EMBRACE THE SILENCE

After a gap of some 5 years, Australian Prog metal band Vanishing Point returned in 2005 with "Embrace the silence". The long gap was down to a number of problems, including contractual issues and ill health.

The best way to describe the music here is generic as Vanishing Point absorb a diverse range of influences from across the metal spectrum. Dream Theater, Iron Maiden, Dragonforce and Uriah Heep are just some of the bands who came to mind while listening to this album. "Live to live" for example is carried along on waves of big sounding keyboards, with soaring guitars and multi-part harmonies. The persistent beat helps to bring out the enthusiasm of the band.

At a shade under 7 minutes, "Embraced" is one of the album's highlights. The introductory guitar is softer and more melodic, leading to a mid-paced power-ballad style song. The purists among us will protest that it is not exactly prog, and they will have a point in terms of the album as a whole, but this is a mighty song by any standards. The intro to the following "Season of Sundays" is equally striking being reminiscent of Uriah Heep's "Midnight". By the time we reach "Reason", the band are in danger of sounding like Kiss, such is the instant appeal of the pop like vocal passages.

I cannot help but feel that from a prog perspective, some of the tracks could have been developed further. "Once a believer" for example, the longest track on the album at exactly 7 minutes, has an excellent arrangement. The song weaves its way through some fine passages, but had they been developed just a bit more this could have been a real classic.

There is a heavy reliance throughout the album on strong hooks for the chorus sections, which the band deliver in anthemic fashion, much like bands such as Rhapsody. This makes the songs instantly memorable for those who enjoy them, and thus gives the album early appeal. Whether it stands up to repeated listening over a long period though, is less certain.

The tracks all fit within the 5-7 minute range, but since there are no less than 13 in total, the CD is pretty much as full as it can possibly be. This can be a double edged sword in terms of retaining the listener's attention, but overall the band pull it off well.

In all, an album to please those who like the lighter side of prog metal. There are enough melodic hooks and power chords here to satisfy the most demanding melodic rocker. Whether there is enough substance to please those who demand a heavy dose of prog in their metal is doubtful, but this remains a highly enjoyable album.

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