ALBUM REVIEW: Dark Tranquillity - Endtime Signals

Endtime Signals is set for release on August 16th on Century Media Records

Melodic death metal legends Dark Tranquillity have been one of the originators and torchbearers of the Gothenburg sound. A sound that would inspire countless other bands and genres like metalcore. Ever since the release of the band's debut album Skydancer, the band has been delivering classic albums that have just developed and progressed to the band's now defining sound. Over twenty years later, the band is set to release their thirteenth album Endtime Signals on Century Media Records. Will this new album live up to the legacy that the band has built?

Album opener "Shivers and Voids" has a very atmospheric clean guitar tone. Then, Joakim Strandberg-Nilsson's reverb heavy drums hit hard, breaking the ease of the opening. Guitarist Johan Reinholdz mixes up the pacing to match the drumming as we head straight into melodeath territory, and the album is off and running. With atmospheric effects by Martin Brändström, filling the space of the mix, as Reinholdz and bassist Christian Jansson add heft to the album's heaviness. Mikael Stanne's vocals are deep, gritty and heavy and shows no-age at all since the band's formation. I love the guitar solo by Reinholdz near the three-quarters mark. Great opening song and excited to hear how the rest of the album is just from the opening track.

"Unforgivable" opens with high-intensity drumming and classic melodic death metal style riffage. Stanne's vocals sound more pissed-off in his delivery compared to the album's opener. Nilsson's drumming is just so precise and fast, especially with the blast beat flurry during the chorus. The song instantly has that pit-rager quality when the band will perform this live. Guitar is just all over the place in a good way again near the close of the track. We get short leads, then a shredding solo, and then a bending wail before returning to the chorus amidst the atmosphere of the production. I was instantly banging my head along at the closing moments with Nilsson's drum strikes. "Neuronal Fire" leads with heavy atmosphere and keyboard elements, segueing into a chugging, nostalgic Gothenburg sounding riff. Brändström really helps build the chorus with the atmospheric elements and keyboard playing. Along with the double bass of Nilsson, the chorus just hits like a ton of bricks with that combination.

On "Not Nothing". Stanne leads the song with clean vocals and plinking pianos below bass and guitars. Before the somber music turns pissed and unhinged. Reinholdz' riffing is so heavy and with the power of the rhythm section of Nilsson & Jansson behind him, his playing has more weight in the mix. I love the vocal juggling Stanne does. From heartfelt, emotional cleans to phlegmy, harsh vocals just fit this audio beast of a song. Reinholdz also delivers another awesome guitar solo that would make any prog metal fan happy with its intricacy and skill. "Drowned Out Voices" opens with a chugging, palm-muted riff into tremolo, along with up-tempo and driving drumming. I LOVE the layering of Stanne's vocals on the chorus, into the keyboard section going into the second verse by Brändström. The song is a more straight-forward melodic death metal with light hints of atmosphere compared to the previous tracks on the album, until about the halfway mark. Then, we get clean singing again by Stanne and backing synths behind him. It comes crashing back to earth hard and heavy with chugging guitars and snarling vocals by Stanne. My favorite song off the album. "One of Us is Gone" has a peaceful piano opening with a string section underneath it. With building, movie-score like strings, Stanne comes in with clean vocals. I adore this combination of his voice and the strings as the drums slowly begin to come in. The strings add so much to his cleans and add that emotional power in his voice and passionate delivery. Beautiful orchestration with the combination of strings and double bass in the musical break.

"The Last Imagination" opens with cannon-like reverbed snare strikes and distorted, reverb heavy guitars. The riff comes in fast, and instantly made me headbang along. I do like the keyboard lead slowly peaking through the heavy guitars on the verses. Creating dynamics and that little touch to make the track more unique. Even getting a lead during the bridge of the track as the melody,  leading into the guitar solo. A classic melodic death metal style riff opens "Enforced Perspective". I instantly was bobbing my head along to the riff as it kicked in. Stanne is just on point with his growls and delivery, especially in his inflections at certain points of the chorus. Reinholdz lead at the halfway mark, along with Nilsson's drumming at the halfway mark. The song gave me goosebumps into the bridge. The guitar solo at the three-quarters mark was SO good and classic melodic death metal sounding, that it hit me over the head with nostalgia.

On "Our Disconnect", with trippy, ethereal keyboards by Brändström in the opening moments, the song rises with ringing bass by Jansson. The build is good with the drumming, until the chuggy palm-muted riff comes in and then the vocals. It's a perfect build and gives each member a moment to slowly rise in the mix and was perfectly done. The chorus is a banger of a track, and Brändström is the main element that makes the song good with his choice of keys and effects. I love the wailing lead guitar in the intro to "Wayward Eyes". I also like the switch-up of harsh vocals on the verses and clean vocals on the chorus. Accented by Brändström with keys on the chorus on the clean vocal sections. A fast-paced drum roll and chugging guitars open "A Bleaker Sun". Stanne sounds his most guttural and harsh in his vocals on the track. I love the up-tempo playing on the guitar, with the double bass following along with the riff as a nice one-two punch in the performance. I also like the more emotional guitar solo right after the halfway mark. Plus, the little elements where it picks up speed and pacing as the main riff and drums intensify. Somber piano and synth effects open the album's closing track "False Reflection". Stanne comes in with the drums on clean vocals and the piano, with the emotional weight of the music hitting so hard. The light guitar lead beneath the piano and drums is a nice touch, letting the piano be the lead, before everyone comes in swinging on the chorus. Brändström adds so much to the track and really creates that emotional depth to Stanne's vocals. An emotionally heavy closing track to close out one hell of a record from the band.

Dark Tranquillity does not have any bad albums, at all. And this album just proves the band is just getting better like a fine wine. The album was a sonic journey that delivers such an emotional album, and the band's deeper dive into progressive metal with the atmospheric keyboards and push of more clean vocals on this album was so enjoyable. The record is heavy and includes elements from every single album in the band's lengthy catalogue. Giving the record the feeling of something for everybody on this album. I am 100% confident this album will be on a lot of Best of 2024 lists from Youtubers and metal sites across the internet. A MUST LISTEN for one of the best melodic death metal bands.

SCORE: 10 / 10

1) Shivers and Voids

2) Unforgivable

3) Neuronal Fire

4) Not Nothing

5) Drowned Out Voices

6) One of Us is Gone

7) The Last Imagination

8) Enforced Perspective

9) Our Disconnect

10) Wayward Eyes

11) A Bleaker Sun

12) False Reflection

FFO: In Flames, Insomnium, Amorphis

Dark Tranquillity is set to start a fall North American tour with support from Amorphis and Fires in The Distance. If you'd like to get tickets for a tour stop in your area or check out some of the band's merch, you can head to the band's website here.