25 November 2023
Dark Tranquillity is a band that you won’t need any introduction when writing about, like the famous Big 4, who have done unforgettable things and managed to teleport themselves to the future. Red Mikael and his crew are here with the 10th album of their career.
There are tons of things to mention about the album. The album was advertised so much before it was released that it was maybe the biggest advertising campaign in DT history. While there was still a long time for the album to be released, the listeners were warmed to the album and the curiosity of DT’s fanatic audience was increased with the songs published one after another on the internet. Apparently, either the band or Century Media had great confidence in the album. Personally, DT, who had been out of my coverage area for a while, excited me for the first time in years with the classy songs they released and the video they shot for ‘Uniformity’.
One of DT’s most important advantages was the solid staff they have kept intact for years and the fact that all band members could compose. When we take a look at their discography, we see that all of the band’s albums were generally the product of joint work. Maybe that’s why the band never had much trouble producing. DT has always been one of the most consistent groups in terms of releasing albums. However, although quality and stability are continuous, these are not always sufficient.
The first sharp bend DT took in their musical journey was the Haven album. After that album, the band felt it was their duty to push the boundaries and make changes. This change could actually be attributed to Martin Brändström, who joined the group immediately after Haven, but it is obvious that it is chronologically impossible. Maybe it was because of this need for change that they felt the need to add Martin to the squad. When we look at the subsequent albums, we see that Martin put his emphasis on compositions in most of them.
Personally, I see Damage Done, released after Haven, as one of the strongest works in DT discography. However, although the albums that came after that were generally praised, my connection with DT gradually weakened. I couldn’t go further than tasting each album and putting it aside. They may be very high-quality works in terms of musicianship, but as mentioned, quality is not always sufficient. It felt like something was missing; The spirit was in place, the aim was good, but the intense use of keyboards and the musical structure being too layered at times, had become boring in general.
In my opinion, Construct is the best DT album released since Damage Done. In fact, for me personally, it is a sign of a recovery in DT. Martin Brändström has seriously dominated the album, and his use of keyboards is very intense, so the formula is actually close again, but whatever they changed and how, this time it really happened. This time, the band had the album mixed by the famous Jens Bogren in Fascination Street Studios. Bogren showed his usual quality and achieved a very successful work.
In general, I could be said that it is a very successful album as a whole. Uniformity, which the band chose as the clip song, is a great song. It was a good choice being the firs, as it beautifully reflects DT’s unique maneuvers. The album also includes some hidden hits such as What Only You Know.
Finally, I can’t help but mention Niklas Sundin and Mikael Stanne. The amazing visual designs made by Niklas adorn DT covers as well as being of great importance in the band’s album launches. He designs really aesthetic covers that suit the content. As it is written everywhere, Mikael has improved himself tremendously as a vocalist. Her vocals and lyrics are two elements of tremendous importance in the album’s impact. As a result, it is a panacea album for those who love melodic death metal, where DT rises again. The indestructible castle of Swedish death metal opens its doors again; To harm our souls poisoned by their music.
9,5/10
