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Dark Tranquility: We Are the Void

Melodic Death Metal

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Century Media Records
www.myspace.com/dtofficial
www.darktranquillity.com
Review: Miguel Blardony,  04.26.2010

Unlike the vast majority of bands these day, Dark Tranquility don't need to fret about their relevance to the metal scene at large. As originators of the melodic death metal movement in Gothenburg, Sweden, the sextet's influence is far reaching. It behooves this writer to point out that between these guys, Soilwork, and In Flames, the Gothenburg 'wave' succored groups as diverse as Bullet For My Valentine and Sonic Syndicate. Yet despite having cast a long shadow across Europe, Dark Tranquility aren't exempt from the occasional blunder every now and then. Such Is the case with this brand new We Are The Void.

Almost three years since the equally celebrated Fiction, reviews of We Are The Void have been positive so far, but closer scrutiny by this scribe's ears have discovered a mixed bag of delights ranging from epic tunes of almost symphonic proportions to staid melo-death filler. Thankfully the blemishes don't show at the opening track Shadow In Our Blood that gets started with a huge hook and proceeds to churn into a delightful exercise of the band's thrash muscle. It's at Dream Oblivion where Dark Tranquility are first caught with their pants down rehashing an old formula; a moment's embarrassment quickly overcome by The Fatalist, which combines aggression and lyrical drama with effortless grace.

A succession of corny tracks batters the listener's resolve until the massive, spine tingling Arkhangelsk rolls in to inspire goose bumps. It's an epic track that sees the band flirting with black metal without slipping into the abyss; it's definitely the album's high water mark. As further excellence reigns on I Am The Void and By Iridium, Dark Tranquility have managed to salvage an album that could've been a waste of time for discriminating metalheads. Assessing the product as a whole, the music here is equal parts predictable and entertaining, with quite original lyrics. As a total package, We Are The Void gets passing marks. Long time admirers of the band will have a lot more to love here than casual fans.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

As a total package, Dark Tranquility's We Are The Void gets passing marks. Long time admirers of the band will have a lot more to love here than casual fans.

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Three years have passed since Sweden's Cruzh dropped their second long-player, Tropical Thunder, also introducing their new singer, Alex Waghorn. Now the band returns with The Jungle Revolution ... [ Read More ]