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When you mention
the words Australia and Rock Music the instant reaction in AC/DC and INXS
and that’s it. Well Vanishing Point are one band that have made it
their business to show the world that there is more to Australian rock and
metal than two bands.
The band deliver
the type of Progressive Metal that reigns supreme in Europe, but the band
are again setting the record straight with this their fourth and
undoubtedly their best album so far, 'The Fourth Season' takes the band to
the next level and beyond.
The album opens
up with ‘Embodiment’ and instantly the huge sound is there with powerful
pummelling drums of Christian Nativo and the resounding bass of Adrian
Alimic. The two newest members of the band making their mark from
the off when in comes the guitars of Tommy Vucur and Chris Porcianko and
the tremendous vocals of Silvio Massaro, which dominate not just this
track but the entire album.
The masterclass
in Progressive Metal continues with ‘Tyranny Of Distance’, a more keyboard
and thumping bass affair, with Massaro’s vocals breaking thru with the
double kick assault of Nativo keeping the tracks ticking over nicely.
'Surrender'
opens up with a choral air before the subtle tones of Massaro take over
with the heady bass Alimic again dominating proceedings. This shows
a more gentle refrain from the band while still retaining those strong
Progressive elements.
The tempo is
picked up somewhat with the stirring ‘Hope Among The Heartless’ before
being brought back down with the quite superb ‘Gala’ and ‘I Within I'.
With the intro ‘Gala’ its the piano start and soaring guitar solo making
way for the resounding military style drums and bass that enables the
track to soon gather momentum and leads perfectly into ‘I Within I’.
Silvio takes up the mike and brings the whole thing to the peak of
perfection, as all instruments collide in a flurry Symphonic grace and
splendour that has to be heard to be believed and is far away the best
thing the band have done.
After 'Gala' and
‘I Within I’ I was wondering just how were they going to follow that, well
my question was soon answered with the equally great ‘Behind The Open
Door’, a track true to the whole Prog Metal genre with its soaring guitar
work and bombastic rhythm section, topped with a vocal performance to die
for.
‘Ashen Sky’ is a
hard hitting slice of Prog Metal with the rhythm section ruling this track
with both bass and drums delivering a blitzkrieg of pounding rhythms as
the track airs towards Symphonic Power Metal, then it's back to the
melodic metal with ‘One Foot In Both Worlds’. Again the band get the
track underway with a slower start, but like so many other tracks on the
album, things just suddenly explode into a cacophony of sound then
undergoes a rapid tempo change and the melodic side of the band is once
again laid bare for all to hear. Such is the complexity of the whole
Vanishing Point sound you're constantly kept on your musical toes
listening to every passing note and beat as the songs unfold.
As we near the
end of the album we journey back to the more traditional Prog Metal with
‘Wake Me’, before the album closes with another of the highlights of the
album the sensational ‘A Day Of Difference’, with the inclusion of Peter
O’Tooles speech from Laurence of Arabia, which rounds off another superb
album from these antipodeans and will put Australia on the Metal map.
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