Vanishing Point are actually no strangers to the Melodic/Progressive Metal scene, with their debut emerging all the way back in 1997 – a slightly more progressive offering than what followed. Signing to LMP in 2000 and releasing 2nd album “Tangled In Dreams” seemed to set the band on an impressive path that saw them rivalling (and equalling) bands of a similar style at the time like House Of Spirits, Pagan’s Mind, Ivory Tower and Dreamscape. They slotted perfectly into the burgeoning European Melodic/Progressive/Power Metal scene just after the Millennium…hindered only slightly by the geographical fact that they are Australian.
Three albums for three different labels in ten years however failed to adequately keep up momentum and the band rather disappeared from view until AFM released their fifth album “Distant Is The Sun” in 2014. The new line-up (guitarist Chris Porcianko and vocalist Silvio Masaro being the only original members still in the band) showed a new determination and the album with its ballsier sound and attitude was very well received. Not a band to be rushed it’s taken until now for its successor to see the light of day. The two main stalwarts have retained guitarist James Maier and added an impressive new rhythm section – and it shows. The weightier edge to the 2014 offering has been built on and Vanishing Point 2020 find themselves musically somewhere between the likes of Borealis, Pyramaze, Seventh Wonder and current Evergrey.
This sound really suits them! Tracks like ‘To The Wolves’, ‘Free’ and the title track sail gracefully on their heavier rhythms, giving an extra dimension to a band that knows how to do melody just fine and always have, thanks to the confidently assertive, powerful vocals of Massaro, who shines once more on this album with hook after fabulous hook. Progressive elements are also used more rhythmically, in a similar way to the aforementioned Borealis, meaning the songs still flow and the intricacies are there for effect and to be discovered more gradually than the more impactful melody lines.
The band still show their more melodic metal side on ‘Salvus’, ‘Count Your Days’ and ‘The Fall’, but personally I am happier being swept along by tracks like the last four on the album, which emphatically revisit and build on that previous heavy, pounding power from earlier on the album. With their driving rhythms, crunching guitars, sparkling lead-work, occasional enhancing keys and dynamic vocals this quartet of songs are excellent – this is Vanishing Point at their best. They’ve found their sound as far as I’m concerned and I’m excited to hear where they take it next. Although I’ve clearly got plenty of time to enjoy this album if the sparsity of past releases are anything to go by – although this one was definitely worth the wait!
(8.5/10 Andy Barker)
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