Dark Tranquillity - Character (#2591)

Anonymous · **Posted:** Wed Jan 19, 2005 4:40 am

grandbazaar wrote:

I downloaded(legally) "Lost to Apathy" from the Century Media
website and fell in love with it. It is heavy layered with nice touchs of keyboards, guitars are roaring and Stanes Vocals awesome. Can I judge the rest of the album using this sample or is it completely different from the rest ? Is Lost to Apathy the best track ?
Very anxious for this album's release, I'm expecting a lot from it. Hope I don't get dissapointed.

since now I've been listening to this album thrice.... so it's a bit early to say if it's going to last long for me but as it is today, it's a very good album... no really weak song, the album is pretty homogenous so it's hard to pick one song or another... Am I One, Lost In Apathy, My Negation or today's favourites but that might shift to three other songs tomorrow... give it a try, it's worth the cost !

grandbazaar · **Posted:** Wed Jan 19, 2005 5:18 am

The Immortal Emokid wrote:

grandbazaar wrote:

I downloaded(legally) "Lost to Apathy" from the Century Media
website and fell in love with it. It is heavy layered with nice touchs of keyboards, guitars are roaring and Stanes Vocals awesome. Can I judge the rest of the album using this sample or is it completely different from the rest ? Is Lost to Apathy the best track ?
Very anxious for this album's release, I'm expecting a lot from it. Hope I don't get dissapointed.

since now I've been listening to this album thrice.... so it's a bit early to say if it's going to last long for me but as it is today, it's a very good album... no really weak song, the album is pretty homogenous so it's hard to pick one song or another... Am I One, Lost In Apathy, My Negation or today's favourites but that might shift to three other songs tomorrow... give it a try, it's worth the cost !

Thanks I will for sure, I really liked dammage done, Haven and projector. The gallery is good but a little too much on the classique extreme side for me, but Character seems more like damage done and Haven judging from what I heard in " Lost to Apathy".

blood_ame · **Posted:** Wed Jan 19, 2005 12:09 pm

Sigh, after my post telling people to stop worrying about how much a band fits in a specific genre, the thread gets hijacked by a debate about who is and isn't Melodeath. I guess I shouldn't really have expected otherwise..

CollisionInMind wrote:

blood_ame wrote:

Anyone hear TD first but prefer either of the two later albums? (I add the qualification because it seems common for any music that people prefer the first album they heard.)

I've followed Skyfire since 2002, when they only had Timeless Departure, but Mind Revolution is my favorite.

Cool, would you say that the review for TD on this site is fair?

Anonymous · **Posted:** Thu Jan 20, 2005 2:43 am

blood_ame wrote:

Damage wrote:

(btw Melodeath is just an easier way to say Melodic Death, so i don't think that melodeath and melodic death are two different genres.)

Wheee I am relieved that I am not the only one who thinks this

Speaking of Skyfire.. I am still yet to see a review that does Timeless Departure justice. While there are plenty of Mind Revolution and Spectral reviews out there that are right on the money, everybody seems to underquote TD.. Personally I see TD as a 'classic', impossible to touch much like The Gallery. But I suppose by saying this I am starting two debates. Anyone hear TD first but prefer either of the two later albums? (I add the qualification because it seems common for any music that people prefer the first album they heard.)

Hell yea! Timeless Departure is so underrated it's criminal. Everyone just writes it off as CoB clone and it never gets a second thought.

Anonymous · **Posted:** Thu Jan 20, 2005 4:23 am

blood_ame wrote:

Cool, would you say that the review for TD on this site is fair?

Not at all. Like I said, I prefer Mind Revolution, but Timeless Departure is still amazing. Like Jay said, people write it off as a Bodom copy, but I seriously disagree. Far more epic and powerful, with savage vocals contrasting beautiful melodies. Production is its only main flaw, in my opinion.

Anonymous · **Posted:** Thu Jan 20, 2005 7:18 am

CollisionInMind wrote:

blood_ame wrote:

Cool, would you say that the review for TD on this site is fair?

Not at all. Like I said, I prefer Mind Revolution, but Timeless Departure is still amazing. Like Jay said, people write it off as a Bodom copy, but I seriously disagree. Far more epic and powerful, with savage vocals contrasting beautiful melodies. Production is its only main flaw, in my opinion.

Totally agreed. If they went back and re-recorded that album, it would be hailed as a masterpiece.

Damage · **Posted:** Thu Jan 20, 2005 12:51 pm

"So In Flames plays the same genre than Amon Amarth?
Arch Enemy plays the same ganre than At the Gates?

I don't think so......"

it is not the same MUSIC, but it is the same genre.(with exception of TODAY'S In Flames)

Amon Amarth is not melodic death?
PLEASE don't try to sell the "Amon Amarth Viking Metal" shit to me, cause Viking Metal isn't even a genre, it just says something about themes and lyrics of the band.

Of All those bands i mentioned (Suidakra, Amarth, Nightrage, Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquillity) Suidakra is the ONLY band that is not pure melodic death cause they are folk-influenced and have a lot of clean vocals and acoustic tracks.
But the rest is pure melodic death metal - with some evolving elements.

Anonymous · **Posted:** Thu Jan 20, 2005 4:56 pm

jay, that melodic death vs melodeath thing is very confusing. It would be better if you name it melodic death2 :p.

Hmm, 5 new melodeath bands, lets see:

Brimstone - formed in 1994, first album released in 1999
Beyond The Embrace - sounds promising
Cadacross - they sound like melodeath to me
Chastisement - I only found a demo, like it
Cryhavoc - formed in 1992-93 but they released their first album in 1998 so I consider them to be kinda new, ahem
Dispatched - ok, again, they formed in 1992 or so but didn't release an album until 2000, I love them
Dimension Zero - ok they sound like old In Flames, but I don't mind

Divine Souls - excellent band
Ensiferum - yes, they're melodeath to me
Gardenian - Gothenburg metal, you should listen to their 1997 album
Norther - I enjoyed their albums, melodeath to me
Omnium Gatherum - I like them, very very much
The Duskfall - its an ok band
The Wake - not sure about them

OrDoS · **Posted:** Thu Jan 20, 2005 5:18 pm

kxde wrote:

jay, that melodic death vs melodeath thing is very confusing. It would be better if you name it melodic death2 :p.

Hmm, 5 new melodeath bands, lets see:

Brimstone - formed in 1994, first album released in 1999
Beyond The Embrace - sounds promising
Cadacross - they sound like melodeath to me
Chastisement - I only found a demo, like it
Cryhavoc - formed in 1992-93 but they released their first album in 1998 so I consider them to be kinda new, ahem
Dispatched - ok, again, they formed in 1992 or so but didn't release an album until 2000, I love them
Dimension Zero - ok they sound like old In Flames, but I don't mind

Divine Souls - excellent band
Ensiferum - yes, they're melodeath to me
Gardenian - Gothenburg metal, you should listen to their 1997 album
Norther - I enjoyed their albums, melodeath to me
Omnium Gatherum - I like them, very very much
The Duskfall - its an ok band
The Wake - not sure about them

I think Ensiferum are a Folk Viking Metal band with SOME melodeath influences...

Azrael: sim pah...sou eu esse OrDoS ;) www.stormbringer.pt.vu se não conheceres...também ando por lá...

Anonymous · **Posted:** Fri Jan 21, 2005 4:51 am

(and yes, I also belive melodeath is just an abbreviation of melodic death metal) I deffinuatly agree with that.

It is easier to just name it old school melodic death metal, progressive death metal, neo melodic deathmetal or modern whatever fits the band....

No new genres.

I like this album a lot better than damage done. I find it more complex and varied with a lot more feeling. Great review!

Viking metal has been missused to where it lacks any meaning if it ever had any. Folk blackmetal is often a better word for it or folk power metal. Stay with the genres and just add something to make yourself understod. Sometimes I´ve read reviews at metalreviews bought the record and then found out that it´s music I really hate because someone invented new genres.

I find the metal scene more vital than ever and I´ve got a feeling this year will be one hell of a year for us all. 1349 is according to me moving towards the blackmetal throne among the still active bands. Styles varies with time but they never die out, allthough some ought to ( powermetal). Look at the deathmetal scene right now it´s awsome!

blood_ame · **Posted:** Fri Jan 21, 2005 10:32 am

Jay@MetalReviews wrote:

CollisionInMind wrote:

blood_ame wrote:

Cool, would you say that the review for TD on this site is fair?

Not at all. Like I said, I prefer Mind Revolution, but Timeless Departure is still amazing. Like Jay said, people write it off as a Bodom copy, but I seriously disagree. Far more epic and powerful, with savage vocals contrasting beautiful melodies. Production is its only main flaw, in my opinion.

Totally agreed. If they went back and re-recorded that album, it would be hailed as a masterpiece.

Glad to here from some like-minded peeps. But what would you change about the production? I've read in at least one place that the keys are too high in the mix, and I think that is BS. I'm sick of keys being buried, and when so many of the main melodies are being carried by them, it makes sense for the listener to actually be able to hear them properly

The production could be cleaner, but that is my only objection. I think the balance between the instruments is fine.

Anonymous · **Posted:** Fri Jan 21, 2005 6:32 pm

blood_ame wrote:

Jay@MetalReviews wrote:

CollisionInMind wrote:

blood_ame wrote:

Cool, would you say that the review for TD on this site is fair?

Not at all. Like I said, I prefer Mind Revolution, but Timeless Departure is still amazing. Like Jay said, people write it off as a Bodom copy, but I seriously disagree. Far more epic and powerful, with savage vocals contrasting beautiful melodies. Production is its only main flaw, in my opinion.

Totally agreed. If they went back and re-recorded that album, it would be hailed as a masterpiece.

Glad to here from some like-minded peeps. But what would you change about the production? I've read in at least one place that the keys are too high in the mix, and I think that is BS. I'm sick of keys being buried, and when so many of the main melodies are being carried by them, it makes sense for the listener to actually be able to hear them properly

The production could be cleaner, but that is my only objection. I think the balance between the instruments is fine.

Mainly the guitar and the drums. The guitars are a bit too raw and unpolished. They did come a long way from their demos though. Their demos sound unbelievably horrid. Also, the double bass kind of gets lost in many of the faster parts of the album.

Anonymous · **Posted:** Fri Jan 21, 2005 10:31 pm

The drums sound like crap and there's practically no bass at all. I agree about the keys though; people often complain that they drown everything out but I think they're mixed fine.

grandbazaar · **Posted:** Sat Jan 22, 2005 2:19 am

I always wonderded something about Stane's singing. Sometimes to end a growl he does a sort of "huh" or "oumf" sound, I also noticed the same thing on old Katatonia Records. Is there a special reason for doing so or is it just style ? I know it sounds like a stupid question
but I'm curious....

grandbazaar · **Posted:** Sat Jan 22, 2005 2:25 am

Interesting interview with Stanne on the new record Character
http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2005/01/2110.cfm

Anonymous · **Posted:** Sat Jan 22, 2005 1:00 pm

Quote:

I think Ensiferum are a Folk Viking Metal band with SOME melodeath influences...

<nitpick>

Nah. Ensiferum isn't "Viking", but folk with black/death/thrash in it. First off, they don't even mention Vikings, and secondly, they're Finnish - while there may have been Finnish raiders, they sure as heck weren't Vikings. Completely different mythology, even though the war god (Turisas) seems to be ripped off from Saxon/Norse (Thurisaz/Týr) mythology...

But okay, okay, you could say the style is similar.

It's just that Turisas - the band - is way more "Viking" than Ensiferum.

</nitpick>

blood_ame · **Posted:** Sun Jan 23, 2005 11:38 am

Jay wrote:

Mainly the guitar and the drums. The guitars are a bit too raw and unpolished. They did come a long way from their demos though. Their demos sound unbelievably horrid. Also, the double bass kind of gets lost in many of the faster parts of the album.

and..

CollisionInMind wrote:

The drums sound like crap and there's practically no bass at all. I agree about the keys though; people often complain that they drown everything out but I think they're mixed fine.

Hmm, never really noticed these problems.. I don't know how to tell "crap" sounding drums from "good" ones, and the bass level on the album seems on par with most melodic deathmetal. Jay, do you think the guitar sound is much improved in their later albums?

Anonymous · **Posted:** Sun Jan 23, 2005 5:44 pm

Yes it did. Their entire recording improved markedly but especially the drums and the guitar. It's so much clearer and sharper to listen to. If you get the Haunted by Shadows EP and listen to some of the demos, you'll see where I'm coming from.

blood_ame · **Posted:** Mon Jan 24, 2005 1:52 pm

Yeah I can definately agree that the latter recordings were "clearer and sharper", but I guess I don't really notice the particulars. Just that it "sounds better"

grandbazaar · **Posted:** Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:55 pm

Got Character today, it was just released today in Canada.
WOW! talk about friggin heavy compared to the previous three records. Much more brutal, less melodic, harsher vocals. It's a friggin aural attack. It's nothing like the single Lost to Apathy....

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Dark Tranquillity - Character (#2591)

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