Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band and one of the oldest bands that pioneer the Gothenburg sound. The started in 1989 with current In Flames vocalist Anders Friden, until 1994, when Mikael Stanne (who was at the time the backing vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the band) took hold of the lead vocals position. Currently signed to Century Media, the band’s latest release,
Character, has brought new popularity to the grandfathers of melodic death metal.
Exposures: In Retrospect And Denial is a two disc compilation album that was released in 2004 featuring previously unreleased songs and demos on one disc and the audio from the
Live Damage DVD.
Disc 1: B-Sides And Demos
The first disc on this compilation of loaded with 12 epic b-sides and demos that are amazing high quality for what they are. The disc begins with the mighty
Static, a very atmospheric tune that starts off with some soft guitar work and ambient keyboard synths that lead to some amazing guitar and bass work that give the song a very apocalyptic feel. The vocals are very brutal on the track and remind me much of the old In Flames type growls. The highlight of the song is the powerful music, which does not fail to deliver wave after wave of amazingly brutal yet gothic atmospheres.
The Poison Well follows with some beautiful guitar and keyboard work with some steady drum beats that ascend into some more apocalyptic riffage and brutal death vocals. The song is rather straightforward once it warms up into the bridge and flows rather nicely with some spazzy guitar work and blast beats all the way.
In Sight is another track with powerful guitar work and keyboard ambiance. A lot more melodic the other songs, including some great clean vocals that remind me of any avant garde metal band. The atmosphere to the song is brilliant and the when the electric guitars kick back in, it gives a lot of dynamic feel to the song, overall making it one of the best tracks on the album. The next track,
Misery in Me, kicks off with some quick, heavy drum rolls and guitar riffs followed by some more brutal vocals. The song has avery spontaneous and spazzy feel to it even in it’s slow breakdowns backed by raspy chanting. The guitar work during the chorus of the song is amazing in tune with the keyboard, making the song another highlight of the album.
The ballistic drum rolls in the intro of
Cornered are followed quickly by some sweeping guitar riffs and dark atmospheres that eventually slow down for the the gothic style vocals of the first bridge. The guitar work in the song is beyond amazing and the keyboardist even shows some amazing speed and skill. The song has a sort of choppy feel to it due to the drum production, but aside from that the song is simply another work of perfection. The album titled track,
Exposures, begins with some really dark and ambient sounding guitar work and beautiful keyboard harmonies making a very soothing atmosphere that leads into some heavy guitar riffs and some brutal, high demo quality vocals that briefly interrupt the soft melodies. The song has some amazing atmosphere, but a rather interrupting flow with some of the heavy parts and almost would of made better being an all instrumental song.
Probably the most thrash based song on the album is
No One, which kicks off with some speedy guitar riffs and blast beats that deliver an aura of brutality. Oddly enough, the song is by far the weakest on the disc, which brings me to concluded that Dark Tranquillity get by better with sweeping guitar work, apocalyptic keyboard back drop, and overall more melodic atmospheres in general. The vocals are the biggest stand out on the track.
Yesterworld is a lot crunchier n sound (because it’s of demo quality), but that does not mean it doesn’t deliver some amazing melodic guitar work over a thick bass atmosphere. The vocals are very hard to hear on the song, and the keyboard is very hard to hear as well, but the song makes up with having a very progressive, ascending atmosphere of guitar groove and bass.
Unfurled By Dawn is another progressive sounding demo track that actually has a very black metal feel to it (due to quality, vocals, and blast beats). The song has some good drum work and guitar work, but the overall quality of the demo makes it very much uneasy to listen to throughout.
Midwinter/ Beyond Enlightenment, is another demo track that starts with some beautiful guitar and keyboard harmonies that create a very dense atmosphere of melodic sound before bursting into another wave of sheer brutality of riffs and blast beats over thrashy harsh vocals. The song is probably the heaviest in sound on the CD, but is overall the best demo track on the disc.
Competing with Nile on brutal meets melodic atmospheres,
Vernal Awakening is another onslaught of twisted, brutal death metal. Competing with the previous song on heaviness, the song has a really off throwing groove to it that interrupts the flow to the song. The guitar work on the first breakdown of the song is by the far the most interesting dynamic to the song. The last demo (and track on the disc) is
Void Of Tranquillity, which kicks off with some spazzy drums and brutal death grunts that automatically tell you it’s another heavy track. The song has a lot more groove in it the the previous demo songs, and is by far the most catchiness of the last few songs. Overall, the first disc has some amazing unreleased (and mastered) material on it, while the demos themselves are a bit more the desired, though not a burden on the compilation’s title.
Disc 2: The Live Audio
Although the disc is practically straight from the
Live Damage DVD, who can argue with the fact that Dark Tranquillity simply rock hard live? The disc contains some great performances (such as
The Wonders At Your Feet,
Haven,
Format C: For Cortex,
The Sun Fired Blanks, and
Therein) and also upholds the quality of the DVD version of the disc. Definitely the easiest listen out of the two discs on this classic compilation package.
Pros
-- Amazing guitar and keyboard.
-- Great vocals.
-- The live disc has to be heard to truly believe (unless you saw the DVD, then you already know).
-- Very presentful bass.
-- Great production (aside from the demos).
Cons
-- The demos really are the thing that bring the album down, and not that dramatically either.
Track Listing
DISC 1
1. Static (5/5)
2. The Poison Well (4.5/5)
3. Misery In Me (5/5)
4. In Sight (5/5)
5. Cornered (4.5/5)
6. Exposures (4/5)
7. No One (4/5)
8. Yesterworld (3.5/5)
9. Unfurled By Dawn (3.5/5)
10. Midwinter/ Beyond Enlightenment (4/5)
11. Vernal Awakening (4/5)
12. Void Of Tranquillity (4/5)
DISC 2
1. The Wonders At Your Feet (5/5)
2. The Treason Wall (4/5)
3. Hedon (4.5/5)
4. White Noise/ Black Silence (4/5)
5. Haven (5/5)
6. Punish My Heaven (4.5/5)
7. Monochromatic Stains (5/5)
8. Indifferent Suns (4.5/5)
9. Format C: For Cortex (5/5)
10. Insanity's Crescendo (4.5/5)
11. Hours Passed In Exile (4.5/5)
12. The Sun Fired Blanks (5/5)
13. Damage Done (4/5)
14. Lethe (4/5)
15. Not Build To Last (4.5/5)
16. Therein (5/5)
17. Zodijackyl Light (4.5/5)
18. Final Resistence (4/5)
19. Ex Nihilo (4.5/5)
