Fabio Lione

Fabio Tordiglione (born October 9, 1973), known professionally as Fabio Lione, is an Italian singer who has worked with many bands in the Metal genre. He was known for being the singer of Italian symphonic power metal band Rhapsody of Fire for 21 years. He later formed his own band Turilli / Lione Rhapsody   with former Rhapsody of Fire guitarist Luca Turilli. He is also the current lead vocalist of Angra, and was the original singer of Labyrinth and Vision Divine.

Fabio was born in Pisa. His career started in 1990 at the age of 17 when he began to sing with a small  Rock and Roll underground group who played classics of 1950s and 1960s similar to Elvis Presley's songs. He had a passion for groups such as QueensrÿcheFates Warning, and Crimson Glory, which inspired him to form his own heavy metal band.

His musical activities continued with a young group from Pisa, named Athena. They were a progressive metal band with their own unique style and challenged various expressions. Fabio recorded in 1992 a demotape with Athena and it was his first experience in a metal band. Fabio did twenty shows with the band, but after two years, he left the band in 1994.

Athena made their first album in 1995, called "Inside the moon".

At first his stage name was Joe Terry which was the combination of his favourite heroes' names in Japanese games (Joe Higashi and Terry Bogard from Fatal Fury). His first piece of musical equipment was a Shure SM 58 microphone.

Athena 1992/1998

Fabio joined Athena in 1991 and in 1992 they recorded their first demotape. After several concerts he left the band in 1993 for a new collaboration, the one with Labyrinth. Athena called Fabio again in '97 ..so they could start work on their second album "A New Religion" which was released in 1998.

Fabio wrote the lyrics and the vocal lines for ten songs; the lyrics used religious and philosophical words and had the tendency to reflect deep meanings on their music. He and the other members of Athena attended the Axel Rudi Pell Tour in December 1998 with Dreamscape, another progressive metal band from Germany. Shortly after the tour the band decided to break up.

Labyrinth 1995-1996

Fabio Lione met the band Labyrinth, then going under the name of "Vision". Shortly after, in 1993 the band started to work on a demotape called "Midnight Resistance", lyrics and vocal lines written by Fabio. Before the album No Limits (1996) was released, he recorded a EP with Labyrinth, "Piece of Time"  (1995) lyrics and vocal lines written by Fabio Lione.

Fabio Lione created the album "No Limits" together with Olaf Thörsen, a band member of Labyrinth. His lyrics were mainly based on his personal experiences and his emotions. He wrote vocal lines and lyrics for this record, all the lyrics in the album were connected as Fabio did this as an experiment.

Labyrinth's style was different from other bands because it was mixed with different music genres including Thrash metal and Progressive rock. Fabio Lione was the singer of Labyrinth for just more than three years.

Rhapsody of Fire 1997-2016

In 1997, the most important and longest running moment began: becoming the lead vocalist of the Heavy metal/Power metal band Rhapsody. Rhapsody first began negotiations with Fabio Lione at Gate Pathway Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany after hearing him in the "Piece of Time" album from Labyrinth. Later that year, the first of many albums, Legendary Tales, was released with Fabio Lione as lead vocalist. The second album, Symphony of Enchanted Lands, would be released in 1998, followed by Dawn of Victory in 2000.

The band participated in many concerts throughout their first years. Fabio Lione also recorded a new EP album Rain of a Thousand Flames with Rhapsody in Germany between April and August. The album was released in December 2001. Fabio performed on stages with Rhapsody at Gods of Metal 2001 (Milan) in June, during South American Tour (Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and Chile) and at Rock Machina Festival (Spain) in July. After these concerts, Fabio Lione and Rhapsody recorded their fifth album Power of the Dragonflame. The album was released in March 2002.

Rhapsody travelled with Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica on a successful European tour in April and May 2000 when they also had a chance to join the Wacken Open Air Festival 2000 in Germany. Fabio Lione attended Rock Machina Festival in Spain in July. Fabio set out on Rhapsody's first headlining tour (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Japan and Korea) and joined the summer festivals in Europe including the Bang Your Head!!! Festival in Germany.

In February 2004, he finished vocals for Rhapsody's new album Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret. The band went promo tour for their new album throughout Canada, US, Germany, Sweden, Czech Republic, Greece, and the UK. On the album's release day, 27 September, the band had a signing session with Christopher Lee in London. Fabio Lione also appeared with Christopher Lee on a TV music program in Germany.

In 2005, because of copyright issues, the band officially changed its name to Rhapsody of Fire. Under the label Nuclear Blast, they released two more albums and one EP and did a worldwide tour as well as many festivals. Triumph or Agony was released in 2006, followed by The Frozen Tears of Angels and The Cold Embrace of Fear – A Dark Romantic Symphony in 2010 and From Chaos to Eternity in 2011.

Rhapsody of Fire, with Fabio Lione at its helm, went back to the studio without long time guitarist and founding member Luca Turilli, to record a new album, Dark Wings of Steel , Fabio Lione wrote all the lyrics for this record. The album was released in 2013.

In 2016, the band released the album Into the Legend, all lyrics written by Fabio Lione. After a short tour promoting the album, Fabio announced on September 28, that he was parting ways with the band.

Vision Divine 1999-2012

In 1998, Fabio Lione met Olaf Thörsen and to seal their newfound friendship, they decided to create what was originally supposed to be only a side-project: Vision Divine. Fabio now found himself in the two groups: Rhapsody and Vision Divine, and this situation continued, with successes in both groups, until 2003. The first "Vision Divine" record in 1999 received excellent sales results and criticism (and took the band on tour in South America for the first time).

The second album of Vision Divine Send me an angel was released in January 2002. Fabio Lione composed eight vocal lines for this album. Their expressions became more serious and deeper, close to the reality of divinity and humanity with progressive and heavy sounds. The album Beto Vazquez Infinity (from the band with the same name) was released in February, including the song "The battle of the Past" in which Fabio Lione was singing as a guest vocalist for the Beto Vazquez project. In 2003, Fabio sang at shows with Vision Divine at Gods of Metal 2003 (Milan) and at Heineken Jammin' Festival (Imola) in June.

He then recorded four demo songs with Vision Divine in November and performed on an Italian Tour in December. Shortly after it was announced Fabio Lione had to leave the band, due to his other commitments making it too difficult to front this band as well. He nevertheless spent most of the year writing and left the band nine new vocal lines for the "Stream of Consciousness" album, executed with a different singer. The album was released in 2004 with Michele Luppi on vocals.

In 2008, Fabio Lione took part in some shows with Vision Divine to celebrate the ten years of the band, and on May 28,, they announced that Fabio had rejoined the band as the new singer. The band released the new CD 9 Degrees West of the Moon in 2009 and did many shows supporting the record.

In 2012, they released (with Edel/Ear music) what is probably considered their best work so far, Destination Set To Nowhere, with many great reviews received. The band performed many shows in Italy, Spain and on a South-American tour supporting the record.

Fabio departed from Vision Divine on April 28, 2018.

Eurobeat 2000-2005/2013

Fabio Lione's first Eurobeat song "Eye of the Tiger" was released in Japan in 2000. His name for Eurobeat project was "J. Storm", deriving from Joey Tempest. He published Eurobeat songs (list below) under this name between 2000 and 2005 and has declared that he wouldn't be making any more Eurobeat in the future. However, by the end of 2013 a new song was released called "Dance into the fire". One of his songs, "Dancing in My Dreams", was also used in Initial D Battle Stage.

Kamelot 2010

On December 16, 2010, American Power metal band Kamelot announced that Fabio Lione would take over lead vocal duties for Roy Khan for the Kamelot's tour supporting their "Poetry for the Poisoned" release due to Khan's eventual departure from Kamelot. Roy suffered from a burnout. 70000 Tons of Metal was the last of 49 shows with them, in January 2012.

Angra 2013-present

In January 2013, Fabio Lione was again on the stage at 70000 Tons of Metal, but this time with Brazilian Progressive metal band Angra. The two shows were a great success and Fabio was again with them at the Live n' Louder Festival in São Paulo with Twisted SisterMetal Church and Loudness. After that, the band decides to do a special tour, a commemorative one celebrating 20 years from the release of the first record Angels Cry.

They celebrate 20 years of career with 11 shows in Latin-America and the release of a new DVD, recorded in the last show in São Paulo. After that Angra played in Japan as co/headliner at the Loud Park festival 13 with Stone Temple Pilots and Europe and they had a very good response. The commemorative tour continues with another 14 shows in Latin America and 4 shows in Europe, where the band performed at Hellfest in France, alongside Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, Aerosmith and others. Following Hellfest, Angra returned to Sweden to record Secret Garden.

Angra announced that the band's new release, and the first album to feature vocalist Fabio Lione, entitled Secret Garden. The album was released by JVC in Asia on December 17 and later released on January 16, 2015 in Brazil, published by Universal Music, and North America, Europe, and Russia. The album brings what the band has called "a true renewal in the style of the band." With production by producer Roy Z (Judas Priest, Bruce Dickinson, Halford) and was recorded and produced in Sweden by Jens Bogren (Kreator, Arch Enemy, Opeth).

Rhapsody Reunion: The 20th Anniversary Farewell Tour 2016-2018

The 20th Anniversary Farewell Tour (Rhapsody Reunion) was a concert tour by former members of Rhapsody of Fire. It was announced on November 21, 2016 by ex-members Luca Turilli (lead guitar, founder and composer), Fabio Lione (vocals), Patrice Guers (bass), Dominique Leurquin (lead and rhythm guitar, and Alex Holzwarth (drums). The first gig was in Le Brise Glace in Annecy, France on April 26, 2017, and the last one in La Riviera Madrid on March 20, 2018. It has celebrated the 20th anniversary of Legendary Tales,

and had a number of their classic songs played at their shows, along with the album, Symphony of Enchanted Lands in it´s entirety. Fabio, who had been the lead singer has stated that the original band will no longer exist as the other members want to do different projects. Alex Staropoli who played the keyboards was not playing on this tour, to focus on his work with his own band, Rhapsody of Fire. Fabio Lione, Luca TurilliDominique LeurquinPatrice Guers and Alex Holzwarth proudly announced the reunion of the original members of Rhapsody of Fire, and the relevant farewell tour of the band.

Turilli / Lione Rhapsody 2019-2023

In December 2018, Lione and Luca Turilli announced that they had formed a new band: Turilli / Lione Rhapsody. They were joined by former members Alex Holzwarth, Patrice Guers and Dominique Leurqin. They released their only studio album "Zero Gravity (Rebirth and Evolution)" on 5 July 2019. Following the band's final tour in Latin America in January and February 2023, the band disbanded at its conclusion, which was announced prior as the band "closing a chapter of their career for good".

Turilli / Lione Rhapsody 2019-2023

On December 5, 2018, Fabio Lione and Luca Turilli announced that they had formed a new band: Turilli / Lione Rhapsody. They were joined by former members Alex Holzwarth, Patrice Guers and Dominique Leurquin. Luca and Fabio branded their new band's music style as a "new generation of Symphonic metal" based on their artistic mantra "Rebirth and Evolution", underlining the clear intention of evolving their sound into something different, modern and innovative.

While Fabio was still touring with Angra, Luca locked himself in his studio for 3 months to compose the new album, and at the end of December 2018, they entered the studio to record their new band's debut album Zero Gravity (Rebirth and Evolution), which was released on July 5, 2019. In 2019 they were already touring in South America, but had to pause the tour due to the Covid pandemic that broke out and had to fly back to Italy. they resumed the tour in Latin America in January and February 2023, the band disbanded at its conclusion, which was announced prior as the band "closing a chapter of their career for good".

Source: Wikipedia, and a little from myself

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