In 1994, Tourniquet abandoned most of the medical terminology in their lyrics, altered their style to a more accessible heavy metal/hard rock sound, and released "Vanishing Lessons". Erik Mendez had left the band in 1993 after the tour for "Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance", and so "Vanishing Lessons" was recorded by Tourniquet as a four-piece band. Soon after the album's completion, Aaron Guerra joined Tourniquet as Mendez's replacement in 1994. Metal Blade Records opted to not distribute "Vanishing Lessons", and Tourniquet continued to work exclusively with Intense Records until 1997. The album spawned the single "Twilight", which became the band's first CCM radio hit. A music video was shot for the song "Bearing Gruesome Cargo", and was later released on the 1995 home video "Pushin' Broom".