Tourniquet

Item: Vanishing Lessons
Author: Doug Van Pelt

Vanishing Lessons

(1994)

Reviewed by Doug Van Pelt

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Label Intense RecordsHeaven's Metal #49September/October 1994

metal progressive metal thrash metal

The new Tourniquet album holds high the excellent standard the band is known for. Amid all the rumors of "drastic musical change," let it be known that this album is as heavy as the green monster pictured on the cover.

"Bearing Gruesome Cargo" starts things off with a ripping mocker/rebuke of people who blame others for their own sin. The chorus hook of "This is why I am the way that I am," is infectious. If it weren't for the stern lecture in the lyrics, I'd find myself repeating the chorus to everyone without thinking. Great hook.

The biggest change noticeable here is the inclusion of a couple songs that sound like something you'd hear in a format other than during your local radio's "bone-crunching metal hour." The biggest musical departure is in "Twilight," a melancholy rocker reminiscent of a late 60's Manfred Mann tune. Lyrically, it's a heartbreaking and strong rebuke about "locking our priceless heritage away/ Our kin the elderly." Next time you think about putting your parents/grandparents in a nursing home, read these lyrics!

"My Promise" is another stylistic flavor Tourniquet tries out here for the first time - a melodic ballad with touching lyrics about a new husband explaining to his new step-son that he will be his father now. A touching sentiment and song that provides a dynamic contrast as it punches in with the whole band halfway through.

"Sola Christus" is an all-out Tourniquet progressive jam with screaming guitars and lyrics that declare "Christ alone completed me." These guys keep getting better and better at slamming down thoughtful one-liners. The majority of the songs here find the band in top form. Luke Easter's first Tourniquet album finds him settling into a groove about as comfortable as the ones the rhythm section keeps digging. The only times he seems to get off track are the extenda-note moments in the title track and "Bearing Gruesome Cargo," yet the sound fits the frenetic pace of these songs well. Like other recordings, drummer Ted Kirkpatrick plays some of the guitar leads, which, along with Gary Lenaire's, sound diverse and tasteful. You'd swear that they hired a jazz/blues master to come in and do the second lead in "Pecking Order."

"Drowning Machine" and "Acid Head" set the records here for deepest groove. "Drowning..." gets things going with some throbbing bass, some talk box and crunchy guitar lines. The chorus is an anthemic chant that almost hypnotizes with power and tone. "Acid Head" got plenty of stage time on the band's latest tour, and proved to be a great groove rocker that slams like a heavyweight boxer. By the song's title, you'd think this is about LSD, but it covers the wasted life of a boy who drinks sulfuric acid.

A couple of tunes could've just as easily found themselves on the self-titled Metallica album - "Pushin' Broom," which plods with a heaviness factor of 10 and features an array of sounds thrown in guitar tones and in the rhythm. The soft vocals of the chorus conjure up the Metallica school of sound dynamics. In "Your Take," fellow Bay Area resident Luke Easter does a good James Hetfield attitude-filled vocal delivery, plus the guitars are as biting as a hungry shark.

The album's benchmark will probably be the creative instrumental, "K517," where Ted does a great job at showing that the drums are a musical instrument capable of several different flavors. Set to a Bach-like harpsichord solo, Ted wails away at mostly toms to accentuate the quick runs of the harpsichord. Not many drum solos can capture your attention and keep it all the way through, but this one does.

Tourniquet has done it again - forging intelligent lyrics into a new alloy of steel-hardened metal that's sure to please discriminate musicians and music fans.