Dark Tranquillity
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| Dark Tranquillity | |
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 Dark Tranquillity playing live at Summer Breeze Open Air 2007
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Gothenburg, Sweden |
| Genre(s) | Melodic death metal |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Label(s) | Century Media Osmose Spinefarm |
| Associated acts | In Flames |
| Website | www.darktranquillity.com |
| Members | |
| Mikael Stanne Niklas Sundin Martin Henriksson Martin Brändström Michael Nicklasson Anders Jivarp |
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| Former members | |
| Anders Fridén Fredrik Johansson |
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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, along with In Flames and At the Gates.
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[edit] Background
Dark Tranquillity was formed in 1989, under the name Septic Broiler as a thrash metal band. Since its formation the band has had a fairly stable line-up. In 1990, the band recorded a demo cassette tape entitled Enfeebled Earth before they would change their name to Dark Tranquillity and their style. It was followed by two more demos: Trail of Life Decayed (1991) and A Moonclad Reflection (1992) (both were later remastered and re-released in 2004). In 1993, Anders Fridén, Dark Tranquillity's original lead vocalist, left the band and later joined In Flames.[1] 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 Dark Tranquillity due to his lack of devotion to the band.[1] 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. Much more recently they have added a great amount of Progressive metal elements to their music.
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 in April 2007. After its completion, they toured with The Haunted, Into Eternity, and Scar Symmetry for the North America Metal For The Masses tour.[2] They will return to the U.S. this Spring, 2008 with Arch Enemy.
[edit] Members
[edit] 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)
[edit] Former members
- Anders Fridén – vocals (1989−1993)
- Fredrik Johansson – guitar (1993−1998)
[edit] Session members
- Robin Engström – drums (tour 2001)
[edit] Guest musicians
- Anna-Kajsa Avehall (Skydancer)
- Eva-Marie Larsson (The Gallery)
- Sara Svensson (The Mind's I)
- Johanna Andersson (Projector)
- Nell Sigland (Fiction)
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
| Title | Release date | Notes | Label |
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| Skydancer | 1993 | Debut studio album which featured former member, Anders Fridén on vocals. |
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| The Gallery | 1995 | Second studio album, first to feature Mikael Stanne on vocals and their first album produced by Fredrik Nordström. |
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| The Mind's I | 1997 |
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| Projector | 1999 | Fourth studio album; an experimental release including gothic and progressive elements | Century Media |
| Haven | July 25, 2000 | Century Media | |
| Damage Done | August 20, 2002 | Sixth studio album and their last to be produced by Fredrik Nordström. Return to their traditional sound. | Century Media |
| Character | January 24, 2005 | Seventh studio album, which was produced by the band itself. | Century Media |
| Fiction | April 17, 2007 | Co-produced with Tue Madsen. Features several songs in dropped B tuning and clean vocals. | Century Media |
[edit] EPs, MCDs and singles
- Of Chaos and Eternal Night (MCD, 1995, Spinefarm)
- Enter Suicidal Angels (MCD, 1996, Osmose)
- Lost to Apathy (EP, 2004, Century Media)
- Focus Shift (single, 2007, Century Media)
[edit] Other albums
- Skydancer/Of Chaos and Eternal Night (reissue, 2000)
- Exposures - In Retrospect and Denial (compilation, 2004, Century Media)
[edit] DVDs and videos
- Zodijackyl Light (VHS, 1996, Osmose Productions)
- World Domination (VHS, 1998, Osmose Productions)
- Live Damage (DVD, 2003, Century Media)
[edit] 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)
[edit] References
- ^ a b Dark Tranquillity: Interview with Niklas Sundin. Heart of Steel: Interviews. Metal-Rules (July 2002). Retrieved on 2007-04-14.
- ^ Century Media Records
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Dark Tranquillity at MySpace
- Dark Tranquillity at Century Media Records
- Dark Tranquillity at Chronicles of Chaos
- In depth interview with Mikael Stanne
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