Dark Tranquillity

All you want to know about Dark Tranquillity

Dark Tranquillity
Dark Tranquillity playing live at Summer Breeze Open Air 2007, with former bassist Michael Nicklasson on the left and the singer Mikael Stanne on the right
Dark Tranquillity playing live at Summer Breeze Open Air 2007, with former bassist Michael Nicklasson on the left and the singer Mikael Stanne on the right
Background information
Also known as Septic Broiler
Origin Gothenburg, Sweden
Genre(s) Melodic death metal
Years active 1989–present
Label(s) Century Media, Osmose, Spinefarm
Associated acts In Flames, HammerFall, All Ends, Soilwork, Dimension Zero
Website www.darktranquillity.com
Members
Mikael Stanne
Niklas Sundin
Martin Henriksson
Martin Brändström
Anders Jivarp
Daniel Antonsson
Former members
Anders Fridén
Fredrik Johansson
Michael Nicklasson

Dark Tranquillity is a melodic death metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden. They are one of the longest-standing bands from the original Gothenburg metal scene and one of the pioneers of the melodic death metal genre, along with In Flames and At the Gates.

Contents

Background

Dark Tranquillity was formed in 1989, under the name Septic Broiler as a thrash metal band. Since its formation the band has had a fairly stable line-up. In 1990, the band recorded a demo cassette tape entitled Enfeebled Earth before they would change their name to Dark Tranquillity and change their musical style. It was followed by two more demos: Trail of Life Decayed (1991) and A Moonclad Reflection (1992) (both were later remastered and re-released in 2004). In 1993, Skydancer was released, and Anders Fridén, Dark Tranquillity's original lead vocalist, left the band and later joined In Flames.[1] Mikael Stanne, who formerly played rhythm guitar and provided backing vocals, then became the lead vocalist, and Fredrik Johansson was recruited to take over rhythm guitar duties.

In 1995, Dark Tranquillity released The Gallery, considered a landmark in melodic death metal, which saw the band tightening their production details to a great extent, and showed that the new line-up was a essential change that furthered the band as a whole. In 1997, The Mind's I was released, which saw a slight change in sound. Before the release of the band's 1999 album, Projector, Fredrik Johansson was asked to leave Dark Tranquillity due to his lack of devotion to the band.[1] Martin Henriksson then switched from playing bass to guitar to replace Johansson, and the band added Michael Nicklasson on bass and Martin Brändström on keyboards and electronics. At this point the band also signed to Century Media Records. Until 2008, the band had remained stable in its line-up and its musical style; blending layers of rapid guitar lines with harmony-rich electronic keyboard washes and extremely precise rhythms underneath Stanne's abstract growled lyrics[2].

In 1999, Projector (later nominated for a Swedish Grammy Award) became the 4th output from the band, and saw a change in songwriting. While retaining growled vocals and their signature death metal sound, pianos, baritone soft vocals, and verse-chorus fashion song structures were now intregal parts of Dark Tranquillity's sound. Year 2000 saw the release of Haven which saw the addition of slight electric keyboard sounds, but also abandoned most all of the clean vocals in favor of a slightly heavier sound. In 2003, Dark Tranquillity released Damage Done, and was intended to be a step in a heavier direction, adding a thicker guitar distortion, deep atmospheric keyboards, and abandoning soft vocals altogether. Character was the 7th release from Dark Tranquillity, released in 2005, and was held in much critical praise. It featured the first music video released by Dark Tranquillity to feature the band itself, with the single Lost To Apathy. 2007 saw Fiction, which in turn, saw a return of Mikeal Stanne's clean vocals, and the first female guest vocalist since Projector.

Dark Tranquillity have recently toured with The Haunted, Into Eternity, and Scar Symmetry for the North America Metal For The Masses tour.[3] They returned to the U.S. during the Spring of 2008 with Arch Enemy. They have also toured the UK in early 2008 along with Omnium Gatherum. They are preparing for a live dvd to be released sometime in 2008. Bass guitarist Michael Nicklasson left the band in August 2008 due to personal reasons with no hard feelings between him and the band. This was announced on August 23 on the band's official homepage. On September 19th, the band found a new bassist, Daniel Antonsson, who was the bassist in the band Soilwork in the past.

Members

Current members

Former members

Session members

Guest musicians

  • Anna-Kajsa Avehall (Skydancer)
  • Eva-Marie Larsson (The Gallery)
  • Sara Svensson (The Mind's I)
  • Johanna Andersson (Projector)
  • Nell Sigland (Fiction)

Discography

Studio albums

Title Release date Notes Label
Skydancer August 30, 1993 Debut studio album which featured former member, Anders Fridén of In Flames on vocals.
The Gallery November 27, 1995 Second studio album, first to feature Mikael Stanne on vocals and their first album produced by Fredrik Nordström, containing many melodic guitar passages, and female vocals in various places.
  • Osmose
  • Century Media (re-release)
The Mind's I April 21, 1997 Third studio album, featuring a heavier sound and fewer melodic parts.
  • Osmose
  • Century Media (re-release)
Projector November 25, 1999 Fourth studio album; an experimental release, featuring pianos in many places, and clean, baritone vocals in some parts. Century Media
Haven July 25, 2000 Fifth studio album, which abandoned almost all clean vocals, and added many keyboard sounds. Century Media
Damage Done August 20, 2002 Sixth studio album and their last to be produced by Fredrik Nordström. It incorporated many electronic keyboard sounds and atmospheres and started a new, 'heavier' sound reflected in the guitars, brought by Martin Henriksson. Century Media
Character January 24, 2005 Seventh studio album, produced by the band itself. Credited to have showcased a new style of death metal, which contained guitars using thick, fast, and heavy style, futuristic and highly technical keyboard atmospheres, and Mikael Stanne's classic abstract growling. Century Media
Fiction April 17, 2007 Eighth studio album, co-produced with Tue Madsen. Considered an album that blended all of their previous styles together. Century Media

EPs, MCDs and singles

Other albums

DVDs and videos

  • Zodijackyl Light (VHS, 1996, Osmose Productions)
  • World Domination (VHS, 1998, Osmose Productions)
  • Live Damage (DVD, 2003, Century Media)

Demos

  • Enfeebled Earth (1989, released under the name Septic Broiler)
  • Trail of Life Decayed (1991), (1992, re-release, Guttural Records)
  • A Moonclad Reflection (1992, Slaughter/Exhumed Records)
  • Tranquillity (1993, cassette compilation containing Trail of Life Decayed and A Moonclad Reflection, Carnage Records)

References

  1. ^ a b "Dark Tranquillity: Interview with Niklas Sundin". Heart of Steel: Interviews. Metal-Rules (July 2002). Retrieved on 2007-04-14.
  2. ^ "Metal Israel Exclusive interview with Mikael Stanne". Metal Israel: Interviews. metalisrael.com (July 2008). Retrieved on 2008-07-20.
  3. ^ Century Media Records

External links


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