Dark Tranquillity
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Dark Tranquillity |
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Dark Tranquillity is a melodic death metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden. They are one of the longest-standing bands from the Gothenburg metal scene and one of the pioneers of the melodic death metal genre.
Background
Dark Tranquillity was formed in 1989, under the name Septic Broiler who were a thrash metal band[1]. Since its formation the band has had a fairly stable line-up. In 1990, the band would record a demo cassette tape entitled Enfeebled Earth before they would change their name to Dark Tranquillity and their style. In 1993, Anders Fridén, Dark Tranquillity's original lead vocalist, left the band and later joined In Flames.[2] Mikael Stanne, who formerly played rhythm guitar and provided backing vocals, then became the lead vocalist, and Fredrik Johansson was recruited to take over rhythm guitar duties.
Before the release of the band's 1999 album, Projector (later nominated for a Swedish Grammy Award), Fredrik Johansson was asked to leave the band due to his lack of devotion to the band.[2] Martin Henriksson then switched from playing bass to guitar to replace Johansson, and the band added Michael Nicklasson on bass and Martin Brändström on keyboards and electronics. At this point the band also signed to Century Media Records. Since then, the band has remained stable in its line-up and its musical style; blending layers of rapid guitar lines with harmony-rich electronic keyboard washes and extremely precise rhythms underneath Stanne's abstract growled lyrics.
From 1995 to 2002, all of Dark Tranquillity's recordings were produced by Fredrik Nordström, who is known as one of the leading melodic death metal producers. After 2002 every recording the band released was self-produced until Fiction, which was co-produced with another well known melodic death metal producer, Tue Madsen.
Dark Tranquillity has now finished recording their newest album, Fiction, which they co-produced with Tue Madsen. The album was released on April 2007. After the completion of fiction, they toured with The Haunted, Into Eternity, and Scar Symmetry for the North America Metal For The Masses tour.[3]
Members
Current members
- Mikael Stanne – vocals (1994-present), guitar (1989-1994)
- Niklas Sundin – guitar (1989-present)
- Martin Henriksson – guitar (1998-present), bass (1989-1998)
- Martin Brändström – keyboards and electronics (1998-present)
- Michael Nicklasson – bass (1998-present)
- Anders Jivarp – drums (1989-present)
Former members
- Anders Fridén – vocals (1989-1993)
- Fredrik Johansson – guitar (1993-1998)
Session members
- Robin Engström – drums (tour 2001)
Guest musicians
- Anna-Kajsa Avehall (Skydancer)
- Eva-Marie Larsson (The Gallery)
- Sara Svensson (The Mind's I)
- Johanna Andersson (Projector)
- Nell Sigland (Fiction)
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Release date | Notes | Label |
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| Skydancer | 1993 | Dark Tranquillity's debut, studio album which featured former member, Anders Fridén on vocals. |
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| The Gallery | 1995 | Dark Tranquillity's second studio album, which was their first to feature Mikael Stanne on vocals and their first album produced by Fredrik Nordström. |
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| The Mind's I | 1997 | Dark Tranquillity's third studio album and their first to feature their current guitar tuning. |
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| Projector | 1999 | Dark Tranquillity's fourth studio album, which featured more prominent clean singing, piano and keyboards. | Century Media |
| Haven | July 25, 2000 | Dark Tranquillity's fifth studio album, which continued more or less with the musical style presented in Projector, but featured a more traditional vocal style. | Century Media |
| Damage Done | August 20, 2002 | Dark Tranquillity's sixth studio album and their last to be produced by Fredrik Nordström. | Century Media |
| Character | January 24, 2005 | Dark Tranquillity's seventh studio album, which was produced by the band itself. | Century Media |
| Fiction | April 17, 2007 | Dark Tranquillity's eighth studio album, which was co-produced with Tue Madsen and features several songs in dropped B tuning. | Century Media |
EPs, MCDs and singles
- Of Chaos and Eternal Night (MCD, 1995, Spinefarm Records)
- Enter Suicidal Angels (MCD, 1996, Osmose Productions)
- Lost to Apathy (EP, 2004, Century Media)
- Focus Shift (single, 2007, Century Media)
Other albums
- Skydancer/Of Chaos and Eternal Night (reissue, 2000)
- Exposures - In Retrospect and Denial (compilation, 2004, Century Media)
DVDs and videos
- Zodijackyl Light (VHS, 1996, Osmose Productions)
- World Domination (VHS, 1998, Osmose Productions)
- Live Damage (DVD, 2003, Century Media)
Demos
- Enfeebled Earth (1989, released under the name Septic Broiler)
- Trail of Life Decayed (1991), (1992, re-release, Guttural Records)
- A Moonclad Reflection (1992, Slaughter/Exhumed Records)
- Tranquillity (1993, cassette compilation containing Trail of Life Decayed and A Moonclad Reflection, Carnage Records)
Trivia
- Mikael Stanne recorded vocals with In Flames for their debut album. However, contrary to popular belief, he was never an official member of that band; he was a session vocalist and sang to help out the members of In Flames who did not have a vocalist yet.[4]
- Guitarist Niklas Sundin wrote the lyrics for two In Flames' albums, The Jester Race and Whoracle, based on concepts by Anders Friden. He also translated the lyrics from Swedish to English for Colony.
References
- ^ http://www.dark-tranquillity.nl/biography.htm
- ^ a b "Dark Tranquillity: Interview with Niklas Sundin". Heart of Steel: Interviews. Metal-Rules. July 2002. Retrieved 2007-04-14.
- ^ http://www.centurymedia.com/us/news.php?artist_ID=22&x=53&y=7
- ^ "Dark Tranquillity - Canadian Explorations". The Metal Observer. June 2005. Retrieved 2007-04-15.