Regardless of what the band might say, no one can argue to the fact that being in the leading position of an entire Metal genre can be really tough some times. Especially when you have to compete yourself by trying to meet the high standards you have once set with an album that is a benchmark for so many other bands. I feel this is the case for DARK TRANQUILLITY; a band that is always mentioned when the Gothenburg scene pops up in a discussion.

This Swedish act has been around since the 90s and has been building a solid fan base that did not turn its head even during the hectic days of the Swedish melodic Death Metal scene. So, three years after the very good "Fiction" and the impressive "Where Death Is Most Alive" DVD DARK TRANQUILLITY return with a new album and kind of try to prove that the ultra heavy tour schedule the past three years did not wear them down. I belong to the category of metalheads who are in fond of this sound and hence, I am a DARK TRANQUILLITY follower. This band has such a personal sound and attitude that after a while it becomes addictive. The review you are now reading is the product of a ludicrously high number of listening sessions that just had to precede before I lay my hands on the laptop's keyboard. And when you need more than the adequate number of CD spins to make up your mind about an album it cannot be for a good reason. This is exactly how I feel with "We Are The Void"; although in general is a well made album with all the DARK TRANQUILLITY virtues in there there is something missing. Maybe the couple of songs that will haunt your mind and once more make you take a dive into the band's darkness and leave you lonely to find your way out of Stane's lyrical maze. Sure, the killer guitar riffs are here and shine during "I Am The Void", "Surface The Infinite" and "Dream Oblivion" but on the other cannot set anchor in your mind.

The aggression is also here and in a strange way is enhanced by the presence of the keyboards that are now handled by the full time member Martin Brandstrom. Actually, these electronic finishing touches help the most "We Are The Void" to approach the previous DARK TRANQUILLITY works but simply are not enough. The music is good with a great sound production but the emotion we usually get from this band is nowhere to be found. And this is exactly my problem with this album; I cannot connect my darkest thoughts with the music and there is no way for emotional/psychological pain to find a revealing outlet here. I managed to find some relief during "The Fatalist" where intro leads you to the climax expressed by the deep growls, the trademark twin guitars and the fast tempo. But again this is not enough...

The standards for DARK TRANQUILLITY are set high and their fans cannot comprise for less. I know that heavy touring can make a band pay a heavy toll and with DARK TRANQUILLITY this had to do with music creation that it hurts to say "it sounds emotionless". These guys deserve a break to give time for the creativity to finds its own way without having to follow the merciless program set by the record labels. PS: By far one of the best tracks here is "Iridium" where the clean vocals and guitars chords underline the band's truE potentials.