bring On The Rain or The Real You From the aforementioned Tangled In Dream.

Somebody Save Me, Insight and A Life Less are a welcome back to the more energetic and hooking heavy songs on Embrace The Silence, this great record ends with a slow peace moment brought by As I Reflect.

Vanishing Point is with out a doubt a very original band, their trademark combination of acoustic guitars and background keyboards in contrast with their consistent heavy riffing is what sets them apart from other acts. With their open minded attitude they are definitely not trying to copy or to be everybody's band of enjoyment. With a one of a kind musical trend, minimalist at times, their music is a very imaginative powerful experience.

Rodrigo Trupp