Dark Tranquillity - Construct - review
Dark Tranquillity - Construct - review
Tracklist
01. For Broken Words02. The Science Of Noise
03. Uniformity
04. The Silence In Between
05. Apathetic
06. What Only You Know
07. Endtime Hearts
08. State Of Trust
09. Weight Of The End
10. None Becoming
11. Immemorial [USA bonus]
12. Photon Dreams [USA bonus]
A review by
Darkside Momo June 11, 2013
I'd say, for starters, that like its predecessor We Are The Void, it can't compare with DT's best works, but in a very different way. We Are The Void had its moments, but it was ultimately generic and bland; Construct isn't bland at all, it is a half-success / half-failure (your choice) of a band that, at last, tried to redefine a bit of themselves. And so we've got an album that oscillates between classic Dark Tranquillity songs (a classic but average example being "The Silence In Between") and things a bit more unorthodox than what we're used to - "For Broken Words", with its weird drumming and dark mid-tempo pacing, comes to mind; with the variations and emphasis on the various electronic effects and keyboard lines being a close second. This, combined to the fact that the main songwriter this time is Martin Brändström, gives Construct a slight Haven aftertaste.
Alas, even if it definitely features interesting variations and ideas, and as usual great riffs and guitar parts, the songs don't always end up that good. The band didn't push the experiments far enough, showing too much restraint somehow, and that's probably why this album feels awkward. And that's how we end up with an album that features, at the same time, some of DT's very best works - Mikael Stanne's best clean vocals so far on the beautiful "Uniformity", or the simply fantastic "Endtime Hearts" which once again shows that Niklas Sundin can be the best songwriter of the band - and some real, disappointing fillers (like "What Only You Know" or "Weight Of The End"). Oh, and bonus track "Immemorial" was largely album material; I wonder why it was pushed to the lesser status of 'bonus track', really.
To conclude, let's be honest: Construct is pretty weak. Yet, it grew on me a lot, and yes, I like it. I always find something moving me, or resonating with me, in any DT album, and their latest offering is no exception (that's probably why I'm a fanboy to begin with). In the end, this Construct really feels like a transition album, just like Haven was back then - it seems Daniel Antonsson's departure during recording sessions had a much bigger impact than expected on the band - and as such isn't always musically great, but a step forward (finally), a proof that Dark Tranquillity can still change and evolve. A good thing for a band that, in recent years, used to rest a bit easy on their laurels.
Written on 11.06.2013 by
Written on 11.06.2013 by
Once your regular Hellfest reporter, now retired. I (strangely enough) listen to a lot of metal. And enjoy good beers, comics, novels and role-playing games. Comments page 2 / 2
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Well it seems that I'm the only one enjoying all DT albums from Projector till Construct  I cannot say such or such album is better or weaker, they all have great moments and above all they still show that DT is a strong constructed band ^^ When I first listened to We Are The Void, I couldn't stand it and after a few spins, I couldn't stop listening to it. That's the same with Construct : maybe it needs a little longer to get into it, provided you like DT style, but once you get into it, you cannot leave it away ! Not saying all tracks are equal, but overall it's a very enjoyable album !
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Posts: 15360
Given this a listen or three, i'll just say it won't be appearing on my top 25. generally this style isn't my cup o tea, but "Character" hit the mark with me, so it can be done.
---- get the fuck off my lawn. Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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Posts: 9126
Thanks for the comments everyone!  Written by Deadsoulman on 13.06.2013 at 12:07 Well, you know how much I like it, but still I think it's a bit weaker that the others...
---- My Author's Blog (in French)  "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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Posts: 8004 Written by Darkside Momo on 17.06.2013 at 11:47 Yes, that's why I was a little surprised. I guess I'm the only one who can't separate the emotional aspect from the actual quality of music then 
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Posts: 9126 Written by Deadsoulman on 17.06.2013 at 11:55 took me ten years and a serious re-listen of Character  . But I still listen to Damage Done more often than to The Gallery 
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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Posts: 96 Written by blackmamba on 11.06.2013 at 22:03 Roger! 
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I cant say which is the worse thing here, the artwork or the music. We might have to poll it out. This is one of THE worst kind of Melodeath (If you can call this record that is. Because I say this is neither melodic nor deathy its mostly Alt metal) I have heard.
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