Released by: Armoury Records
Release Date: September 15th, 2012
Genre: Melodic Power Metal
Links: http://www.facebook.com/visiondivineofficial
Line Up:
Fabio Lione – Vocals
Olaf Thorsen – Guitars
Federico Puleri – Guitars
Alessio Lucatti – Keyboards, Piano
Andrea “Tower” Torricini – Bass
Alessandro Bissa – Drums
Tracklist:
1. S’io Fosse Foco
2. The Dream Maker
3. Beyond the Sun and Far Away
4. The Ark
5. Mermaids from Their Moons
6. The Lighthouse
7. Message to Home
8. The House of the Angels
9. The Sin Is You
10. Here We Die
11. Destination Set to Nowhere
After the not so great last release from Vision Divine titled “9 Degrees West of the Moon”, where the band introduced the more high pitch vocals of Fabio Lione to the fold, the band attempts to piece thing back together on their newest offering “Destination Set To Nowhere”.
The lost recipe on their last record seemed to have been the potent and versatile vocals of Michelle Luppi, who was the reinforcement behind such great releases the likes of “Stream of Consciousness” and the “The Perfect Machine”. With all respect to Lione as he’s a tremendous vocalist range wise, Luppi was out of the ballpark in distinct style and added a vigorous flare of energy to the band that set them apart from other Progressive/Power Metal acts. Fabio is more schooled in the traditional power metal school of rock, but this doesn’t mean that this effort is below standards like their last one.
The music on “Destination Set To Nowhere” has the band reinforcing the more straight ahead melodic power metal approach from their last record and incorporating more keys and harder riffs to the fold. The album a concept of sorts is about a man journey through space as you could probably tell from the sci fi artwork. I’m compelled to tell you about influences from other sci fi led music and lyrics accustomed from bands like Pagan’s Mind for instance. The music however is another story.
After a short interlude in Italian to open things up, the band launches it’s prowess on the song “The Dream Maker” featuring some interesting keyboard arrangements. The hard edge and melodious chorus in “The Ark” gives way to a streamlined instrumental guitar solo. The haunting opening lines of “Mermaids from Their Moons” has Lione working it’s way with his up tempo shifting vocals throughout this explosive tune which also features an array of bombastic guitar and keyboards, I can see why he was asked to tour with Kamelot when their lead singer Khan left the band. The slower number of “Message to Home” portrays more of a soul approach in it’s root. The rest of the record compliments the first half pretty well as the band enchants the listener with more outpouring musical assault on guitars and drums.
First few spins on this one and I still hear a more potent sound that the band has bred perhaps something they we’re going for judging from Lione’s past works in power metal symphonic bands like Rhapsody. You won’t be blown away with ground breaking mysticism as the sound here is typical of other bands in the genre, but it’s not say that is not an enjoyable offering as all the band members flourish with rampage and own-age of their respected instruments. I still feel some fans will never let go of Luppi’s style and his impact on the band on past records, but is a solid effort trying to find it’s way through it’s spacey concept.
Written by Denys