Tranquillity [Import]

Track Listings

1. Secret Tranquility

2. Prelude to Dreams

3. Kyrie

4. Ghosts in the Darkness

5. Waterford County

6. Pachelbel's Canon

7. Spring

8. Raindancer

9. Perchance to Dream

10. Dreams Within Dreams

11. Adagio

12. Midsummer Night's Dream

13. Gregorian Plainsong

14. Appalachion Fall

15. Shine on You Crazy Diamond

16. Brook

17. Tollis Canon

18. Winter Dreams

19. Pavone

20. Dreamscape

Tranquillity,Various Artists,Crimson Productions,Miscellaneous,New Age / Meditation,Pop,V/a Compilations

Tranquillity [Import]

Fiction
Average customer rating:

Better than 'Character' and almost as good as 'Damage Done'

melodic death metal kings

another masterpiece under the belt.

Less melodic, more death

More Groove than Earlier Releases

Fiction
Dark Tranquillity
Manufacturer: Century Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General | Rock | Styles | Music
General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

In Sorte Diaboli

With Oden on Our Side

United Abominations

Threads of Life

The Hinderers

ASIN: B000NIIUYC
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Tracks:

Nothing To No One
The Lesser Faith
Terminus (Where Death Is Most Alive)
Blind At Heart
Icipher
Inside The Particle Storm
Empty Me
Misery's Crown
Focus Shift
The Mundane And The Magic

Customer Reviews:

Better than 'Character' and almost as good as 'Damage Done'.......2007-07-29

Dark Tranquillity is one of the few bands that manages to alter and improve its sound on every new release. Each release since their "The Gallery" sounds different from the previous one but still is easily distinguishable as a Dark Tranquillity offering.

Their sound follows the Swedish melodic death metal recipe but it is different from the other bands playing in the same genre (At The Gates, In Flames, The Haunted, etc). Fast, aggressive yet melodic guitar riffs and leads, pounding but also varying drumming, the perfect use and amount of keys and Stanne's low and high death vocals. The good thing about DT's songwriting is that it is not predictable. All songs are versatile, aggressive, melodic, progressive and technical all at once.

Some fans and reviewers claim that 2005's "Character" is the bands strongest release since their 1995's classic "The Gallery"... well, I strongly disagree. Although "Character" was another masterpiece, it was fast paced throughout, rawer and not so versatile. It was definitely more 'death' than 'melodic death' and that similarity of tempo in most tracks resulted in a monotonous sounding release, in a way. "Fiction" IMO perfected "Character's" sound. There are still plenty of fast songs with outstanding drumming (with the use of blast beats aswell), down tuned and heavy guitar riffs and death vocals, but there are also passages within these same songs that are more atmospheric and incorporate wonderful melodies provided by keys, guitar leads and solos.

Songs like 'Nothing To No One', 'Terminus (Where Death Is Most Alive)', 'Inside The Particle Storm' and 'Focus Shift' are some of the best songs that the band has ever written. Even 'The Mundane And The Magic' which is the most simplistic and slow song manages to sound amazing due to the use of beautiful keys, varying drumming and the application of both female and clean vocals in the chorus. You will be certainly amazed by this album, it contains some of the best guitar riffs I have ever heard (you will be forced to head bang), melodic and technical guitar leads and solos, truly amazing (and not over the top) drumming and the best vocals of the genre!

I honestly believe that "Fiction" is Dark Tranquillity's strongest release after the brilliant "Damage Done" and the experimental masterpiece "Projector". For any fans of the band and for any fans of metal this is a must buy. DT are still going strong after being active for over 15 years and haven't released a weak album yet. Congratulations to them...

melodic death metal kings.......2007-06-17

Dark tranquility are one of the few melodic death metal bands that have developed a unique sound early in there career and never completley strayed from it or lost it and for that alone should be comended. They have also always released at least quality material throughout their career. Ficton is another great record from them. Each track is distingushable and fantastic in its own way. Terminus(where death is most alive) is the heaviest and fastest song on the album. Misery's crown features clean vocals which were featured prodimenatley on projector which are tremendous full of emotion without ever losing their edge and fantastic thought provoking lyrics. The last track the mundane and the majic is the only song that features female vocals and they are used to tremendous effect in the chorus. Icipher and lesser faith are also fantastic seamessly blending aggresion and a undercurrent of melody. Inside the particle shows the more elecltronic side of dark tranqulity with a strong use of keyboards throughout. Focus shift is the only weak song to me. Bottom line dark tranquility have never made a bad record and are the reigning melodic death kings in my opinion. Everything about this band is top notch though provoking lyrics what is argurabbly the best death metal vocalist in the field and the melodic but still agressive music.

another masterpiece under the belt........2007-06-04

Comparing the Dark Tranquillity's recent work with that of their historically related band In Flames, it seems almost counter-intuitive for dark tranq's standards to have remained so high. This review is not of course to speak of In Flames, but merely keep them in mind when considering how different Dark Tranquillity's work has become. Instead of forcing their music to fit a preconceived notion of commercialism to the point where all of the songs end up sounding like it was churned out of somebody's Swedish metal factory. _Fiction_ marks the third masterpiece in a row, and by now they have utterly perfected the stylistic turn that began years back with the mostly successful experiment _Projector_. It is easy enough to lump _Projector_ into the same category as stuff like _Clayman_ or _Natural Born Chaos_, although such a comparison does not bear much usefulness as _Projector_ did not mark a turn to commercialism in the scope of dark tranq's career, but instead was an experiment in the grand scheme of finding awesome music.

With gorgeous pianos and keys shining alongside the ever-brilliant guitar leads and riffs, _Fiction_ also marks the return of Stanne's clean vocals on two tracks and a female-voice supported chorus on the final track, the stunning finale "The Mundane and the Magic". The music is very close to _Character_, but where _Character_'s tracks came off sounding a bit blurred together, _Fiction_'s variety and imagination shows that if anything, Dark Tranquillity is only getting better and may yet peak beyond even what they attained with their youthful masterworks of genre-defining melodeath godliness, _The Gallery_ and _The Mind's I_. In fact, this is the best album since those. Tracks like the grumbling opener "Nothing to No One", the soaring "Focus Shift", or the ripping speedmetal of "Blind at Heart" are mainstays of the band's modern sound, combining the band's literally unmatched ear for melody and arrangement with their impeccable classical (as in western art music) sense of development and structure. Also of great interest is the churning, massive "Inside the Particle Storm", the driving metal of "Misery's Crown", with its sparse clean verses, growly-crunchy choruses and bridge with a blistering riff that screams for air guitar, and of course the INCREDIBLE closer "The Mundane and the Magic", where Stanne and guest singer Nell trade off lines on the chorus to chilling effect, and verses develop with seething guitar crunch and melancholy piano. This song in a way evokes "Bolt of Blazing Gold" without sounding at all like it, and that is of course a good thing. The production has been compressed to a grey smear with little breathing room for the arrangements, heavy and thick, which would out of context appear as a bad thing were the music not so perfectly incredible. Any other production would feel like it belonged with a different recording.

Less melodic, more death.......2007-05-20

This album and its spiritual (and chronological) predecessor Character mark a shift in Dark Tranquillity's approach to melodic death metal -- namely, a shift away from melody and towards death. Accordingly, the production has become emptier and drier, the sonic equivalent of walking barefoot across the smooth concrete floor of a darkened empty warehouse.

For some, this is a welcome change. But for me, DT's Damage Done represented the high-water mark in melodic death. It was full of pain and longing and rage, evoked through its haunting melodies. The album was very emotionally expressive (for metal) even when Mikael Stanne withheld his throaty rasping vocals. Fiction trades some of that for more aggressive riffs and dusty ambience.

Despite all this, the album is quite good. The opener "Nothing to No One" throws some well-placed blast beats in your face while retaining the DT feel. "Focus Shift" initially misdirects with a grooving downtuned riff, then layers the guitars on in anticipation of the fist-pumping anthemic chorus. It's also nice to hear several mini-guitar solos sprinkled in liberally throughout the album. Song quality is a little uneven compared to Damage Done, but if you wanted to read a review on that album you'd be on a different product page.

Currently without any real peers in this type of metal, Dark Tranquillity's stiffest competition is themselves. 4.25 stars.

More Groove than Earlier Releases.......2007-05-19

Though I have to disagree with a previous reviewer: There's strong hints of Sabbath in many of these songs, and they ARE a mainstream band; they lose nothing here. The most noticeable difference with most of their previous releases is a concentration on groove as well as melody. There's a bit of downtuned-churning on this one, but I'm one of those guys that loves that. (Terminus is an example)

Many of the riffs display with a great attitude, and groove like a slower version of Fear Factory's Demanufacture. It's closest brother for comparison is Character, and it is amazingly eclipsed. The keyboards are allowed to take over large swaths of songs, and they provide that level of depth that only electronics can provide to an already great song. (Icipher, and Empty Me for that example.)

The album's overall atmospheric piece is "Inside the Particle Storm."

If you were to blend Character and Projector together, this is the album you would get.

Average customer rating:

Can't go wrong with this one
I LOVE THESE GUYS
Woman of little words...
Melodic Brutality
Character, what an album!!!!

Character
Dark Tranquillity
Manufacturer: Century Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Damage Done
Haven
Fiction
The Mind's I
The Gallery

ASIN: B0006Z3DEY
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Tracks:

The New Build
Through Smudged Lenses
Out of Nothing
The Endless Feed
Lost To Apathy
Mind Matters
One Thought
Dry Run
Am I 1?
Senses Tied
My Negation

Customer Reviews:

Can't go wrong with this one.......2007-05-28

If you've heard Dark Tranquillity before or are already a fan then you know pretty much what your gonna get- a great album with with all their trademark sound but yet never sounding old or worn out. Now i might be a bit biased being that i'm a fan of the band but seriously this album is one of their best if not the best. If your looking for good melodic death look no further because these guys are at the top in the genre. Favorite songs are New Build, Through Smudged Lenses, Lost to Apathy, and My Negation

I LOVE THESE GUYS.......2007-04-06

this is just awesome music. These guys along with Iron Maiden are my favorite band. Its just too bad they dont get hardly any recognition. this is the band they need to be hailing on the radio, not My Chemical Romance or Nickleback. But it will never happen, not in america anyways.
this music is not only heavy but it is beautiful at the same time. its almost like an orchestra playing only with heavy metal intruments instead of the brass and winds. there isnt a single song on this album that i can say is weak. they all grab me by the throat and say SCREAM!!!!
If you like in flames do yourself a favor and grab a cd from these guys, they sound similar in style to them but they are light years ahead of them in sound and talent.
the album begins full charged with new build and continues full throttle and doesnt let up until the final track My Negation when it goes to over drive (horrible analogies i know) which i think is the best track on the album. then there is the single lost to apathy which is my second favorite song. but hey numbering the songs in order from favorite to least is pointless, they are all awe inspiring.
this band is coming out with a new album sometime this month i believe, and cant wait. each on of their albums have been an improvement over the last so, if this next one continues that trend i believe there will be alot of deaths. the human mind can only tolerate a certain limit of awesomeness. anything more will result in cranium exploditis. YES I WIN AT THE CHEESY LINE CHALLANGE!!! or the horrible grammer challange, either one is fine. Enjoy

Woman of little words..........2007-03-16

I love this band. I love their music, love their lyrics (very intelligently written), love the titles to their songs. A fan for life. Love this album + all others released prior.

Melodic Brutality.......2006-10-03

Dark Tranquilty are the true godfathers of the Melodic Death Metal genre. Reason: They are still pumping out Brutal yet Melodic tunes, Unlike their old shared crown with In Flames. Dont get me wrong I love In Flames(look at my name) but this album blows away everything In Flames has done lately.

Solid song structures and amazing guitar riffs and solos/breakaways are constant and completely relentless. Many short softer moments are heard within certain tracks but the heaviness returns quikly leaving you drooling. The duel guitar masters leave no song unscathed with masterful riffing. If you can't head bang to this album.. You failed.. Go listen to pop rock.

Usually my reviews of late are more in detail but I think i'll just leave this as a praise to the band as I am still awed at this album. Dark Tranquilty are an amazing group and I advise anyone interested to not wait and start buying all of their albums!

-My 5 Favorite Tracks-

+The New Build
+Through Smuged Lenses
+The Endless Feed
+Dry Run
+Am I 1?

-Metal up your @$$ \m/

Character, what an album!!!!.......2006-09-08

This is Dark Tranquillity at its finest, make no mistake about it. These guys were firing on every level on _Character_ and is also my favourite disc in the Metal genre. What makes this album a winner is the well thought out lyrics of Stanne (vocalist) and his raspy' interpretation. While this album is not a 'concept' album, the central theme is based on 11 different people or 'characters' portrayed by Stanne. His lyrics reflect the modern world and the current state we find ourselves (literally powerless to ignorance).

This album, speaks to me in a way no other album has, not just lyrically but on all levels. Their album artwork (a perfect connection to the lyrics and the music) sparks imagery like no other album Ive listened to. To go further, they could even release a short film depicting these 11 characters. I have my own fantasies and story-board ideas on visual imagery, but they will remain locked away in the depths of my imagination. It fair to say Im obsessed over this album, and with good reason!

The musicianship is top notch, with the most notable difference from (Damage Done) is the use of Keyboards and samples - adding the perfect backdrop to the Character landscape. Listen to "The Endless Feed" and you'll know what Im talking about. Brandstrom's use of Keys and different approach actually defines (to me) the sound of the album.

What drew me to Dark Tranquillity is the AMAZING artwork by Sundin (guitarist) on the _Haven_ record (also see Gadus Morhua, 130+ sketches of collected sketches from 93'-2005' by Sundin). Dark Tranquillity pride itself on the CD packaging, containing all lyrics and interesting illustrations to each song inside. The MAIN reason to buy _Character_ than to simply download the album for free. Its well worth the price.

This album is Pure Gold. And Well deservant of 5 stars!!! I will not delve into a track-by-track analysis, but I can safely say this is the ONLY album Ive come across where every second counts. This is an experience with "EPIC" written all over it. _Character_ is dramatic, poignant, refreshing and not to mention Timeless... A welcomed addition to any person who believes in the sheer power of extreme music.

Average customer rating:

Dark Tranquillity = the god of melodic death metal
A Template
"We're the outstretched fingers that seize and hold the wind...."
Such beauty...
Absolutely Enthralling.

The Gallery
Dark Tranquillity
Manufacturer: Century Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Mind's I
Damage Done
Projector
Haven
Skydancer/Of Chaos and Eternal Night

ASIN: B0007Y08T2
Release Date: 2005-04-05

Tracks:

Punish My Heaven
Silence, and the Firmament Withdrew
Edenspring
The Dividing Line
The Gallery
The One Brooding Warning
Midway Through Infinity
Lethe
The Emptiness From Which I Fed
Mine Is The Grandeur...
...Of Melancholy Burning
Bringer Of Torture
Sacred Reich
22 Acacia Avenue
Lady In Black
My Friend Of Misery

Album Description

First time ever available domestically, this is the debut album originally released on Osmose in 1995. This edition features 5 bonus tracks, covers of Metallica, Iron Maiden, Kreator, Sacred Reich, and Queensryche. Updated artwork and layout by band member and renowned graphic designer Niklas Sundin.

Customer Reviews:

Dark Tranquillity = the god of melodic death metal.......2007-07-02

What can I say about this band. I have six of there cd's and each one is just as good if not better then the last. The Gallery is a very great cd by them and should not be missed if you can get your hands on it. I won't go into much of the songs becasue really I would just be saying what many other people say.

Just pick this CD up and all there other CD's.

A Template.......2007-05-06

Having myself started with Character, I've been uncovering the hidden treasures of DT, starting with this one, I'm very happy to say that although Stanne's vocals are a little rough around the edges, they are infused with fantastic lyrics as stated earlier, but most importantly they establish an unforgettable in style. Aside from recording quality I can see most of these songs appearing on Character. Guitarwork is tight, and DT is without a doubt my favorite metal band... they don't simply grind charnel house with their guitars, the construct beautiful melody that speeds right along.

Though metal fans tend to be fickle, I have to say that the established a specific style with this album, and though they broke from it largely in the future, they've emerged a very mature and competent band that takes these ideas and makes something truly new and original.

"We're the outstretched fingers that seize and hold the wind....".......2007-03-29

Ever since I acquired a fetish for melodic death metal, I've looked into a lot of bands that are classified in the genre. Dark Tranquillity was one of them. The Gallery was the first CD I bought by them, and it certainly won't be my last. This album is filled with bone-crushing heaviness, melodic beauty, and mythical lyrics. Above all, it has an atmosphere that is unlike any other metal album I've heard.

I'm glad I didn't review this as soon as I listened to it for the first time, because otherwise, it would'nt have been so positive. Dark Tranquillity is a lot heavier than other melodeath bands I've heard. You could probably even argue they're borderline black metal, but with a melodic sensibility. But I let it grow on me, and after a while I recognized for the masterpiece that it is.

The first track, Punish My Heaven, opens up with drums, and then really fast, schizophrenic guitars and bass interwind with each other, and Mikeal Stanne lets out a "RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!" that catches you completely off guard. It gives you a good feel for what the rest of the album will sound like. The following track, Silence And The Firmanent Withdrew, is a lot more melodic, but no less evil. Other great tracks are the title track, The Dividing Line, The One Brooding Warning, The Emptiness From Which I Fed, and ...Of Melancholy Burning. But the whole album is pure melodic death bliss. My favorite song is by far the title track: The lyrics, instruments, atmosphere.... everything in this song is top notch. The lyrics are a good representation of the album cover, and the artwork throughout the sleeve of the album. What makes it even cooler is the female vocals (done by Eva Marie Larsson) that wail during the acoustic guitar interlude. This is also used on ...Of Meloncholy Burning.

The best part about The Gallery is that even in its most musically complex parts, it still feels very atmospheric and seems to just serve the music. Mikeal Stanne can hold a growl for a very, very long time. Just listen to his shrieks on Punish My Heaven and The Dividing Line. Even when he sing clean vocals, they're still pretty gritty and low. Frederik Johansson and Anders Jivarp make an awesome guitar duo; they also interwind solos on Punish My Heaven and The Emptiness From Which I Fed. Martin Henricksson's basslines are ACTUALLY audible! Not only that, but his basslines are very intricate and complex, not just the same-old-same-old that other metal bands use. And Niklas Sundin's drumming is very unique. I say this because even when using double bass kicks, his drums glide over you, if that makes sense.

The only time the album gives you a breather is the instrumental Mine is The Grandeur...., which is soothing, folksy-sounding acoustic guitars, but that is interrupted as soon as .... Of Melancholy Burning kicks in. Mine Is The Granduer is basically the prelude to ... of Melancholy Burning (Mine Is The Grandeur of Melancholy Burning). It's also the only other track to use female vocals.

Inside the album sleeve, there are fragments of art scattered on the sides. Some of the pictures include a raven, lava, forests, and others I don't know what the hell they are. But that doesn't matter because each picture is very cool and interesting.

The reissue contains 5 covers: Bringer of Torture by Kreator, Sacred Reich by Sacred Reich, 22 Arcia Avenue by Iron Maiden, Lady In Black by King Diamond, and My Friend of Misery by Metallica. I haven't heard the originals to be perfectly honest, but I can tell you that DT do an excellent cover of each of these songs, and could fit in right with the rest of the album.

Like I said before, The Gallery is my only DT record, but after being blown away by it, I plan to get my hands on every CD I can find by tis awesome band. Even if you only like metal a little bit, I STRONGLY recommend you buy The Gallery the first chance you get. The lyrics are intriguing, the musicianship is great, the vocals are intimidating yet strangely emotive, and the atmosphere is priceless.

P.S. And don't you just love the cover art?

Such beauty..........2006-06-10

"The Gallery" is the jewel in the crown of Dark Tranquillity's god-like back catalogue, and given the quality of the competition, that's saying something. Whenever I listen to it, I'm always amazed at how such a powerful, emotive, sensual piece of art can exist. Make no mistake; this is not only the greatest album ever to emerge from the Gothenburg scene. "The Gallery" is almost as close to perfection as music can be.

The real brilliance of "The Gallery" does not lie in technical skill, although to say that the likes of Niklas Sundin and Anders Jivarp are unskilled would be completely untrue. Datk Tranquillity's real genius lies in their arrangements and songwriting. This may seem like a bold statement, but I believe that in these areas, Dark Tranquillity are unmatched. Not even Opeth, who are renowned for writing songs which rival classical symphonies, can match Dark Tranquillity in this one area. The guitars, bass and drums here harmonise in a way so perfect that it's hard to believe they were written by mere humans. Each instrument compliments each other perfectly, none dominating but all contributing to the artistic beauty of "The Gallery." The guitars and bass (and you can actually hear the bass in this album - that's always a good sign), far from being an assault on the senses like so many other heavy metal albums before and since, consist mainly of tremolo picking, the tempo often varying, intertwining around each other to create a lush, melodic, organic atmosphere. Many other, lesser melodic death bands rely on synths almost exclusively to provide melody (Children Of Bodom, I'm looking at you) as a way to get around really putting their backs into making the arrangements work, but thankfully, Dark Tranquillity's melody comes from a higher work of musicianship. Occasionally acoustic guitars and pianos will also kick in to provide a softer interlude in songs like "Edenspring."

The drumming also deserves recognition as a feat of songwriting skill. Anders Jivarp's rhythms, rather than just using repetitive beats at a fixed tempo to provide the music with solidity, provides "The Gallery" with a third thread in it's weave of musicianship and establishes another layer in its melody. He makes full use of the toms and cymbals without disregarding the snare drum, with occasional bursts on the double bass pedal to add energy when the time is right. This is a heavy metal album after all.

And then of course, there's Mikael Stanne. On "The Gallery," he's at the top of his game, belting out agonised yet hauntingly emotive shrieks that put even his counterpart in At The Gates, Tomas Lindberg, to shame. There is a distinct similarity between him and Mikael Akerfeldt in the early days of Opeth. However, unlike Opeth, his voice sits at precisely the correct level in the mix; you can turn "The Gallery" up to a decent volume without the vocals becoming grating, but the chances of anyone considering them too quiet are precisely none. Female vocals performed by Eva-Marie Larsson can also be found on the tracks "The Gallery," "Lethe" and "...Of Melancholy Burning," which are very beautiful and near classical in tone. One notable moment is on "...Of Melancholy Burning," when one of Eva-Marie's oparetic calls slowly merges with a monstrous howl from Stanne, creating an odd, yet extremely cool effect.

I really don't have anything bad to say about this album. Each song is a masterpiece, a work of art each in it's own unique way. The only pity is that Dark Tranquillity never wrote anything like it again. In my own opinion, "The Gallery" is absolutely essential to anyone who enjoys music in any way shape or form, one of - if not THE - deepest, most layered, most rewarding albums you will ever hear. It is tangible proof that heavy metal is as much an art form as anything else.

Absolutely Enthralling........2006-06-01

I believe I'm not alone when I argue that Dark Tranquility's '95 album "The Gallery" is the cornerstone of the Gothenburg melodic death metal sound, as well as the album that took it into a different dimension. This album has the trademark harmonies, melodic solos, occasional female vocals, and a stellar production; but at the same time, it's not "straight-up" melodic death like In Flames early albums or old Arch Enemy. No, "The Gallery" has a progressive feel to it, and a somewhat Gothic atmosphere to it. (I would connect this to Stanne's lyrics.) Dark Tranquility use a technical flair on this album not found in many metal bands; meaning that the transitions between the riffs are kind of weird. You know, the type of thing where just as you're getting into a nice riff, it switches up on you, and you're taken by surprise, finding yourself saying, "Woah, didn't see that coming!" However, it's not self-indulgent and the technical moments seem to make the album deeper and keep things interesting, rather than just trade riffs back and forth. For instance, "The Dividing Line" starts off with a strange, amorphous drum pattern leading a jagged guitar lead, but right after this, the boys kick it into high gear with ass-kicking harmonies in true Gothenburg style.

My love for the guitars on this album is unfathomable. From the gorgeous interlude "Mine is the Grandeur", which tastefully utilizes three classical acoustic guitars (harmonizing with each other, of course) and booming timpani drums, to the epic yet somber "Lethe" and the frantic neo-classical solos on "Punish My Heaven", it's total perfection. The display is not totally virtuostic, and the harmonies add so much impalpable atmosphere to this record. The bass playing is superb as well. Instead of playing regular root notes, the bass seems to be a totally independent instrument by itself, as seen on "Edenspring".

One of the greatest things that grabbed me about this album was the drumwork. The listener doesn't get pummeled to death with double bass overhauls or endless thrashfests, but the drumming firmly supports the music. To sum it up, it's technical, intricate, but not over the top. Anders allows to music to breathe, and his odd patterns add a lot to the music.

Stanne's voice here is his best, I think. His raspy screams are at his emotional heighth on "...Of Melancholy Burning" and the vicous "The Emptiness From Which I Fed", and his lyrics are far from the metal norm. You can feel the sorrow through his screams, and he doesn't try to be another Anders Friden clone. There are some occasional clean vocals, and the female vocals on the title track work perfectly, giving the album even more of an epic feel.

This is definitely an essential metal album, and I would place it in my top 5 of the 90's. Pick up at all costs.

Average customer rating:

Different, Yet The Same...
Very good album from the sweedish metal band
Best Dark Tranquility - Shame they abandoned this style later on
At Loss For Words...
THeir other masterpiece, alongside Character

Projector
Dark Tranquillity
Manufacturer: Century Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Haven
Skydancer/Of Chaos and Eternal Night
Damage Done
The Mind's I
The Gallery

ASIN: B00000JQEL
Release Date: 1999-08-10

Tracks:

FreeCard
ThereIn
UnDo Control
Auctioned
To A Bitter Halt
The Sun Fired Blanks
Nether Novas
Day To End
Dobermann
On Your Time

Album Description

1999 and fourth release by this Swedish dark metal band, one of the pioneers of the infamous 'Gothenburg Sound'. Dueling guitar harmonies and complex song structures are combined with an intense aural assault rooted in the '80s thrash tradition. 10 tracks.

Customer Reviews:

Different, Yet The Same..........2007-03-16

All right. So some die-hard DT fans shun this album. "DT got all soft and mushy," some said, back in the day when this album was new and shiny--hot off the presses.

Anyone who knows me well (my mother included on this one), knows that I like my music fast and hard. DT have always satisfied me in this department. But are they not but mere mortal men? alloted some brief moments of tranquility and quietude...OK, enough reviewing of this blasted album. Just buy Projector. Listen to it with a gentle ear. If you should not like it, you can always resell, right?

Very good album from the sweedish metal band.......2007-02-17

I REALLY DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS ALBUM, HAVING ONLY LISTENED TO THE LATEST "DAMAGE DONE" AND "CHARACTER", I PERSONALLY THOUGHT I WOULD BE WASTING MY MONEY, BUT I GAVE IT A TRY ANYWAY. LET ME TELL YOU THAT I WAS NOT DISSAPOINTED AT ALL, DIFFERENT? YES, A BIT LESS AGRESSIVE? THAT TOO, BUT OVERALL THE WORK IS VERY GOOD. IF YOU LIKE AGRESSIVE DEATH METAL BUT ENJOY GOOD (WELL COMPOSED) MUSIC WITH REAL MUSICIANS, THIS BAND RISES ABOVE MOST OF THEM... GIVE IT A TRY.

Best Dark Tranquility - Shame they abandoned this style later on.......2006-03-20

This is by far the best dark tranquility album and it is rather disappointing that they chose to change their style on later releases and totally abandon all clean vocals. Every single song on this album is good.

1. Freecard - 10/10 The chorus of this song is stunning and the interlude at 2:00 is wonderfully executed.

2. Therein - 15/10 How can metal get any better than this? Every element is here for a true masterpiece.

3. Undo Control - 9/10 I think its impossible to not start shouting right alongside him when he starts chanting "feel the thorns of uncontrol"

4. Auctioned - 10/10 This is totally clean song, very catchy, very good.

5. To a bitter halt - 8/10 Sounds like there newer stuff. He growls but you can still understand the lyrics.

6. The sun fired blanks - 9/10 Really cool fast riff in this song

7. Nether Novas - 10/10 Reminds me of Sentenced or Poisonblack. great blend of death and clean vocals

8. Day to End - 1000/10 One of my favorite songs of all time on any album. Some people might cringe when his voice cracks and he misses notes, but the sheer emotion exhibited on this song is like nothing I have ever heard. Think about it, he could have edited those errors out, but purposelessly chose to leave them there. They add a level of intimacy rarely seen in music.

9. Dobermann - 10/10

10. On your time - 10/10 Truly hit the mark on this song.

At Loss For Words..........2006-02-18

Well, I am really not articulate enough to write a proper review of what is one of worlds best metal bands, DARK TRANQUILLITY (DT). I will try anyway since I want to express my gratitude to DT for making such a masterpiece.

DT started in early 90s and had quite a lot of lineup changes and record label false starts. Initially, Anders Fridén (now singer of another great band, IN FLAMES) was in charge of vocals while the current screamer Mikael Stanne was handling rhythm guitars. But for whatever reason, Stanne switched to vox and Fridén left to join In Flames. In 1995, DT released Of Chaos And Eternal Night with Stanne singing. Then came Gallery and Mind's I. I wonder where the term melodic death came from but underground metal circles in Sweden and around started refering to In Flames and DT as originators as the Melodic Death Metal movement, also known as melodeath now. But I strongly think that even At The Gates was part of that movement (check out the ass ripping Slaughter of The Soul).

In 1999, Dark Tranquillity released Projector (recorded and mixed at Studio Fredman, September 1998, Produced with Fredrik Nordström). The album experiments with electronic elements and an equivalent distance to melodeath really, while Stanne sang Projector with an extremely sad voice. Projector is a killer album with a great focus on melodies and sadness. But the beauty of this album lies in the fact that the metal sound was not left behind. If someones says Projector is not metal, I doubt he/she knows anything about what metal is. This is a METAL album albeit with experimentations.

Anyway, out of the 10 tracks on the CD, I dont think there is a bad one. The album opens with the fantastic FREECARD, Stanne's vocals bringing blood out of my eyes. What a song and Stanne ripps us apart by singing from his stomach. But wait, what come next is equally pleasing/disturbing in the name of THEREIN, another excellent song. Followed by track after track of carefully crafted melodic, metal masterpeices.

From the entire album, my pick is DOBERMANN. Coming in the second half of the album, this one kicks in so hard right from the begining...I am never amazed at the shelf life of this song. Every single time I hear this, I see sun shine. I mean it, the opening riff makes me so optimistic about life and crave more music of DT, I cannot explain in words what this song is, if you havent heard it. Great song, one of DT's best in the league of Feast of Burden (Haven), Monochromatic Stains (Damage Done) and Lost 2 Apathy (Character).

Great album, and anyone with an interest in metal and its various fascinating sub genres, Projector is highly reccommended. I believe that this album will still sound fresh and great after 10 years. Thats the quality of music here.

THeir other masterpiece, alongside Character.......2005-06-10

Projector is an odd album, the singers growls are not the best, but not terribly agravating(like some metal bands have been to me at least). His clean vocals are what I can't decide on, at times they are twistedly/beatifully haunting, but at times they just get on my nerves, but overall they come off on the good side more often than the bad.

As for the musicianship its much less heavy than other Dark Tranquillity. At times they completely slow down for extended periods(a whole song at one point!) something I have not heard Dark Tranquillity do before on their other more vicious releases like Character and Damage Done.

Overall a great album that pulls out the melodic side of Gothenburg without turning out too cheesy and will keep growin on you the more you listen to it.

I decided to give Projector the perfect rating just because there are so many great parts on this album, like the guitars of "Doberman" for example, and I just keep coming back to listen to it over and over again.

Average customer rating:

Beyond Excellent
The best DT album?
gothenburg/melodeath classic.
Beyond The Realm Of Time Is The Mind's I
Killer Reissue

The Mind's I
Dark Tranquillity
Manufacturer: Century Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Gallery
Projector
Haven
Skydancer/Of Chaos and Eternal Night
Damage Done

ASIN: B0007Y08TM
Release Date: 2005-04-05

Tracks:

Dreamlore Degenerate
Zodijackyl Light
Hedon
Scythe, Rage and Roses
Constant
Dissolution Factor Red
Insanity's Crescendo
Still Moving Sinews
Atom Heart 243.5
Tidal Tantrum
Tongues
The Mind's Eye
Razorfever
Shadowlit Facade
Achetype
Zodijackyl Light (video)
Hedon (video)

Album Description

First time ever available domestically, this is the second album originally released on Osmose in 1996. This edition features songs from the rare "Enter Suicidal Angels" EP as an added bonuse plus 2 live enhanced video tracks. Updated artwork and layout by band member and renowned graphic designer Niklas Sundin.

Customer Reviews:

Beyond Excellent.......2007-04-26

Dark Tranquillity is a band that stands strongs and plays some of the best melodic death metal to date. Let me give you an insight of one of the band's less known, and possibly their greatest, albums that is making an impact on our music scene, The Mind's I.

The 3rd album by these fellow Swedes creates the perfect atmosphere. The production fits well with the music, and the tracks are varied and memorable. For example, "Zodijackyl Light" is a track that has the band at a faster pace, and the drumming is excellent. "Hedon" is my favorite and a definite classic track, with its ballad-esque tempo and its excellent guitar work. This band displays some excellent musicmanship, and the vocals are excellent. This is melodeath in its true form.

Also, this reissue features 3 tracks from their rare "Enter Suicidal Angels" EP, which were rare tracks recorded during "The Mind's I" sessions. It's very interesting to listen to.

Overall, you MUST have this if you are a melodeath nut.

The best DT album?.......2007-02-13

All of Dark Tranquillity's albums are top-notch examples of melodic death metal at its finest, so it's difficult to say which DT album is their best, but The Mind's I is my favorite. It takes the sound of The Gallery and perfects it with added atmosphere and technique. This album is definately a must-have for any melodic death metal fan.

gothenburg/melodeath classic........2006-06-25

it seems _the mind's I_ is the most neglected of Dark Tranquillity's many albums. i think even more people own _Skydancer_ than this one. Being the last and most perfect album of Dark Tranquillity's "gothenburg style" albums, a genre they helped define and for which they set the highest standards. Perhaps because it fell between the immediate classic masterpiece _the Gallery_ and the weird style-shift on _projector_, people just don't mention it much. Or maybe because it doesn't have any songs as fun to sing along with as "Punish My Heaven" ("THAT'S RIGHT...YOU'LL SUFFER MY PUNISHMENT"). Or maybe the progressive song structures and relative lack of hooks just make it hard to get into. but if you give it a chance, you might agree with me that this is probably the best Dark Tranquillity album overall, in terms of the consistent quality of songs and the heights it reaches on its best moments. The album is basically the same in style as _The Gallery_, but the melodic acumen even better, stanne's vocals more growly and vicious, and the songs more awesome. Otherwise, it is the same goodness you would expect from this band. Epic songs often with movement-like structures, mad driving speed, graceful riffing that is ambiguously dripping with prog-like AND gothenburg-like attributes, and one of the most deft and tasteful bassists out of Scandinavia.

Beyond The Realm Of Time Is The Mind's I.......2006-04-27

Out of all the Dark Tranquillity albums, from the first to the latest, I truthfully have to say that -The Mind's Eye- was the hardest to endure. I heard of the beauty that lay herein, but there was nothing within my first listen of this that lended it's tunes to me. Some of -Skydancer/Chaos-, -The Gallery-, -Projector-, -Haven-, -Damage Done-, and -Character- have all hooked me, that is except for this one. Everyone I heard in reviews always brought up the fact that this was the greatest release from one of Sweden's finest. However, I could not tell where the love was for this. I merely went on enjoying the rest of the albums. Eventually I would return to this because I already sapped up most of the other ones, but I still could not see what made this one unique from the rest. I could easily tell that Stanne's vocals were more on the rasp scale like -The Gallery-, but he would later clear his throat for better growls from -Projector- and on.

The only feeling I reached from this, mainly on the cover and through the tone of the tracks, was a dark and melancholic piece (think Devil May Cry). Obviously, it will never take anyone one listen straight to enjoy what is really hidden on this record. Infact, after countless listens, I finally realized that the beauty isn't meant to be searched for, it is a feeling one would recieve through enjoyment and satisfaction. The cover was the strangest of all, besides -The Gallery-. This is the last album to feature the old Dark Tranquillity headlining, like In Flames' old slicing red logo. It looks like olden pens, with a raw jaw next to dried pedals. I can't decipher the purple behind it all besides some beads and necklaces, but there is a slice of paper with the apparent "Tranquillity" symbol (which would clearly be seen on the -Exposures- discs). I also feel that this album was purely more melodic, but countered by In Flames' -Whoracle- that same year.

The atmosphere of songs like fast opener "Dreamlore Degenerate" or the dark-melodic "Constant" is just gigantic. No matter, if the band steps on the pedal as during the short "Zodijackyl Light" or rather operates slow and oppressing as on "Hedon", it always results in a strong track. The two guitarists, Niklas Sundin (a Demi-God) and Fredrik Johansson (his last featured album with Dark Tranquillity), put their melodic guitar harmonies into all of their songs. Dark Tranquillity are masters of their trade. The good sound, of course, further strengthens this. The album was produced in the well-known Studio Fredman by the ever hard working Fredrik Nordstrom.

I am sure that you have had the feeling with a CD that it is something special, right? Most of us, and now me, feel that way with this disc. One thing to complain about is the length, which isn't enough because of the enjoyment one will recieve. The one way to truly enjoy this is to hear the album a few times and believe me, I have done so. Once this piece of music has grown a hold of your mind, you will never forget it.

Killer Reissue.......2006-02-28

Now this is what a reissue should look and sound like. After some disappointing reissues by In Flames, it's good to see that Dark Tranquillity went all out with their reissues of the Gallery and the Mind's I.

The Mind's I was a fantastic album to begin with. It builds on and advances the melodic technical style found on its predecessor the Gallery without straying too far from the death metal sound. The band's major changes would take place on their following album Projector. The Mind's I is much easier to appreciate now that it has been remastered.

As if the remastered sound wasn't incentive enough to buy the album, the entire Enter Suicidal Angels EP is included as bonus tracks. Enter Suicidal Angels was my first exposure to Dark Tranquillity, and despite the truly awful DT-gone techno closing track Archetype, it is good to find it remastered here.

Sealing the deal, the band has included expanded liner notes, which include lyrics, commentary, photos, and other relevant information.

The Mind's I is an excellent melodic death metal album, and this reissue should be on the shelves of anyone who is a fan of Dark Tranquillity, In Flames, At the Gates, Soilwork, Hypocrisy, or death metal in general.

Average customer rating:

DARK MEDIOCRITY
AWESOME, GREAT, DESERVES 6 STARS (out of 5)
The Damage is Done!!
Melodic metal mastery.
another perfect DT album

Damage Done
Dark Tranquillity
Manufacturer: Century Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Character
Haven
Projector
The Gallery
The Mind's I

ASIN: B00006FIAX
Release Date: 2002-08-20

Tracks:

Final Resistance
Hours Passed In Exile
Monochromatic Stains
Single Part Of Two
The Treason Wall
Format C: For Cortex
Damage Done
Cathode Ray Sunshine
The Enemy
White Noise/Black Silence
Ex Nihilo
Bonus Track 1

Album Description

2002 release on Century Media includes the bonus track 'I, Deception' and the CD-Rom video for 'Monochromatic Stains'.

Customer Reviews:

DARK MEDIOCRITY.......2007-05-11

I've heard from many people how great the band "Dark Tranquility" is. And let me tell you, after hearing "Monochromatic Stains", I was convinced that they would soon find their way into my music collection.
So I ordered this album, "Damage Done".

I popped it in and listened to the first song. Eh, it was okay. Nothing great. And certainly not as good as "Monochromatic Stains". After hearing the rest of the CD I found I was comparing all the tracks to that one song and unfortunately, not a single one of them even came close to the brilliance present in that track.

This is not to say that the rest of the tracks weren't good. I listened to the whole CD from end to end without feeling an urge to press the "next track" button, but at the same time I didn't hear anything that really knocked my socks off.

There were a few tracks that came close, "Hours Passed in Exile has a pretty good piano. Pretty good, but not excellent. I've heard better piano elsewhere. "Treason Wall" had a good solo at the end, but I felt that by then it was too little, too late. And finally, "I, Deception" has some good electronic background sounds.

As for vocals, their lead singer has a good growling voice and when you read the lyrics, you can actually hear the individual words. And although this band is from Sweden, his English pronunciation is on point with maybe a hint of an accent.

In closing I want to say that I'm more a follower of Melodic Metal and Folk Metal than Death Metal, which is probably why their music did not appeal to me, but I definitely think they have talent and I'd confidently say that I'd rather listen to this than, say, "St. Anger" by Metallica or whatever MTV is telling us is "Metal" nowadays.

AWESOME, GREAT, DESERVES 6 STARS (out of 5).......2007-02-17

IF YOU LIKE HEAVY METAL, YOU SHOULD AT LEAST ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, LISTEN TO THIS BAND, AND SPECIALLY THIS ALBUM "DAMAGE DONE", THEY HAVE CREATED A MUSICAL STYLE THAT DEFIES THE COMMON DEATH METAL SOUND, WITH AGGRESSIVE YET VERY MELODIC AND WITH A FEW CHANGES ON PACE, THEY HAVE CREATED A VERY SPECIAL SOUND, I WON'T WRITE A REVIEW FOR EACH SONG, BELIEVE ME, ALL OF THEM ARE GOOD, THIS ALBUM IS AMAZING, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU GO OUT AND BUY IT, IF YOU ARE A TRUE METAL FAN, YOU WON'T BE DISSAPOINTED.

The Damage is Done!!.......2006-07-29

What can I say? This album is a masterpiece. Dark Tranquillity are one of my favorite melodic death metal bands, and they're also one of the best melodic death metal bands to ever come out of Sweden. I first got into Dark Tranquillity when I bought their latest album "Character" which was released last year in 2005, and I quickly fell in love with it, and became a fan instantly. Then I went out and bought both "Projector" (which was released in 1999) and the album that I'am listening to right now entitled "Damage Done". Released in 2002, "Damage Done" is a true melodic death metal masterpiece, and I love it. This is by far my favorite DT album, and I can't get enough of it. This album has everything: Menacing vocals, crushing guitarwork, atmospheric keyboards, throbbing bass lines, pounding drums, what more do you need? Mikael Stanne's death vocals are very brutal and menacing throughout. You've also got the crushing dual guitarwork courtesy of Niklas Sundin and Martin Henriksson, plenty of aweome memorable riffs, melodies, harmonies, and solos too. There's also awesome atmospheric like keyboard effects from electronics master Martin Brandstrom, throbbing bass lines from Michael Nicklasson, and straight up fast powerful drumming courtesy of Anders Jivarp. The opening track "Final Resistance" is pure bliss. This song gets the ball rolling quickly with hard punching riffs, aggressive drumming, and some menacing growls. This is no doubt one of the fastest and most aggressive songs on this album bar none, and it's one of my favorite songs on here as well. My personal favorite song on here that being track three "Monochromatic Stains" is chock full of tempo changes, vicious vocals, headbanging riffs, more punishing drums, an addicting chorus, and a nice guitar solo that is pure bliss as well. Other standouts on here include "Cathode Ray Sunshine", "Hours Passed In Exile", "Damage Done", "The Treason Wall", "Format C: For Cortex", "The Enemy", and "Ex Nihilo". So anyways, if you're a fan of In Flames, Soilwork, Opeth, Arch Enemy, The Haunted, Hypocrisy, etc, you'll love Dark Tranquillity. Believe me, this album is a melodic death metal masterpiece. Melodic Death Metal is alive and well. Buy this album now!! Dark Tranquillity Rules!!
Jeremy's song ratings:
1. Final Resistance - 5/5
2. Hours Passed In Exile - 5/5
3. Monochromatic Stains - 10/5 (Favorite Song)
4. Single Part Of Two - 5/5
5. The Treason Wall - 5/5
6. Format C: For Cortex - 5/5
7. Damage Done - 5/5
8. Cathode Ray Sunshine - 5/5
9. The Enemy - 5/5
10. I, Deception (Bonus Track) - 5/5
11. White Noise/Black Silence - 5/5
12. Ex Nihilo - 5/5

Melodic metal mastery........2006-06-27

Dark Tranquillity are one of the premier Swedish metal bands, and "Damage Done" is a fine example of why. While not quite as diverse as some of their previous material, this is solid songwriting, and highly addictive stuff.

Much like their sibling band, In Flames, DT started out with a much rawer, heavier sound, something arguably closer to black metal, and matured into a brilliant melodic metal band. However, unlike In Flames, they have yet to become trite and watered-down. Setting them apart is a their subtle, but excellent use of keyboards, to perfectly complement the dizzying textures of guitars. These guys can shift from powerful riffs to stunning melodies in the blink of an eye (to the uninitiated, think In Flames, with more sophisticated song structures, and add Kevin Moore on keys, and you'll have an idea). Frontman Mikael Stanne regrettably doesn't do any clean vocals here (in addition to a monstrous screamer, he's also a pretty damn good singer), but he still does a killer job.

Standout tracks include "Final Resistance", "Hours Passed in Exile", "The Treason Wall", and the beautiful instrumental closer, "Ex Nihilo", but every song here is great. This album may seem a bit repetitive on the first listen, but don't let that be the last word. This album is chock full of subtle textures and nuances that will keep you enthralled for repeated listens.

Recommended to Swedish metal lovers of all shapes and sizes. For newcomers, In Flames might be a more comfortable place to start, but this is a damn fine introduction as well.

another perfect DT album.......2006-05-05

Dark Tranquillity is just one of those bands that never ever go wrong. This is the best DT album, and as far as im concerned, one of the greatest albums of all time. Melodic death metal (Gothenburg) in its finest forms. There are no words to describe the greatness of this album.. for any fan of heavy music.

Average customer rating:

Finnish Metal Masterpiece
progress in winter metal

Wintereich [IMPORT]
Immortal Souls
Manufacturer: Fear Dark
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
Similar Items:

The War That Plagues The Lands
Latter Rain
Through Darkness
Veil of Remembrance
Waves Are Dancing

ASIN: B000BKSFGU

Product Description

Wintermetal - The Essence; Immortal Souls blows the frost in and dust the snow out of your stereo. Cold landscapes of north are present in the bands storming. This is the reason why this music has been called wintermetal.. Since the beginning of their existence Immortal Souls has been known as a underground name, playing fast paced death metal with attitude. Fear Dark, label from the Netherlands released album Ice Upon the Night in March 2003, that was licenced to Facedown Records and album was released in USA and Canada in March 2004. Collection "Once Upon A Time in the North", featuring the first album, EP and demo songs in remastered form, was released in august 2005. Band has recorded the new album "Wintereich". Album will be released in first half of 2007. ..and the Mission continues..

Customer Reviews:

Finnish Metal Masterpiece.......2007-05-17

Not the best metal band in the world, but they do deserve a lot more credit than they have been given. I love this band and they have a great style. Listening to this cd makes me want to go to Finland for the wintertime. Buy this cd, you won't be disappointed.

progress in winter metal.......2005-11-23

This is a good buy for two full discs of music. You really hear a band find it's sound and get much better in the process. And as they get better they hopefully will now get bigger. Some of the older stuff is muddy due to a limited budget I would guess, but some has some real doomy almost sorrow moments that I really like and wish they would incorporate more of. If you like black, death or other extreme metal with a progessive slant check this band out.

Average customer rating:

The apex of melodic death metal
Yet another godlike album from a godlike band
Invite The Darkside...Into My Haven...
"Driven on, Driven in"
tranquility through darkness

Haven
Dark Tranquillity
Manufacturer: Century Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Projector
Damage Done
The Mind's I
Character
Skydancer/Of Chaos and Eternal Night

ASIN: B00004VVW9
Release Date: 2000-07-25

Tracks:

The Wonders At Your Feet
Not Built To Last
Indifferent Suns
Feast Of Burden
Haven
The Same
Fabric
Ego Drama
Rundown
Emptier Still
At Loss For Words

Customer Reviews:

The apex of melodic death metal.......2006-11-08

'Haven' is easily the most cherishable melodic death metal album ever envisioned and is on the list of things I would bring to a desert island if ever marooned by Homeland Security (along with Diabolical Masquerade's 'Deaths Design' - if you haven't read my review on that, you should).

Often overshadowed by the other seminal Gothenburg groups which have by the time of this writing sold their souls to the devil of mainstream mediocrity and artistic atrophy, Dark Tranquility presents an incredible journey in Haven. Dark Tranquility, the indomitable, not only refuses to sell their soul to the bovine masses but continues to evolve artistically every album. Haven is no exception to this rule.

Every song is in itself a dark masterpiece, unique from the next, executed with mind numbing skill and emotion. There is no filler on this album, no imitation. The beautiful, transcendental melodies of Haven reverberate within our hearts and contrast perfectly with harsh, emotional vocals that beg us to reflect on the wonder of the natural world, human frailty, denial and sorrow.

The guitar work on Haven is arguably some of the best in metal, with incredible and mystifying dual guitar battles littering the album to create a dark melodic force which immediately captures our utmost attention and brings our emotions on a powerful journey into the dark side of the human character. The sound of Haven seems to me to be the auditory manifestation of thought, reflection and sorrow, as if we are externally experiencing the private meditations of our own ego. As a consequence a great deal of meaning of this album can be contributed not to the lyrics, but rather the distant mental vistas the technical performance takes us to. This is not to say that the lyrics are not insightful, for they are. But the relatively simplistic poetic prose would not nearly be as moving if it were not lifted on the wings of the amazing technical performance. I would also add that the drum work on this album is also incredibly well written and perfectly maintains a dynamic, memorable tempo throughout the album. The technical merit of the drum track is showcased in the song 'Fabric' - which presents one of the most impressive uses of the instrument in recent memory.

If you enjoyed Haven check out 'Crimson' by Edge of Sanity, 'Spectral' by Skyfire and/or 'Swampsong' by Kalmah.

Yet another godlike album from a godlike band.......2006-06-22

If there's one particularly easy way to distinguish really good musicians, it's by looking at their back catalogue. If a band can frequently change and develop their sound, while still maintaining high quality, you know you're on to a good thing. Dark Tranquillity are one such band, and with "Haven," they demonstrate once again why they are the best melodic death metal band out there.

With "Haven," Dark Tranquillity leave behind the subtle, organic themed melodies of their prior albums and opt instead for a more straightforward approach, characterised by groove, catchiness and anthemicism, while still remaining as melodic as ever. Overall, the music has a denser - you might say "heavier" - quality to it, making it more immediately accesible than prior albums. Once again, the arrangements are absolutely sublime, each and every instrument co-operating perfectly. The guitars are now significantly more powerful, playing infectious, groove laden riffs at varied tempos, from slow and anthemic ("Fabric") to reasonably fast ("Not Built To Last"). The drums too, are remarkably well written; complimenting the rest of the music perfectly while still maintaining a life of their own, adding their own layer to the music. The double bass pedal is used sparingly but to great effect, most notably on the title track, giving the music a greater air of power and anthemicism. Production is also debatably the best it's ever been for DT; clean and clear with all of the instruments sitting at exactly the right level in the mix.

The introduction of electronics and keyboards into the music is also well founded. They serve to give the music a soaring quality, and play a huge helping hand when a song is building to its climax, even if it does cost DT some of their organic quality. Mikael Stanne's vocals... sad truth coming here, but it has to be said that the only fault to be found on Haven is in Mikael's vocal performance. While his low pitched growls still work well with the music and play their part perfectly in relation to the atmosphere on offer, he no longer leaves us awestruck with his banshee like howls found on "The Gallery" and "The Mind's I." It could well be that this style is no longer possible - I have read in an interview that he suffered from a throat infection around the "Projecter" sessions - but even so, this integral part of DT's old style will be missed.

Small gripes aside though, this is still an absolute belter of an album. Dark Tranquillity have never failed to deliver the goods, but "Haven" may well be one of the peaks of their illustrious career.

Invite The Darkside...Into My Haven..........2006-04-20

In Flames and Dark Tranquillity are two bands that had started out at roughly the same time and also have played a similar style back then. In the meantime both bands have released a number of albums and have drifted apart in sound, but still are both at the top of Swedish Metal. Altogether they sound much more mature than their previous releases, with the song structures being even more intricate, yet still retaining the necessary heaviness; combining heavy guitars with catchy riffs and accessible choruses with demanding passages. This same style, combined with the sense of electronics hither and tither, is the same style that has been played since this was released 6 years ago.

Apart from a slightly distorted passage at the beginning of "Emptier Still", Michael Stanne's metal roar eclipses the entire album. In my case, all the tracks are either understandable, or a favorite. My favorite picks off of Haven is "The Wonders At Your Feet", "Not Built To Last", "Indifferent Suns", "Feast Of Burden", "Haven", and "The Same". Well well, the first six tracks, not to say the other half isn't as enjoyable...well maybe they aren't as kicked off as the premier.

"Not Built To Last", to me, feels like it should have been somewhere at the end of Projector, but it has the orchestra backing up the already tight guitars mixing it up for Michael who enters with his always certain lyrics. Electronics fill in the atmosphere nicely with this intricate and memorable tune, one that I just have to bob to. Has it's own moment just after two minutes that has the ovation to stop the entire song in it's wake. Beautiful...

"Indifferent Suns", is my favorite offering on Haven from Dark Tranquillity. You are already hooked on by the bass and the rising electronics with this subtle, forgivingly masterful rhythm. Michael loosens it up a bit, but it still lingers right behind him, only to seize the moment during the grand chorus, where Michael asks, "Is There Ever Time For Answers...When The World Comes Tumbling Down?! Closing Our Minds, Saying We Are The Ones!" No joke, you will love this song with a passion.

I will agree there is a pinching absence of emotion in the vocals, yet it isn't enough to destroy any of the tracks on this record. Infact, some of them turn out to be great with his steady and monotonous (in this case, good monotonous) growls.

Highly recommend picking up Haven, Tranquillity fan or metal fan in general. If you solely enjoy this one, pick up Damage Done and Character, they fuse the same techniques and sound superbly magnificent. Holier than thou, Dark Tranquillity reign supreme...

"Driven on, Driven in".......2005-04-03

This is the one Dark Tranquillity CD that draws me back time and again. I own six of their albums, but if I was ever pressed to decide on just one to keep in my collection, "Haven" would be my undeniable choice. There is zero filler on this recording, the production value is exemplary, and there are hooks everywhere. The musical arrangements are excellent, with no one instrument overwhelming any other, altogether combining to create a masterful experience. The songs are mostly mid-tempo Progressive Metal excursions, but with none of the overly technical or busy guitar work that might imply. The intricacy comes through in the songcraft, itself, with intelligence and thoughtful attention to detail. The listener is offered a journey through a wide range of emotions and memorable songwriting that is over all too soon. The only drawback that might give a buyer pause are the vocals, which are a little harsh and rarely change tone, so I recommend sampling a couple of the tracks beforehand to get a foretaste of what to expect througout. The only time the vocals really change is on the song "Emptier Still" where the crooning baritone which dominated their previous release, "Projector," is mixed in with the guttural inflections in a way I found reminiscent of many songs from the band Opeth. That was a compliment. If you end up enjoying "Haven" as much as I do, their following album, "Damage Done," is an excellent continuation along similar musical lines. Both CDs are easy to recommend, but "Haven" would be my first choice. Thank you.

tranquility through darkness.......2005-03-03

Dark tranquility is very poetic and heavy but no 2 dark tranquility' cds are alike every cd is different and each better than the last, very rare for bands like these these guys had me hooked from the first cd i bought from them which was "the minds i" absolutly oustanding, definitly a must have, go buy it, and youll see that youll start buying all their other albums.

Average customer rating:

Essential Compilation
MUST OWN
An Excellent Collection
Talk about quality...
Great introduction to a great band.

Exposures: In Retrospect & Denial
Dark Tranquillity
Manufacturer: Century Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Skydancer/Of Chaos and Eternal Night
Haven
Projector
The Mind's I
Character

ASIN: B00024I37Q
Release Date: 2004-06-15

Tracks:

Static [#]
Poison Well
In Sight [#]
Misery in Me [#]
Cornered
Exposure
No One [#]
Yesterworld
Unfurled by Dawn
Midwinter (Intro)/Beyond Enlightenment
Vernal Awakening
Void of Tranquility

Tracks:

Wonders at Your Feet [Live]
Treason Wall [Live]
Hedon [Live]
White Noise/Black Silence [Live]
Haven [Live]
Punish My Heaven [Live]
Monochromatic Stains [Live]
Indifferent Suns [Live]
Format C: For Cortex [Live]
Insanity's Crescendo [Live]
Hours Passed in Exile [Live]
Sun Fired Blanks [Live]
Damage Done [Live]
Lethe [Live]
Not Built to Last [Live]
Therein [Live]
Zodijackyl Light [Live]
Final Resistance [Live]
Ex Nihilo [Live]

Customer Reviews:

Essential Compilation.......2006-02-18

Besides being the absolute best melodic death metal band out there, Dark Tranquillity is also a band that knows how to take care of its fans. Their 2-disc compilation Exposures - In Retrospect and Denial is a perfect example.

Most American metal fans are resigned to the fact that other markets, particularly the Japanese, get exclusive bonus tracks added to their albums. Japan consumes a LOT of metal, so I can see how this practice makes sense. But it is a source of frustration for those of us who are die-hard fans and want to have every song a band releases. Unless we're willing to drop $30 or more on a Japanese import, we'll never hear the "full" album.

This is why Exposures rules. Dark Tranquillity has collected all of the various bonus tracks, b-sides, and demos that were otherwise unavailable and released them in one package. Many of the tracks are from later in their career, but there are some early tracks as well. They're all quite good, but I've come to expect nothing less from this band.

As if that weren't enough, the band has added a second disc to the package - a live album that is the audio companion to their Live Damage DVD. This disc sounds great, and would have been worth buying on its own.

When it's all said and done, you get 31 tracks on 2 discs, and all for the price of a regular CD. Compare that to Soilwork's 5-track rarities EP that retailed for about the same price and you get an idea of why Dark Tranquillity has such a devoted fan base.

MUST OWN.......2005-11-10

WOW! This is the only band that has off the wall unreleased materals that is just as good as their albums. A band that has B-sides this good is truly talented. I love DT's experimentaions and how artistically they develop a certain theme for their releases. I totally dig their lyrics and I love the fact how they stay true to their sound; even with these experimentations. They are truly brilliant and remain as my fav melodic death metal band of all time.

An Excellent Collection.......2005-08-24

This double disc album is a collection of b-sides and early demos, as well as a whole other CD with their live performance in Krakow, Poland, which can also be seen on their "Live Damage" DVD. Disc 2 is excellent for any fan of live music. The production is wonderful and the band plays perfectly. Vocalist Mikael Stanne's voice does sound a bit different than on CD, but wouldn't one expect that? He runs short of breath a few times, but not enough to ruin the song. Really, not even enough to effect the song period. But as I said, the musicians play flawlessly, tearing through each fast-paced riff with amazing precision. And not to mention the set list is perfect for any big D.T. fan.

So disc 2 is excellent, but what about disc 1? The first track, "Static", is a slower paced track, featuring excellent lyrics and beautiful music. "The Poison Well" is a bit faster, but just as good, though a little less memorable. Other standout tracks include "In Sight", which might come as a shocker to those expecting the heaviness that most D.T. songs feature. The song is entirely sung; no growling, screaming, anything. And it's sung in quite an awkward voice. Fans who have heard Stanne's clean vocals before know should know what I'm talking about, but for those who don't, it's a very manly, operatic type voice, basically the last thing you'd expect from someone who growls like a madman half the time. His clean voice is a little odd, but it grew on me. "In Sight" is a simply beautiful song, and why it didn't make it onto "Haven" is beyond me. Perhaps it was just too different from the rest of the album. "Exposure" is quite a thrashy little number, once again featuring excellent, compelling lyrics, and possible one of the catchiest riffs D.T. have ever played midway through the song. It's an odd rhythm dual guitar assault, with brilliant hi-hat work from Anders Jivarp. It's definitely the standout of the song. "Cornered" also features great, catchy riffs.

Now, the demos on disc 1 are the only real down point of the entire collection. As I'm sure you've heard, they feature current In Flames vocalist Anders Friden on vocals (Mikael Stanne plays guitar). Had no one told me that before, I'd think it was some dude who's now in a black metal band; he sounds absolutely nothing like himself. He sounds...really, really bad. The music is excellent however. It's a bit darker and more drawn out than D.T.'s present day material, kind of resembling Opeth. The songs are longer, and each has a LOT of lyrics. "Unfurled by Dawn" and "Void of Tranquillity" are equal in length to two Cradle of Filth songs' lyrics put together. And if you've seen COF's lyrics, you'd know what I'm talking about. Ok, maybe that's a stretch, but I'm saying, if you're someone who likes to memorize lyrics, you might be a little challenged here.

Anyway, another problem with the demos is the quality; it's just bad. Not the quality of the songs, but the quality of the sound. I think maybe one or two demos would have been sufficient, but no one's gonna wanna listen to 5 of those when you have the rest of the collection to listen to.

So...should you get this album? If you've never bought a D.T. album before, start with something else. But if you're a big fan of the Swedish masterpiece makers, be my guest and by this album as soon as you can.

Talk about quality..........2005-05-27

It's true that DT hasn't released a bad song. Even the ones they didn't release before are just amazing. The songs resemble Haven and Projector, as there is some singing as well. Consider yourself buying a new 100% authentic LP through this release. Next, we have the live tracks, which is also worth the price considering they've never released anything like this. Dark Tranquillity is without a doubt the best melodic death band, who have shown their consistency in giving us great releases throughout the years.

Great introduction to a great band........2004-10-03

I would suggest this set to anyone new to DT. The extensive 2-disc set spans the career of the mighty Swedish death outfit. The live disc shows a great mix of old and new captured on the Damage Done tour. For the price, you would be hard pressed to find a better value in the metal world at this time. Fantastic release from a fantastic band.

Average customer rating:

Swedish Black Melodeath
Wow.....Majestic and beautiful music
Melodic Metal Masterpiece
yesteryear.
First Melodic Death Album

Skydancer/Of Chaos and Eternal Night
Dark Tranquillity
Manufacturer: Century Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Projector
The Mind's I
Haven
Exposures: In Retrospect & Denial
The Gallery

ASIN: B00004XSOL
Release Date: 2000-09-19

Tracks:

Nightfall By The Shore Of Time
Crimson Winds
A Bolt Of Blazing Gold
In Tears Bereaved
Skywards
Through Ebony Archways
Shadow Duet
My Faeryland Forgotten
Alone
Of Chaos And Eternal Night
With The Flaming Shades Of Fall
Away, Delight, Away
Alone '94

Customer Reviews:

Swedish Black Melodeath.......2007-01-26

In my opinion, this has more in common with Dissection than In Flames and later Dark Tranquility. Blast beats, black metal vocals, and shredding solos reminds me alot of Storm of the Lights Bane. All of the songs are great, and Anders Friden shows up to sing on Skydancer, while Mikael Stanne shows up for Of Chaos and Eternal Night. Overall, however, I like Of Chaos and Eternal Night better, as it has a more refined sound.

Check out Dissection and early Sentenced if you enjoyed this album.

Wow.....Majestic and beautiful music.......2006-11-05

Sometimes there are albums that are just damn good, sometimes albums are great....Sometimes albums go way past all of that and fit into a category you can't really describe but you can just say "WOW". This is one of those albums. It kicks off with Nighfall At the Shore of time. Comes in hard and heavy, with dreamy, deep, beautiful lyrics written by Niklas Sundin, who in my opinion CAN'T write bad lyrics. The album just goes forward from there with not a bad song on it. Songs like A Bolt of Blazing Gold are some of the most incredible songs I have ever heard. The combination of the music and lyrics on that song make it just PERFECT. Niklas Sundin seems to be a genius. Lots of tremolo picking but not just to play quick. Every note in every song seems to be from deep within, and I mean that. Through Ebony Archways is a haunting acoustic piece that only darkens the feel of the album more. But it is a beautiful, dark feel throughout. Can't recommend any more....GO BUY IT !!!!

Melodic Metal Masterpiece.......2005-03-30

A whole lot of passion and energy created a brilliant landscape of magnificent manic melody!

yesteryear........2004-11-23

On historical importance one should not overlook _Skydancer_, but the musical value of this exceptional debut is most noteworthy. Released in 1993, _Skydancer_ was a seminal melodic death metal album. But the early music of Dark Tranquillity has only broad technical attributes in common with the 'melodeath' with which most are familiar. For that matter, it barely resembles Dark Tranquillity's own music of late. Dark Tranquillity's early path was paved with Swedish death metal influences, progressive metal, and melodically driven riffing. The music is very high-speed and more "classically"-structured, and the band employs many acoustic guitar interludes, highly imaginative, snaky bass playing (Martin Hendricksson is one of my favorite metal bassists), with vocals consisting of harsh screaming as well as soprano and tenor vocals.

This is the only full-length release on which Anders Friden (now of In Flames) performs screaming vocals. Stanne is still in the band, but he plays guitar and sings the clean vocals. The lineup is different but the fundamental concept of the music is basically the primitive form of the subsequent masterpieces, _The Gallery_ and _The Mind's I_ (two of the greatest metal albums ever). The production is very low-budget and raw, and Friden's vocals are kind of substandard most of the time (I much prefer Stanne).

Most songs consist of brutally melodic, crunchy riffs racing along frantic tempos with moody key changes and rhythmic dynamics. Their musical language was always far broader than their contemporaries (even now this remains true). A few of the other songs are different: "Through Ebony Archways" is a Romanian-influenced ballad-like song with a mix of clean male and female vocals and screaming vox over the distorted middle part. Then there is "A Bolt of Blazing Gold", one of Dark Tranquillity's greatest moments. From its lamentful opening to the chorus that toggles between angelic soprano and Friden's anguished rasp with heartrending guitar melodies. The middle section has a lovely acoustic folk melody with which Anna-Kaisa Avehall is backed by a softly singing Mikael Stanne. Brilliant!

The EP _Of Chaos and Eternal Night_, thankfully included on this reissue, solidifies the lineup with Stanne moved to vocals and Johansson recruited for guitar. Three of the songs are Dark Tranquillity's metallic genius, the other is a remix of the _Skydancer_ song "Away", with Stanne singing.

Don't overlook the early Dark Tranquillity -- it offers as much, if not more, than anything else they have released.

First Melodic Death Album.......2004-06-13

Originally released in 1993, Dark Tranquility's Skydancer remains a masterpiece. Along with At the Gates, In Flames, Carcass, Death and Edge of Sanity, Dark Tranquility created the genre known as melodic death metal. Everything expected of a good melodic death album is here. Aggresive sounds juxtaposed with acoustic parts, an inteligent concept and growled vocals. Mikeal Stanne is one of the only vocalists who can sound pissed off and peaceful all at the same time. Many of the ideas such as using female vocals for different effects were way ahead of their time as well. Can't give a perfect rating though because while it's original, the production isn't very well done and they hadn't quite hit the peak of their skills yet.

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