STEINMETAL (8/10)

There have been a few old icons in both the worlds of Metal and Rock that have been fortunate to keep their legacies intact with fairly high rated musical outcomes. It is not easy to keep track of old records, and I am positive that there is some measure of pleasing various waves of fans, which have assembled throughout bands' careers. Nonetheless, there will always be those groups, which led themselves to a degree of success and acknowledgement worldwide, which will contest their own wits to produce future material that will be a tad more challenging, and mind eluding, in comparison to past undertakings. DARK TRANQUILLITY once again showed up to my ear step with a brand new album named "Construct", via Century Media. As if the last three years faded like in the speed of light, I barely noticed their new offering. A year ago I saw them live and thought to myself - "Well that is a fine spectacle of the true kind of Swedish extreme harmony", and here I am again with the Swedes, the alleged pioneers of the Gothenburg melodic Death Metal heritage. Just for an opening, forget what you have learned as the boys chose to convene within the duskiest cavities of clandestine.

For a while now I noticed an ongoing change within DARK TRANQUILLITY's perception of their past music. Resembling a hefty share of bands that went down this road, the Swedes didn't turn their backs on their own legacy, and it shows on the album quite frequently, yet went on a journey for a new meaning, a novelty for the future to come. "Construct", can be renowned as the next chapters of the band's process of synthesis with various other musical procedures, kind of like "Fiction", "Character" being a stepping stone, and the previous "We Are The Void".  Moreover, this album turned out to be another step towards modern type of Gothic Metal cramped alongside the qualities of electronic attributes. What actually astounded me was that fact that there were a few examples where I felt as if I was listening to a Metallic version of DEPECHE MODE, also thanks to Mikael Stanne's cold, yet depth, clean vocal practice. DARK TRANQUILLITY let the grey step in with its vague moralities, servicing an entrance to a darkened cave harboring secrets from far beyond. For one thing, with all of the album's mysteries, DARK TRANQUILLITY cared to make things a bit easier, and musically catchier to comprehend. "What Only You Know" can be described as a hit, it might be catchy, but its felts so spacy, imaginative, captivating with its groovy riffs, hollowed setting, ample melodies, crafty chorus, diverse vocalic endorsements by a supreme frontman in his finest hour, and a rhythm section tight as expected by such veterans. In a way it felt like the band's style enclosed with PARADISE LOST and DEPECHE MODE (and I am not a fan of the latter Brits). "Uniformity" maintained the Gothic vibe ever stronger, fluent, vibrant and fairly harmonic. Though infested with the band's known darkened extremity, permitted by the keyboards and rhythm guitar riffs, it is beguiling and smooth leading the way to a chorus slicing with its ambles, a negative closure.

On the other hand, "The Silence in Between" moderately reminded me of a few of the band's earlier achievements, a modern type of melodic Death Metal, well written riffery, growl vocals so clear and sharp like a fresh new scimitar, punchy drumming and a wicked overall quality that will excite the best of them. "Endtime Hearts" revives the early DARK TRANQUILLITY vigorous nature, but with a fine fusion of the band's new musical conscriptions followed additional Gothic elements. In addition, a killer solo was attributed to this fine dark shaped graceful monstrosity. "Weight Of The End" is yet another mark of the band's metamorphosis, early 90s melodic Death Metal nearly fading in alley ways of obscurity and blackness engulfing, yet there is still much harmony thanks to the guitars and keyboards flawlessly coexisting. So there you have it, an ongoing change, unpredictable perceptions at least for a short while, a range of modern infusions and harmonious existences, the story of "Construct", as the previous before it, is not over.

METTLEANGEL (7/10)

I will always prefer the early work of both AMORPHIS and DARK TRANQUILLITY, therein, because in the early '90s, those variant albums made their unquestionable mark on me. I will never forget how I felt first hearing "Skydancer" and "The Gallery" or "Tales Of A Thousand Lakes" and "Elegy". However, I have always been open to the mettle evolution of both acts, and this focus shift has allowed me the necessary time to broaden my perspectives. I am quite pleased that even after two decades both bands are still releasing quality material.

In 1999, it was Warrell Dane who convinced me to give "Projector" an adequate chance, after I was sadly disappointed with the supposed damage done from "Mind's I". I did not realize that this very album would set a precedent for the style and character DQ would then create, and continue to manipulate, as well as how Mikael Stanne would forever choose to sing and pen his persuasions.

"Construct" conforms to the temporal unity of "Haven" and "Fiction" with hints of "We Are The Void" by emphasizing those strident and ambient Brändström keyboard arrangements, those sullen Sundin nuanced suggestions, and those refined Jivarp percussive elements. It is these incensed teasing crescendos and this caustic material which is imbued with melancholy and madness, characterized by those passionate clean vocal interludes, as found on the broken wounds of "What Only You Know", the Techno-Pop vibe of "State Of Trust" or the treasonous will call of "Uniformity".

"For Broken Words" begins with a careless whisper, ushering in the mirrored science of noise - a wonderful feat of chaos and eternal might - embodied by beautifully septic songwriting, and poetic lyrics boiling over with dark, yet tranquil humanity. With undo control "Weight Of The End" timely channels "Monochromatic Stains", but with a more maudlin, and acrimonious approach.

The fast paced "Apathetic" has that "Punish My Heaven" mortal recoil; whereas, the machine gun bullet glide of "Endtime Hearts" shines with a moon clad reflection of honed, active, cool light. Meanwhile, taking and twisting into form, with the spoken words of a forsaken promise, "The Science Of Noise" bends to the will of the dreamer's quest. "None Becoming" as one such stance of dramatic pain, perhaps should not have been the closer, as it is a bit besieged with timeless indifference. The festering words of "The Silence In Between" might have been a wiser decision, lest all be lost to apathy.

Chances are you already know what to expect when you experience the indifferent summations and manifesto of DARK TRANQUILLITY. In my final analysis, it is upon my assistance with full disclosure, which is their best effort since "Fiction", nigh, already six years in the past.

SPIRITCRUSHER (9/10)

This is probably one of the most influential bands, not only in the melodic Death Metal scene called also Gothenburg Metal, but also in the global Metal patrimony. Indeed this is one of the pioneers of this genre, which comes straight from the cold lands of Scandinavia. For over twenty years now, the Swedish masters of DARK TRANQUILLITY have a very stable identity with some changes in the line-up, and an inspiration always present with ten albums. And it is not over, each album is always efficient than its predecessor.

Since the beginning of 2013, the echoes of a new opus circulated here and there, the band announced the appearance of "Construct" in May and a long journey in the studio between recording and mixing. And finally the album is ready, I immediately noticed the great new art work and the change in their logo into something that seemed rather futuristic. The intention of DARK TRANQUILLITY was to follow the path of the last "We Are The Void", indeed there's a feeling of a natural evolution in the musical style, and the Swedish metallers does not hesitate to take the risk and discover new territories.

"Construct" is up to ten tracks with a length of about 42 minutes, and it starts with the first "For Broken Words" marked from the beginning with a dark atmosphere expressed with guitars and keyboard notes and follow up after with an emotional interlude. This first song shows that the charismatic Mikael Stanne has lost nothing of his superb voice. "The Science Of Noise" made ​​me get into the mood, the tempo is raised and confirmed with very direct blast beats of the drummer Anders Jivarp. Much more atmospheric and electronic, "Uniformity" is a passage which stimulates the brain cells with a high dose of melody and emotions, assisted with a clear voice, and a low tempo. "The Silence In Between" is a more accelerated song made me think about the "Fiction" album back to 2007, with more brutality and rage. "Apathetic" in turn, a track that made me enjoy this time some ideas from the album "We Are The Void", the song "The Fatalist" immediately appeared in my head as a reference point.

The "Only You Know What" track marks the half of the album and a change in attitude. The efforts of Martin Brändström are noticed, the keyboardist took more space and is one of the elements put forward, a winning strategy until then. "Endtime Hearts" is the kind of songs that you listen to successively with a super memorable main riff, followed by "State Of Trust" seems to have two faces, one is very dark and the other is much more positive. Indeed, the mood changes are a strong point in "Construct". The last two tracks "Weight Of The End" and "Becoming None" is distinguished by its glory and splendor, it seems that the Swedish quintet celebrates the victory and the end of a long road.

The departure of bassist Daniel Antonsson has no incidence, since Martin Henriksson took care of recording the bass line. The production took place in the Rogue Music Studio owned by Martin Brändström. The Mixing was provided by Jens Bogren Known for his collaboration with OPETH, ENSLAVED or even KREATOR.

DARK TRANQUILLITY has retained its position as the monument of melodic Death, and "Construct" seems to be an album that has the ability to live with the times and to show a different face every time you listen to it.

​​