Band:	Vanishing Kids
Album:	Miracle Of Death
Style:	Doom metal, Psychedelic rock
Release date:	October 13, 2023
A review by:	nikarg

01. Spill The Dark
02. Only You
03. Demon Glove
04. Midnight Child
05. Feral Angel
06. LKN
07. Dust

Since their formation back in 2000, Vanishing Kids have been releasing interesting albums that do not sound very similar to each other. With the addition of bassist Jerry Soffran next to the founding duo of Nikki Drohomyreky (voice, organ, synthesizers) and Jason Hartman (guitars), the band has been indulging into some of the most beguiling doom psychedelia out there. Heavy Dreamer was love at first listen, and so is Miracle Of Death.

The press release mentions that you can find pieces of Pink Floyd, Jane’s Addiction, Uriah Heep, Amon Düül, My Bloody Valentine, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, and many other '70s and psychedelic rock influences in their musical DNA. I would also add The Cure and Cocteau Twins, but I need to point out that Vanishing Kids have a sound that is all their own. Miracle Of Death is not exactly metal, it’s not exactly goth, and it’s not exactly indie rock. It is doomy and stonery, proggy and shoegazey, and quite fond of classic and psychedelic rock. It also has a relatively free form, not as in ‘unstructured’, but as in ‘free-flowing’, in the sense that the musicians let their inspiration guide them, instead of imprisoning themselves to one style, one idea, or one label.

If you have listened to Heavy Dreamer, which was nominated in the Metal Storm Awards back in 2018, you will find that Miracle Of Death is pretty close to it musically. For the uninitiated, this is a trip through fuzzy guitars, lush keyboards, acidic bass lines, and ethereal vocals. There are mainly heavy, doomy, ballad-like songs, but also a couple of more upbeat ones (“Only You”, “Midnight Child”). The longer songs are serpentine pieces of sonic seductiveness, and they remain compelling throughout their runtime.

Nikki Drohomyreky’s voice remains spellbinding; I cannot find another word to better describe it. I could say that she is a mix of Siouxsie Sioux and Sara Bianchin, but, honestly, she sounds like no one else, her vocal style is unique, and the way she sings invites you to get lost in the haze of her own dreamy world. Her performance on “Spill The Dark”, especially, is one of the most haunting ones of the year. Then you have Jason Hartman’s solos that are so soulful, almost Gilmour-esque, with each note being played as if it is meant to be savoured (check out especially “Spill The Dark”, “Demon Glove”, and “Dust”). The presence of drummer Nick Johnson of the fantastic Jex Thoth to the recording line-up has added an extra touch of doom class, and he has paired very well with Sofran and his rumbling bass.

As good as the performances are, a very important element that stands out, in my opinion, is how each instrumental and vocal part is thoughtfully written and placed in each song. It is so important to know what to highlight and when, as it is important to know when to pull back to bring something else to the fore. And the mix by Randall Dunn is exemplary.

Miracle Of Death is a worthy successor to the fascinating Heavy Dreamer, and this was no easy feat. It has a mystical and heartfelt mood and atmosphere, lying in the place where beauty embraces darkness, and where reverie becomes emotion.