VISION DIVINE was born in 1998, originally intended as Olaf Thorsen’s solo project (Labyrinth’s founder and guitarist at that time). Very soon he starts collaborating againwith Fabio Lione (lead singer of Labyrinth on their first album “No Limits” and current frontman of Rhapsody) and the solo project rapidly turns into a real band, its name being a combination of “Vision” -old Labyrinth’s monicker when Olaf created the band-and “Divine” -the title intended for Olaf’s solo album. The line-up got completed with Mat Stancioiu (drums), Andrew Mc Pauls (keyboards) and Andrea Tower Torricini (bass). In 1999 their first studio album, self-titled “VISION DIVINE”, is released and immediately becomes a huge hit. In 2001 the band starts writing and recording the new album, called “SEND ME AN ANGEL”, to be released in January 2002. At the end of that same year Olaf decides to leave Labyrinth to focus exclusively on VD and stop any annoying rumor about VISION DIVINE being considered a mere “side project”. In three years VD release two albums, and thanks to good sales results the band starts touring around the world. We’d like to mention the great
South American Tour in December 2000, where for the 1st time an italian Heavy Metal band got the chance to headline sold-out concerts in Argentina , Chile, Brasil , Panama and Mexico. in order to give the band a more consistent and definitive identity, Mat Stancioiu and Andrew Mc Pauls leave VD to play exclusively with Labyrinth, and get replaced by Oleg Smirnoff on the keyboards (ex Eldritch and Death SS) and Matteo Amoroso on drums (ex Athena). In 2003 the band begins the songwriting for the third forthcoming album, when unfortunately Fabio Lione’s career with Rhapsody ( now Rhapsody of Fire) and his duties in VISION DIVINE enter in conflict due to a new contract he had to sign ( together with all the other Rhapsody’s members) with the management Magic Circle. After a few months, they mutually agree to split in afriendly way,so to give VD the chance of continuing their career without having to stop for a long therm. The new singer to be chosen is Michele Luppi, a highly skilled and talented guy.
Now it is finally possible to complete the last songs needed, so thenew concept album gets recorded and entitled “STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS” , released in April 2004. With a brand new line-up and renewed ambitions the band cancels any previous deal and joins Scarlet Records for distribution on Italian territory, King Records for Japan and Metal Blade for the rest of the world. Surely now nobody can say that VISION DIVINE is a “side project” anymore. During 2004, VD bring their last album in tour, and after a year since the release of “STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS”, in April 2005,due to the persistent demand by their record labels and their fans, the band accepted to record its first live DVD. Then, after almost three months, “STAGE OF CONSCIOUSNESS” is released, featuring on DVD the successful “STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS” played live in its entirety. Meanwhile, Olaf starts working hard on a new record (a concept album again) in collaboration with Oleg Smirnoff and Michele Luppi. In October 2005, as the live DVD gets released in Japan , the band flies to the Land of the Rising Sun fortwo incredible shows in Osaka and Tokyo. The fourth release of VD, “The Perfect Machine” (out in Japan in October and in the rest of the world in November 2005) defines the maturity of the band. Again, another huge success, also thanks to the supervision and production of Timo Tolkki (Stratovarious). There are some further changes in the line-up, and the new members are Alessio Lucatti (keyboards), Cristiano Bertocchi (ex-Labyrinth,bass) and Alessandro Bissa(drums). This band, which is tested onstage on various italian and international gigs, gives life to the fifth album: “The 25th Hour” ,the ideal follow-up to the story started with SOC.Vision Divine and the great production skills of Timo Tolkki take us to the disclosure of Stream of Consciousness’ pending plots, the first chapter of what we could call the mystic trilogy of Vision Divine! In the middle of 2008 Fabio Lione rejoins the band after almost 5 years, and in 2009 Vision Divine are ready to release their 6th studio album,titled “9 degrees west of the moon”, under the melodic label Frontiers Records: a complex and dark album, in which the bands states once and for all its will to be free from any particular metal genre, accentuating their many influences which vary from hard rock to Trash metal, across progressive arrangements.
In 2012 the big news is that Vision Divine signed with the highly acclaimed Edel Germany / Ear Music, and they are ready to release their new album, titled “Destination set to nowhere“: a concept album in the well-known style of the band, but with a futuristic atmosphere of the story, which takes place in space, but starting from the social-political troubles which everybody is experiencing in our every-day life. A shiny production for their most mature album up to date, which took one entire year for the songwriting, pre-production and the studio recording and that will lead the band into their new musical dimension, made of a total mix of all the styles they crossed and experimented around the years.In December 2018 a new single “Angel of Revenge”, is released to present their new line up, with Mike Terrana on Drums and Ivan Giannini on Vocals. Released as a “demo” for free on the main portals, the song has been praised by the fans and the magazines and it’s currently over 650.000 views on Youtube.In 2019 (Oct 25th) the band will finally release the long awaited new full length album, titled “When all the heroes are dead”, under the labels King Records ( Japan) and Scarlet Records ( rest of the World).The first single, “3 men walk on the moon” has been released at the end of September, reaching 200.000 views on Youtube on the first 2 weeks and being included in all the most important playlist from Spotify.The band is currently preparing for the next live activities, which will start with the new year, and a new official video will be launched on Oct 25th, together with the release of the new album.