Dark Tranquility- DAMAGE DONE

What to expect from the new 2002 release from Dark Tranquillity. Dark Tranquillity, along with the likes of In Flames, are one of the founders of the death metal style known as Gothenburg, which not only incorporates the fast, aggressive riffs, and growling vocals, but also melodic, guitars and guitar harmonies. Dark Tranquilliy seems to have a lot in common with In Flames, not only in similar riffs and playing style, but also features Mikeal Stanne on vocals who was once the front man for In Flames. Before Mikeal Stanne, Anders Friden, current front man for In Flames was the front man for Dark Tranquillity. So it is no supprise that both bands have a similar sound.
In 1999 however, DT took on a slightly different style, which diviated from the traditional death metal style. While the riffage remained intact, they started incorporating more keyboards and electronic sounds. Dark Tranquillity has always used a little bit of keyboards in their style, but is it too much now? Weather you think so or not, this is what you can expect from Damage Done. Listening to the album, I think something is missing which was in their older sound. The riffage still remains intact, but somehow the music isn't as aggressive as it used to be, and has lost some of it's origional intensity. Mikeal Stanne's voice isn't quite what it used to be either. On the older albums, he had a nice death metal scream, that would go from a high pitched scream, to a low growl. Now he's pretty much ditched the high scream and go's for the low growl that stays the same tone throughout the album. As for the keyboards, they sound nice at parts of the album, but at other parts there a little much. I like keyboards in metal when there used to emulate other instruments, such as classical instruments, like piano, or strings and such, but too much and it starts to sound like techno or electronica. There are a couple parts of this album were that line is crossed.
All in all, the albums not bad, but it's not all that it could be. If you like the last couple albums, you'll probably like this one too. But if you long for the older more streight forward Gothenburg style, keep longing. And if your one to judge an album by it's cover, well this one has one of the ugliest album covers, I've seen.

By Firedragon, october 2002