Dark Tranquillity "Character" (Century Media)
By Eric Chon
Tuesday. Mar 01, 11:40 AM
Just might be their magnum opus.

Damage Done was one of my favorite albums of 2002 and I know I shouldn’t have expected Damage Done 2. But I did. And unfortunately because of that Character suffered a bit on my initial impression. It was totally unexpected and I was a bit unsure of what to think.

However, this is Dark Tranquillity we’re talking about, and I was going to give their new album its fair due no matter what. And, once more, I was in for a surprise as I started to pick out its nuances and complexities. At once it is as melodic and grand as anything they’ve ever done, as well as the most punishing and devastating. Somehow these Gothenburg originals have perfected a balance between the beautiful and the brutal.

Character is an apt name for Dark Tranquillity’s latest foray. The entire catalogue of human emotion is on display in the 11 tracks present. It’s clear that vocalist Mikael Stanne has delved deep within to pull out these painful and beautiful feelings to the surface. There are moments of intense introspection on tracks like “Am I 1?”, where Mikael sings “there's a part of me that cannot deal with the character I am forced to be.” The band also showcase their ability to experiment and play with their sound, allowing haunting pianos to accompany intricate guitars. Melodies interweave throughout the album, creating an ethereal atmosphere that is as individual as the lyrics.

But this also happens to be their heaviest album to date. Songs like “One Thought” and “Dry Run” showcase the masterful guitar work of Niklas and Michael. Anders and Martin provide the heavy and pounding rhythm required to tie it all together, creating a sound as raw and anguished as the human experience itself. Martin Brändström’s electronics only breathe life into the tapestry, sculpting a fully-realized sound that cannot be duplicated nor absorbed right away. It’s hard to believe that a contender for “Album of the Year” is already here.

I hesitate to say it as they are still going strong, but Character just might be Dark Tranquillity’s magnum opus. It’s taken all expectations and steam-rolled over them, delivering an album larger than life. It is filled with fear, anger, disappointment, power, and triumph, and is as complex as all of them rolled into one. At first you might be taken aback. You might not even like it. But give it time and its complexities will unravel before you.
www.darktranquillity.com
www.centurymedia.com

Eric Chon

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