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Dark Tranquillity - We Are The Void review




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Reviewer:
8.8

824 users:
7.9
Band: Dark Tranquillity
Album: We Are The Void
Release date: February 2010


Disc I [CD]
01. Shadow In Our Blood
02. Dream Oblivion
03. The Fatalist
04. In My Absence
05. The Grandest Accusation
06. At The Point Of Ignition
07. Her Silent Language
08. Arkhangelsk
09. I Am The Void
10. Surface The Infinite
11. Iridium
12. Zero Distance
13. Star Of Nothingness [Japanese edition bonus] [limited edition bonus]
14. To Where Fires Cannot Feed [limited edition bonus]
15. Out Of Gravity [Japanese edition bonus]
16. The Bow And The Arrow [digital bonus]

Disc II [DVD bonus] Inside The Void
+ Studio Report 2009 - The Making Of The Void
+ Making Of Shadow In Our Blood Video
+ Where Death Is Most Alive DVD Trailer
+ ThereIn [Live in Milan]
+ Final Resistance [Live in Milan]
+ Shadow In Our Blood Video
+ Dream Oblivion [Live With Full Force 2010]
+ The Fatalist [Live London 2010]
+ The Grandest Accusation [Video Backdrop]
+ Iridium [Live Summerbreeze 2010]
+ Iridium Video
+ Zero Distance Video

Dark Tranquillity have just won the MS Awards in the category they have been nominated in and I think there are some people that still are in need of reasons for that. Let me give you a few hints. At first everyone should admit that the band have changed their style a lot since the infamous The Gallery. Once the music was fast, melodic and with insane melodies, but this era is definitely over. We Are The Void marks the next step into the direction of a more dark and heavy sound. Many dislike this and they have good reasons to do so, since one can miss the old days really hard. But metal changes, and so do the bands.

We get to know eleven new songs on the standard edition of We Are The Void and they are "new" in many ways. The album starts quite quick, as always, and the opener draws already a line that leads to the darkness which all the songs consist of. Although the style as a whole changed, the single elements diversify a lot. It is the typical Gothenburg mix of harsh and clean vocals, crushing distortion and acoustic scenery. There are songs that are catchy and get directly into the metalhead's ear like "The Fatalist," whereas other songs are very edged like "Arkhangelsk." The latter one is special and also a great example of the new Dark Tranquillity style, for it is very, very dark and carries much more black metal atmosphere than any attempt of Dimmu Borgir during the last decade!

Mikael Stanne's vocals also fit to the music, since they have become a lot darker and more impulsive. His clean vocals are near to perfection, and both of his voices create awesome duets like in "Her Silent Language." The guitars and bass actually do not offer a completely new tone, but together with the drums they simply rock! Many melodic parts are driven by the keyboard, but it is not too exaggerated as if you could speak of cheesiness. These melodies are often in the foreground, but at the same time they support the plucked instruments. One of the best songs is surely the last one, "Iridium." Atmosphere, great harmonies and a chorus that double-basses every eardrum down!

The old times of Dark Tranquillity are definitely gone and even Damage Done seems to be far away now. People like it, or people do not like it. I think it is a change that is worth being appreciated. And to all of you still not convinced, just go out and listen to these songs live, it is a pleasure and looks like they have been made for concerts. When "At The Point Of Ignition" tucks in, no one can do anything but headbang till delirium! One last tip for all who do not own We Are The Void yet: try to get the bonus edition, "To Where Fires Can Not Feed," one of my favourites; it's worth the money!


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 8
Production: 9

Written by Windrider | 17.03.2011




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.

Guest review by
!J.O.O.E.!
Rating:
6.5
It's always a sad sight to witness an institution tumble down hill, none more so than Dark Tranquillity, a band I once considered virtually infallible. Their prior album, Fiction, despite having some moments of greatness, certainly showed signs of greying around the gills, especially after their impeccably polished and resolute performance on Character; a performance which many would agree rivalled The Gallery in its impact: a true affirmation of their ever (if slowly) evolving skill, which is why from We Are The Void emanates the unmistakable whiff of disappointment.

Read more ››
published 20.06.2010 | Comments (23)


Comments

Comments: 28   Visited by: 170 users
17.03.2011 - 19:35
MechanisT
Account deleted
"Arkhengelsk" and "Iridium" are the true highlights in We Are The Void for me, instances were I was fully immersed within the album. Others? Not really. While there are good songs here, it stills bears the stench of recycling in the songwriting, particularly some of the riffs, and so I was was considerably disappointed with this album. I agree that the album is darker than anything DT have ever done before, but this album was just too one-dimensional by DT's standards. I agree with the highlights, yet do not agree with the rating, it's just too monotonous to have this high a rating.
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17.03.2011 - 19:47
Rating: 9
Windrider
Raureif
Written by Guest on 17.03.2011 at 19:35

"Arkhengelsk" and "Iridium" are the true highlights in We Are The Void for me, instances were I was fully immersed within the album. Others? Not really. While there are good songs here, it stills bears the stench of recycling in the songwriting, particularly some of the riffs, and so I was was considerably disapoointed with this album. I agree that the album is darker than anything DT have ever done before, but this album was just too one-dimensional by DT's standards. I agree with the highlights, yet do not agree with the rating, It's just too monotonous to have this high a rating.

Thanks for the constructive criticism! Well said indeed, but for me it is not that monotonous, it rocks from beginning to the end and we have typical Gothenburg, Death and also Blackened elements in it. For example, in most songs the chorus is like completely different from the verses, which avoids this over-repeated feeling... I can understand your point too, I think it is quite subjective in this album, was hard enough to explain myself kind objective lol!
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17.03.2011 - 19:56
MechanisT
Account deleted
Written by Windrider on 17.03.2011 at 19:47

Written by Guest on 17.03.2011 at 19:35

"Arkhengelsk" and "Iridium" are the true highlights in We Are The Void for me, instances were I was fully immersed within the album. Others? Not really. While there are good songs here, it stills bears the stench of recycling in the songwriting, particularly some of the riffs, and so I was was considerably disapoointed with this album. I agree that the album is darker than anything DT have ever done before, but this album was just too one-dimensional by DT's standards. I agree with the highlights, yet do not agree with the rating, It's just too monotonous to have this high a rating.

Thanks for the constructive criticism! Well said indeed, but for me it is not that monotonous, it rocks from beginning to the end and we have typical Gothenburg, Death and also Blackened elements in it. For example, in most songs the chorus is like completely different from the verses, which avoids this over-repeated feeling... I can understand your point too, I think it is quite subjective in this album, was hard enough to explain myself kind objective lol!


You're certainly most welcome.
Sometimes I feel that order (of albums you've heard) plays a BIG role shaping up opinions. I came to fully embrace DT when I heard Fiction (it's an unbelievable grower), Damage Done first aroused my interest, and Character, while having stupendous highs, also had some less-than-excellent songs as well. Naturally, I was expecting something more, 3 years after Fiction was released, so therein may lie the problem...
Forgot to mention, good job on the review.
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17.03.2011 - 20:38
Rating: 9
Windrider
Raureif
Written by Guest on 17.03.2011 at 19:56

You're certainly most welcome.
Sometimes I feel that order (of albums you've heard) plays a BIG role shaping up opinions. I came to fully embrace DT when I heard Fiction (it's an unbelievable grower), Damage Done first aroused my interest, and Character, while having stupendous highs, also had some less-than-excellent songs as well. Naturally, I was expecting something more, 3 years after Fiction was released, so therein may lie the problem...
Forgot to mention, good job on the review.

Thank you again! You might be right with the order of albums, this was indeed my first! But I think The Gallery and Damage Done are better nevertheless, they both are on my Top20 List... For me it is but only a difference between 10 (The Gallery), 9.5 (Damage Done) and 9 (Last two albums), because they are all awesome, DT is yet my fave band right after Ensiferum... I tried to explain my reasons within the review, but as long as it is comprehensible, I am glad
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17.03.2011 - 21:24
MechanisT
Account deleted
Written by Windrider on 17.03.2011 at 20:38

Written by Guest on 17.03.2011 at 19:56

You're certainly most welcome.
Sometimes I feel that order (of albums you've heard) plays a BIG role shaping up opinions. I came to fully embrace DT when I heard Fiction (it's an unbelievable grower), Damage Done first aroused my interest, and Character, while having stupendous highs, also had some less-than-excellent songs as well. Naturally, I was expecting something more, 3 years after Fiction was released, so therein may lie the problem...
Forgot to mention, good job on the review.

Thank you again! You might be right with the order of albums, this was indeed my first! But I think The Gallery and Damage Done are better nevertheless, they both are on my Top20 List... For me it is but only a difference between 10 (The Gallery), 9.5 (Damage Done) and 9 (Last two albums), because they are all awesome, DT is yet my fave band right after Ensiferum... I tried to explain my reasons within the review, but as long as it is comprehensible, I am glad


Personally, it's a down-to-the-wire toss-up for awarding the best album between "Damage Done" and "Fiction". In the end, I chose Fiction simply because no other album has been played repeatedly over the course of the last 3-4 years by me. Damage Done made an impact immediately with it's then never-before-seen glimpses of this futuristic DT, but Fiction beat it eventually with it's sheer resilience. Character has possibly the peak of DT's incredible sonic evolution, but lacks in consistency in my opinion. "The Gallery" is also majestic and definitely one of the greatest, hell, THE greatest Melodeath album in history.
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17.03.2011 - 21:31
Rating: 9
Windrider
Raureif
Written by Guest on 17.03.2011 at 21:24

Personally, it's a down-to-the-wire toss-up for awarding the best album between "Damage Done" and "Fiction". In the end, I chose Fiction simply because no other album has been played repeatedly over the course of the last 3-4 years by me. Damage Done made an impact immediately with it's then never-before-seen glimpses of this futuristic DT, but Fiction beat it eventually with it's sheer resilience. Character has possibly the peak of DT's incredible sonic evolution, but lacks in consistency in my opinion. "The Gallery" is also majestic and definitely one of the greatest, hell, THE greatest Melodeath album in history.

My winner is Damage Done... But concerning the Gallery... Totally Agreed!
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17.03.2011 - 21:34
MechanisT
Account deleted
Written by Windrider on 17.03.2011 at 21:31

Written by Guest on 17.03.2011 at 21:24

Personally, it's a down-to-the-wire toss-up for awarding the best album between "Damage Done" and "Fiction". In the end, I chose Fiction simply because no other album has been played repeatedly over the course of the last 3-4 years by me. Damage Done made an impact immediately with it's then never-before-seen glimpses of this futuristic DT, but Fiction beat it eventually with it's sheer resilience. Character has possibly the peak of DT's incredible sonic evolution, but lacks in consistency in my opinion. "The Gallery" is also majestic and definitely one of the greatest, hell, THE greatest Melodeath album in history.

My winner is Damage Done... But concerning the Gallery... Totally Agreed!


MechanisT: Fiction > Damage Done > Character > The Gallery > Projector > Haven > We Are The Void > Skydancer > The Mind's I.
No guarantees that it'll stay the same!
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17.03.2011 - 22:54
Rating: 8
Milena
gloom cookie
With me it's more or less Fiction > Haven > The Gallery > Damage Done> Projector > We are the void >Skydancer > Character> The MInd's I.
But I've only started to listen to them a couple months back, some albums got less than five listens
Great job on the interview man. You''ve really nailed it, maybe it's a little more like a fan speaking than a completely objective individual, but still, we all are fans of albums we review-otherwise we couldn't pay attention to it.
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7.0 means the album is good
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17.03.2011 - 23:27
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Well what can I say? Yes, this style is very different from The Gallery but guess what: all their albums prior to The Gallery are different. This record continues in the same vein that was more or less established by Damage Done, just on a much less interesting level.

We'd all love another The Gallery record, or even a more assertive Character but I just don't think there's enough here to justify a band that is at their peak, or even a band that is especially comfortable at what they're doing.
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18.03.2011 - 00:36
Rating: 7
MétalNoir
Fils du Lys
DT's characteristic "Gothicburg" sound is more obvious than ever before on this album... So you gotta like Gothic metal to fully appreciate it, I guess.
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Notre destinée n'est pas encore tracée....
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18.03.2011 - 10:17
Rating: 8
Milena
gloom cookie
Written by MétalNoir on 18.03.2011 at 00:36

DT's characteristic "Gothicburg" sound is more obvious than ever before on this album... So you gotta like Gothic metal to fully appreciate it, I guess.

Umm, I believe it's Gothenburg, you know, like the city they're from?
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7.0 means the album is good
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18.03.2011 - 10:52
MechanisT
Account deleted
Written by Milena on 18.03.2011 at 10:17

Written by MétalNoir on 18.03.2011 at 00:36

DT's characteristic "Gothicburg" sound is more obvious than ever before on this album... So you gotta like Gothic metal to fully appreciate it, I guess.

Umm, I believe it's Gothenburg, you know, like the city they're from?


There's pun intended, if you look closely...
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18.03.2011 - 15:06
Rating: 7
MétalNoir
Fils du Lys
Written by Guest on 18.03.2011 at 10:52

Written by Milena on 18.03.2011 at 10:17

Written by MétalNoir on 18.03.2011 at 00:36

DT's characteristic "Gothicburg" sound is more obvious than ever before on this album... So you gotta like Gothic metal to fully appreciate it, I guess.

Umm, I believe it's Gothenburg, you know, like the city they're from?


There's pun intended, if you look closely...

Mmmkay...
Gothenburg + Gothic = Gothicburg
Shall I repeat this?
Gothenburg + Gothic = Gothicburg
Thank you.
----
Notre destinée n'est pas encore tracée....
Loading...
18.03.2011 - 15:48
MechanisT
Account deleted
Written by MétalNoir on 18.03.2011 at 15:06

Written by Guest on 18.03.2011 at 10:52

Written by Milena on 18.03.2011 at 10:17

Written by MétalNoir on 18.03.2011 at 00:36

DT's characteristic "Gothicburg" sound is more obvious than ever before on this album... So you gotta like Gothic metal to fully appreciate it, I guess.

Umm, I believe it's Gothenburg, you know, like the city they're from?


There's pun intended, if you look closely...

Mmmkay...
Gothenburg + Gothic = Gothicburg
Shall I repeat this?
Gothenburg + Gothic = Gothicburg
Thank you.


Bravo, sir, for your thorough explanations, but here's the catch...

There's no such thing as Gothicburg. It's a self-defined genre definition by you. It's like calling Eluveitie Celtodeath, or Agalloch Pantheist Metal, or Shining [NOR] as Blackjazz Whatever Metal. Therefore, I cannot help but think that there's pun involved in your comment.
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18.03.2011 - 16:00
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Yeah... I'm well and truly lost where this gothicburg/gothenburg thing is concerned. DT have never been in throwing distance of gothic... anything.
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18.03.2011 - 18:35
Rating: 8
Milena
gloom cookie
Written by Guest on 18.03.2011 at 16:00

DT have never been in throwing distance of gothic... anything.

Yeah, that's what I thought too
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7.0 means the album is good
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18.03.2011 - 19:23
Rating: 7
MétalNoir
Fils du Lys
Written by Milena on 18.03.2011 at 18:35

Written by Guest on 18.03.2011 at 16:00

DT have never been in throwing distance of gothic... anything.

Yeah, that's what I thought too

Pfff... I really shouldn't have written this anyway, when you fall into the genre definig trap it's usually a dead end... I'm not inventing a genre, here, all I'm saying is DT have a slight Gothic twist to their music, unlike most Gothenburg bands. The keyboards, vocals and all over atmosphere is reminiscnt of some Goth bands like Moonspell and "We Are the Void" shows this even more than most previous albums IMO. I (falsely) believed mixing the words "Gothic" and "Gothenburg" instead of "Gothic-influenced Gothenburg metal" was kinda smart, since as you certainly noticed, both words have "Goth-" in them.
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Notre destinée n'est pas encore tracée....
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18.03.2011 - 19:23
MechanisT
Account deleted
Written by MétalNoir on 18.03.2011 at 19:17

Written by Guest on 18.03.2011 at 15:48

Written by MétalNoir on 18.03.2011 at 15:06

Written by Guest on 18.03.2011 at 10:52

Written by Milena on 18.03.2011 at 10:17

Written by MétalNoir on 18.03.2011 at 00:36

DT's characteristic "Gothicburg" sound is more obvious than ever before on this album... So you gotta like Gothic metal to fully appreciate it, I guess.

Umm, I believe it's Gothenburg, you know, like the city they're from?


There's pun intended, if you look closely...

Mmmkay...
Gothenburg + Gothic = Gothicburg
Shall I repeat this?
Gothenburg + Gothic = Gothicburg
Thank you.


Bravo, sir, for your thorough explanations, but here's the catch...

There's no such thing as Gothicburg. It's a self-defined genre definition by you. It's like calling Eluveitie Celtodeath, or Agalloch Pantheist Metal, or Shining [NOR] as Blackjazz Whatever Metal. Therefore, I cannot help but think that there's pun involved in your comment.

You misunderstood me, my sarcasm was for "Umm, I believe it's Gothenburg, you know, like the city they're from?". Of course it was pun


Well, in that case, right back at ya!
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18.03.2011 - 19:47
Rating: 8
Milena
gloom cookie
Written by MétalNoir on 18.03.2011 at 19:23

Written by Milena on 18.03.2011 at 18:35

Written by Guest on 18.03.2011 at 16:00

DT have never been in throwing distance of gothic... anything.

Yeah, that's what I thought too

Pfff... I really shouldn't have written this anyway, when you fall into the genre definig trap it's usually a dead end... I'm not inventing a genre, here, all I'm saying is DT have a slight Gothic twist to their music, unlike most Gothenburg bands. The keyboards, vocals and all over atmosphere is reminiscnt of some Goth bands like Moonspell and "We Are the Void" shows this even more than most previous albums IMO. I (falsely) believed mixing the words "Gothic" and "Gothenburg" instead of "Gothic-influenced Gothenburg metal" was kinda smart, since as you certainly noticed, both words have "Goth-" in them.

Well than I am sorry to have misinterpreted you, sir, I thought you were some dude who didn't know shit about European geography and actually thought that the city was called Gothicburg don't know why I thought that though.
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7.0 means the album is good
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20.03.2011 - 01:20
Rating: 7
MétalNoir
Fils du Lys
Written by Milena on 18.03.2011 at 19:47

Well than I am sorry to have misinterpreted you, sir, I thought you were some dude who didn't know shit about European geography and actually thought that the city was called Gothicburg don't know why I thought that though.

Ha ha ok there's been a lot of misunderstanding above, so I guess I'm the one who should beg your perdon for posting such confusing comments... as well as being sarcastic, probably was in a bad hair day
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Notre destinée n'est pas encore tracée....
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20.03.2011 - 15:56
Rating: 8
Milena
gloom cookie
Written by MétalNoir on 20.03.2011 at 01:20

Ha ha ok there's been a lot of misunderstanding above, so I guess I'm the one who should beg your perdon for posting such confusing comments... as well as being sarcastic, probably was in a bad hair day


No need, we all have bad hair days
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7.0 means the album is good
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31.05.2011 - 22:52
Rating: 10
Wes

I fucking love this album.. What an amazing band.
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18.08.2011 - 23:49
Prowler84

I can not understand why many people do not enjoy this album. This is something like Fiction Part 2. Yes maybe Fiction was better in some terms but I do not really understand people who like Fiction and do not like We are the Void. It's really weird!!
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Steve Harris isn't a God.God is a S.Harris!!
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18.08.2011 - 23:55
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Prowler84 on 18.08.2011 at 23:49

I can not understand why many people do not enjoy this album. This is something like Fiction Part 2. Yes maybe Fiction was better in some terms but I do not really understand people who like Fiction and do not like We are the Void. It's really weird!!

When you've followed them for a long time and you gradually see each album released be a little worse than the previous one it's no wonder people don't have a lot of good things to say about this album.
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19.08.2011 - 10:14
Rating: 8
Deadmeat
Necrobutcher
Written by Prowler84 on 18.08.2011 at 23:49

I can not understand why many people do not enjoy this album. This is something like Fiction Part 2. Yes maybe Fiction was better in some terms but I do not really understand people who like Fiction and do not like We are the Void. It's really weird!!

as i love fiction and dislike this one i will tell you that fiction is most complete as an album, it flows and it has it's own identity. this one is like DT wrote some songs and just published them. no good production, not even the feeling that "united the songs and turns them to what we call an ALBUM". and of course fiction has some outstanding songs on it....
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Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
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19.08.2011 - 15:40
Rating: 5
Daniell
_爱情_
I haven't seen that review before. 8.8 for this bucket of unispired pig swill? Give me a break. There isn't a single note on this album that isn't stale and recycled.
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26.10.2011 - 16:27
Prowler84

No good production??? Production is one of the strongest points for that album. I should give an "8" for the production. You should also watch bonus dvd for production period.

Grandest Accusation is an outstanding track that I should name here for the ones who say there's no standout tracks on the album!
----
Steve Harris isn't a God.God is a S.Harris!!
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03.12.2011 - 03:11
Rating: 10
Wes

10/10 for me. The best DT album yet, and the Tour Edition is even better with three of the best songs on the album previously missing - The Bow And The Arrow, Out of Gravity, and Zero Distance.

First time I heard this album I thought they changed styles and just stopped listening. Second time I heard it I was blown away. Finally some dynamic song structure. The previous 2 albums were such a bore. It seems Insomnium has taken up the job of producing boring songs centered around one symphonic build up.

Glad to have Dark Tranquillity back.
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