In the name of all that is unholy! We’ve got a huge release for today! Without a doubt, it’s the most consistent of all the original bands from the MeloDeath Gothenburg scene. Dark Tranquillity has a long career full of twists and turns. Albums that I love (The Gallery, Damage Done, Fiction) and albums I don’t think about (Projector, We Are the Void). Its latest album was…different. Hence, I have mixed expectations for Endtime Signals. Whatever happens, just remember it’s one of the coolest bands you can ever see live! Don’t hate me!
Signals answers the question: What would happen if Mitochondrial Sun was an actual MeloDeath band? It’s smooth, relaxing, and emotionally comforting, with a ton of familiar and enjoyable riffs. If you’re a Dark Tranquillity fan, there’s not much to shock you here. It sticks to what you like and what brings solace to your heart, destroyed by all those power drinks you chug at 3am. I found it fascinating how boring the concept of Signals seems on paper, but it delivers reliable tracks. On a side note, is it just me or does DT seem to put two to three random words together to name its songs?
It’s hard to say this without embarrassing myself, but the elements I dug the most here were Stanne’s cleans. He’s come a long way since Projector, and he’s not only a master of the growl but also of the soft singing now. I’m just happy they’re not super corny. Everyone else is on their usual A-game. If I sound stoic, it’s because Dark Tranquillity is, without a doubt, the most reliable band of the OG Gothenburg sound. Others have fallen apart or moved on to become millionaires (no hate In Flames, you’ve got the right to buy a Lamborghini too!). However, DT is interesting even when it doesn’t blow me away.
I’m already hinting that DT has a formula that works better than a hammer to kill a roach. I also appreciate that Signals deviates a bit from that, but I won’t deny that sometimes I missed the aggression of its older work and that the album could use more editing. Fourteen tracks tend to blend in with each other when they come in two kinds: headbanging MeloDeath and sentimental semi-ballads that made me feel things I shouldn’t! So, there’s nothing awful here and nothing crazy either. It’s a slow burn that stands out more for being different within such a prolific band’s catalog than for being memorable by itself.
Perhaps I expected little from these legends, or it’s just that DT has always struck me as a humble band with sincere aspirations, but despite its shortcomings, I found Signals a relaxing and almost nostalgic trip through the career of one of the best in the business. It won’t change much because there are so many awesome albums in this catalog, but I doubt you’ll regret giving it a spin or two. It’s the closest the band has come to becoming a melancholic Doom band, and we can at least appreciate the risks it took. Time to keep listening to those heart-wrenching vocals.
They’ve always had good looking videos!
Label: Century Media
Release date: 16 August, 2024
Website: https://www.facebook.com/dtofficial
Country: Sweden
Score: Metal for your friend who likes Electronic music, or 3.0/5.0!
Metal Eclipse Reviews 