Album Review: Vanishing Signs - Vanishing Signs

Greatness is something we used to spill copious amounts of ink, and now spend countless hours contorting our fingers on keyboards, trying to explain. The fact is language isn't strong enough to fully convey something as complex as greatness, or an emotion. Great music makes us feel something, and those feelings are beyond the capabilities of words. No poet can turn a phrase that can accurately reflect what love feels like, or the tingle that runs down your skin when you hear something truly special. We try, I try, but sometimes we have to understand the limitations we are working with, and instead turn our attention to what our voices can actually accomplish.

I feel that way about Dilana, the voice powering Vanishing Signs, who enter the fray with one thing no other band has; that voice. It's such a simple statement, but the message it carries is monumental.

Featuring former Gotthard organist Neil Otupacca, Vanishing Signs is classic heavy rock with swelling organs filling out the beefy mix. Sadly, so many bands we hear today are fixated on recreating synth tones from the 80s, when records like this make clear the Hammond organ is still the reigning king of rock and roll keyboards. It mixes so well with the saturated guitars that we get a wash of rock that slowly wears us down, much like the waves on the shoreline. The mix of rocking guitars, humming organs, and Dilana's voice is something we heard briefly on her song "Falling Apart", as it was originally recorded, and is glorious to hear again.

I particularly love the piano-driven drama of "No Regrets", which is an emotional crescendo featuring a guest vocal from Maggy Luyten, which amuses me, as the comment I made when she sang on Nightmare's "Dead Sun" album was that she sounded like Dilana singing metal. Now here we are with the two sharing a song. It's tremendous, from the passionate vocals, to the searing melody, to the guitar solo that releases all the tension exactly the right way.

The music Vanishing Signs gives us is muscular rock, the kind that hooks you with its power, not a sugary veneer. The melodies are strong without ever touching on pop, but it's the weight the band puts into these songs that wins you over. Everything is played all-out, but rather than sounding like they're trying too hard, it sounds like the love of rock and roll coming through the speakers. It's a very 'live' atmosphere, embodied in Dilana wishing us a good night at the end of "The Right Time", and it works to make the record sound authentic.

If we're going to talk positives, we also have to talk negatives, and there's one glaring negative I wouldn't ignore, regardless of the particular affection I might have. Two songs on the record don't feature Dilana, which I have to say is a mistake, both because she is a unique selling point to differentiate Vanishing Signs from every other rock band, but also because it dilutes a band's identity to not have a singular voice. The songs without her, "Heavy Hammond" and "Rolling On" are certainly still good, but it's harder to know exactly who the band are when the most identifiable and relatable part of their sound isn't consistent.

But looking at the bigger picture, here's what I will say; Vanishing Signs has delivered a great old-school album that is modern classic rock. They have the sound, the songs, and the voice to compete in the world of throwback rock. All they need is for you to give them a chance.