_ _______ _ ...:... _ _______ _ ___ / .:::::::::::. \ ___ | / .. (:::::::::::::) .. \ | | . .:::::.`:::::::::::'.:::::. . | | .::.. `:::.::':::`::.:::' ..::. | _ _______ | .::' ::::':::::`:::: `::. | _______ _ \\ | | :: `' ::':`:: `' :: | | // \ | | `:. .::' . `::. .:' | | / . | | .::::::..::::' ... `::::..::::::. | | . | | `:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::' | | .... | | `:' `::::: :: :: :::::' `:' | | .... | ' | : `. ': :: :: :: :: :` .' : | ` | |.....: . .......: :: :: :: :: : ...... . : ....| . ...................: : :: :: :: :: : : ................. . _____________:_____________ _____________:_____________ _ ___\` __ /_\` _______/_\` __ _/_\` /___ _ // __ / (/ ___/ (/ _ (/ /_______/\ _ _ /_________ ___________ ______/\ _ ______________/\__/_ _ \\\\\_________\__/\_________\__/\_____/\_____/\____________/ /// - -\-\-----------\__/----------\__/-------\_____/---------------/-/- - - -------------------: : :. ..:: :: . :------------------ - : : :......: :: :` ': :: : .....: : : ___ _ | | : ` ' : | | _ ___ _\---------- : | -------- : B E R C : -------- | : ----------/_ /_\ . : . ..:.. ..:.. . : . /_\ /// . . : : . . \\\ /: :\ /:: Artist :: Dark Tranquillity ::\ :: Album :: Endtime Signals :: :: Year :: 2024 :: :: __ _ _ __ :: -:--\\-----------------------------------------------------------------//--:- :: \ / :: :: . Genre :: Death Metal Source :: CD . :: :: Label :: Metal Army R.date :: 2024-09-13 :: _::__ Cat.nr. :: ARMY 109-CD S.date :: 2024-06-16 __::_ ::// \\:: ::/---------------------------------------------------------------------\:: :: :: /: Encoder :: LAME 3.100 -V0 :\ ..: Bitrate :: avg. 272kbps :.. . Quality :: 44.1 kHz/Joint Stereo . . Size :: 103.12MB . . . http://darktranquillity.bandcamp.com __ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __ .\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////. +/ -\------- | | ----\ tracklist /---- | | -------/- \+ /: . : : . :\ /:: ::\ :: 1. Shivers and Voids 3:48 :: :: 2. Unforgivable 3:44 :: :: 3. Neuronal Fire 4:32 :: :: 4. Not Nothing 4:52 :: :: 5. Drowned Out Voices 3:54 :: :: 6. One of Us Is Gone 4:36 :: :: 7. The Last Imagination 3:46 :: :: 8. Enforced Perspective 3:20 :: :: 9. Our Disconnect 5:19 :: :: 10. Wayward Eyes 3:28 :: :: 11. A Bleaker Sun 4:23 :: :: 12. False Reflection 4:42 :: :: :: :: :: :: ------- :: .. >> 50:24 .. __ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __ .\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////. +/ -\------- | | ----\ release notes /---- | | -------/- \+ /: . : : . :\ /:: ::\ :: :: :: Though which pioneering act of the Gothenburg melodic death :: :: metal movement of the 90s is an open question, few will argue :: :: that Dark Tranquillity was anything other than the most :: :: stylistically and qualitatively consistent adherent of the :: :: original Big 3. In fact, the most enduring criticism of their :: :: output has been that theyÆve stuck so close to their roots that :: :: theyÆve all but become the melodeath equivalent of AC/DC, at :: :: least insofar as their output since 2007Æs Fiction is :: :: concerned. The reality naturally proves this sentiment to be :: :: hyperbolic, as each album since the mid-2000s has come with :: :: number of lineup changes and controlled fits of evolution that :: :: has resulted in a unique final product, albeit one that rests :: :: comfortably within the hard-hitting, yet melancholy blend of :: :: atmospheric, old school heavy metal and occasional post-rock :: :: influences that inspired a number of prominent Finnish :: :: melodeath bands in the early 2000s. This quintetÆs latest :: :: offering Endtime Signals proves no exception in this regard, :: :: and provides an expansive view into the cold and grey world of :: :: Dark TranquillityÆs signature sound. :: :: :: :: Continual shifts in this outfitÆs membership play a fairly :: :: sizable role in how this excursion into the fatalistic differs :: :: from its immediate predecessor, namely 2020Æs Moment. The :: :: switching out of the previous rhythm section in favor of Grand :: :: Cadaver bassist Christian Jansson and ex-In Mourning drummer :: :: Joakim Strandberg-Nilsson is particularly noteworthy as the :: :: general dimension of the arrangement has become fairly heavier :: :: and darker despite the same production crew being in place. :: :: Likewise, the exodus of former Arch Enemy guitarist Christopher :: :: Amott has left Johan Reinholdz, originally billed as the rhythm :: :: guitarist when originally entering the lineup with Amott in :: :: 2020, to handle all guitar duties. This proves to be of little :: :: consequence in terms of the amount of solo content as Reinholdz :: :: has long been a competent lead player via his prior and ongoing :: :: work with Andromeda and Skyfire, but his stylistic approach :: :: does feel a tad more linear and idiomatic than AmottÆs. :: :: :: :: But barring an upgrade in the impact department and a few :: :: variations in how the peripheral ornamentation of each song :: :: emerges, the core sound that has dominated Dark TranquillityÆs :: :: work for the better part of 2 decades remains essentially the :: :: same. One canÆt help but hear a near instant commonality with :: :: the dreamy character of Moment when the fuzz-steeped guitar :: :: intro of opening entry ôShivers And Voidsö gives way to a :: :: mid-paced roar with a dense, melancholic atmosphere, ditto some :: :: longer scoped numbers later on the album like ôOur Disconnectö, :: :: as well as moderately swift yet spacey odes with Mikael Stanne :: :: trading in his signature growl for a Gothic baritone croon like :: :: ôOne Of Us Is Goneö and ôFalse Reflectionö. Truth be told, :: :: Stanne proves to be one of the most dynamic elements of what is :: :: otherwise a static affair in sorrowful contemplation, as his :: :: raspy roars seem to telegraph where each song will go and :: :: accentuates the multi-dimensional character of the atmosphere :: :: that is established through longtime keyboardist Martin :: :: BrandstromÆs droning orchestrations. :: :: :: :: Though generally a consistent restatement of a familiar sound, :: :: this is an album that ratchets the aggression factor up :: :: considerably to a level that hasn't really been heard since :: :: 2007's Fiction. Mad thrashing cruisers like ôUnforgivableö and :: :: ôEnforced Perspectiveö slam the pavement with the same degree :: :: of intensity that one would have expected from the seminal days :: :: of At The Gates and The Crown, recalling the styleÆs old school :: :: death metal roots between frenzied drum work and neck-ruining :: :: riff work, with ReinholdzÆs lead work shredding up the fret :: :: board something fierce. ôDrowned Out Voicesö and ôA Bleaker :: :: Sunö lay down the guitar-driven carnage in no less aggressive a :: :: fashion, though taking more breaks in mid-paced territory to :: :: allow the keyboards and guitar melodies to sing sorrowfully. :: :: But where this album truly shines and breaks away from the last :: :: few to come out of the Dark Tranquillity arsenal are ôNeuronial :: :: Fireö and ôWayward Eyesö, which brilliantly merge this albumÆs :: :: swifter tendencies with a solid array of infectious hooks, :: :: reaching further back into this veteran actÆs past to the days :: :: of Haven and Damage Done, albeit draped in slightly more :: :: keyboard-driven ambience. :: :: :: :: Apocalyptic undertones aside, Endtime Signals is the sort of :: :: album that provides a brighter and more animated shade of grey :: :: to go with any mournful metalheadÆs listening diet. Sometimes :: :: StanneÆs tendency to throw in a deep, brooding clean voice to :: :: contrast with his frostbitten shouts blurs the lines between :: :: the classic Gothenburg sound and the contemporary death/doom :: :: and Gothic sound that was also the rage during the 90s, but :: :: overall this is an album that covers all the obligatory bases :: :: that the melodeath rank and file have come to expect. Those :: :: fortunate enough to get their hands on the special edition :: :: release of this album will be treated to two additional banger :: :: entries in ôZero Sumö and ôIn Failureö that further bolster :: :: this albumÆs contingent of moderately up tempo and well-rounded :: :: anthems cloaked in dense keyboards and featuring occasional :: :: technical gymnastics between the drums and Reinholdz's :: :: six-string work. The title might be focused with the end of all :: :: things, but hopefully this wonÆt be the final word of this :: :: longstanding Gothenburg institution. :: :: :: :: . _ _ . :: \: :. \\ ___________ . ___________ // .: :/ __\____ :: ____ ___\ _ / BERC : 2024 \ _ /___ ____ :: ____/__ \\\f3! :: \\\ __ _/_________i_________\ /___/ /// :: cRO/// \ :: :\-\___________\_ ___ / _ _/___________/-/: :: / :: | . . _ _ _/ __/ . \_ _ _ . . | :: : :::::::: | | \\\\\/ _______\____|\ \///// | | :::::::: : :: | | -\-\/____/-------------\____\/-/- | | :: :: | | \ :|: / | | :: : : | . ` ::: ' . | : : . . | : ::: : | . . | :::....:::....::: | : ::::::::::::::::: : . :::''``:::''``::: . : ::: : . ::: . .:. :