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Band Name: Dark Tranquillity
Album Name: Character
Rating: 4 / 5 User Rating: 4.7 / 5
Label: Century Media
Buy Album: Amazon.com
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Tracklist
1. New Build, The
2. Through Smudged Lenses
3. Out Of Nothing
4. Endless Feed, The
5. Lost To Apathy
6. Mind Matters
7. One Thought
8. Dry Run
9. Am I 1?
10. Senses Tied
11. My Negation
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Dark Tranquillity continues to expand upon the famed 'Gothenburg Sound' on their latest full length foray, Character. Hailed as the most anticipated release of the group's career, the album does not fail to disappoint, as DT bring forth a barrage of sledgehammer riffs, darkly ambient keyboard melodies and dramatic arrangements. The group's songwriting continues to improve with each release, with a particular emphasis on each songs structure, leading to maximum theatrical impact.
The vocal growls of Mikael Stanne are quite upfront throughout the record. His stark enunciation renders his utterances comprehendible, while retaining the rough sound that fans long to hear. 'Through Smudged Lenses' really shines from a compositional standpoint. The guitars drive the beat throughout the song, fueling the engine that is the band's rhythm section. At times the combination of Anders Jivarp (drums) and Michael Nicklasson (bass) put forth a performance that is machine like and precise, but these guys are experts at putting the emphasis in the proper places in order to make the whole band come together as one.
On 'The Endless Feed' there is a really cool breakdown where Stanne's vocals sound absolutely sinister. When the rest of the band jumps back in, you have the perfect example of Dark Tranquillity at their finest. One of the greatest things about this group is the melody that they incorporate into each piece. They do not necessarily play fast just for the sake of doing so. Their riffing is consistently harmonious during the more up-tempo passages and this is a key factor in the overall appeal of the group.
'Mind Matters' delivers further guitar wizardry courtesy of Niklas Sundin and Martin Henriksson. These two have a knack for playing off of each other's parts very well. Their utilization of stop action techniques is formidable, as each are concordantly on point with the timing of their interplay, causing brief flurries of notes to have a tremendous aural contact.
Every song on Character is a veritable deluge of emotional intensity, and the subtle nuances in the group's song crafting become more apparent upon repeated listens. Undoubtedly there are huge numbers of current Dark Tranquillity addicts who will be drawn to this record. When you take into account the rightful attention this group has garnered recently, it is certain that many new listeners will discover the highly influential band upon this album's release. Featuring solid production, matured songwriting and an impressive performance on each of this album's 11 tracks, Character is an album that demands the attention of metal fans everywhere.
Review by: EF
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