Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band formed in Gothenburg in 1989. The band is associated with the Gothenburg metal scene, alongside bands such as At the Gates and In Flames. Following several lineup changes between 2015 and 2021, vocalist Mikael Stanne became the only remaining founding member, while keyboardist Martin Brändström remained a long-standing member. The lineup includes Stanne (vocals), Brändström (keyboards and electronics), Johan Reinholdz (lead guitar), Peter Lyse Karmak (rhythm guitar), Christian Jansson (bass) and Joakim Strandberg Nilsson (drums).
Early years and "Skydancer" (1989-1993)
Guitarists Mikael Stanne and Niklas Sundin, vocalist Anders Fridén, drummer Anders Jivarp and bassist Martin Henriksson formed the band in 1989 under the name Septic Broiler. In 1990, the group recorded the demo "Enfeebled Earth" and subsequently changed its name to Dark Tranquillity.
In August 1993, the band released its debut album, "Skydancer". Shortly afterwards, Fridén left the group and joined fellow Gothenburg band In Flames. Stanne took over lead vocals, and Fredrik Johansson joined as the second guitarist.
"The Gallery" and "The Mind's I" (1994-1998)
In 1994, Dark Tranquillity recorded a cover of Metallica's "My Friend of Misery" for the tribute album "Metal Militia - A Tribute to Metallica".
In 1995, the band released the EP "Of Chaos and Eternal Night", followed by its second studio album, "The Gallery". The album became one of the band's best-known releases and is frequently associated with the development of melodic death metal.
The band released its second EP, "Enter Suicidal Angels", in November 1996. Its third studio album, "The Mind's I", followed in April 1997 and continued the musical approach established on "The Gallery".
"Projector" and "Haven" (1999-2000)
In January 1999, Johansson left the band, citing his desire to focus on his family and pursue more stable employment. Henriksson moved from bass to second guitar, and Michael Niklasson joined as bassist. The band also recruited Martin Brändström to contribute electronics.
"Projector" was released in June 1999 and received a nomination for a Swedish Grammy Award. The album marked a change in the band's musical approach, combining its established death metal sound and growled vocals with piano, keyboards, clean baritone vocals and verse-chorus song structures. These elements reflected the band's interest in exploring different musical styles. Around the same time, "Skydancer" and "Of Chaos and Eternal Night" were reissued together as "Skydancer/Of Chaos and Eternal Night".
The band released "Haven" in 2000. The album incorporated more prominent electronic elements than its predecessors and received a mixed response from critics and listeners. During touring in 2001, Robin Engström was recruited as a live drummer while Jivarp attended to family commitments following the birth of his child.
"Damage Done" and "Character" (2001-2005)
Dark Tranquillity released "Damage Done" in 2002. The album marked a return to a heavier sound, characterised by distorted guitars and atmospheric keyboards, with less emphasis on clean vocals. The band released a music video for the single "Monochromatic Stains" and subsequently issued "Live Damage", its first live DVD.
In 2004, the band released the compilation album "Exposures - In Retrospect and Denial". It contained two discs, one featuring rare and previously unreleased recordings and the other featuring live performances.
The band's seventh release, "Character", appeared in 2005 and received generally positive critical reviews. It included the single "Lost to Apathy", which was accompanied by a music video. Following the album's release, the band performed live in Canada for the first time.
"Fiction" (2006-2009)
In 2007, Dark Tranquillity released "Fiction", on which Stanne returned to clean vocals alongside his growled delivery. The album also featured the band's first female guest vocalist since "Projector". Its songwriting combined elements of the band's electronic and melodic approach on "Projector" and "Haven" with the heavier sound of "Character" and "Damage Done".
The band toured North America with The Haunted, Into Eternity and Scar Symmetry as part of the Metal for the Masses Tour. In early 2008, it toured the United Kingdom with Omnium Gatherum and returned to the United States in the spring with Arch Enemy.
In August 2008, bassist Niklasson left the band amicably for personal reasons. On 19 September 2008, the band announced Daniel Antonsson as his replacement. Antonsson had previously played guitar in Dimension Zero and Soilwork. On 25 May 2009, reissues of "Projector", "Haven" and "Damage Done" were released.
"We Are the Void" (2010-2011)
Dark Tranquillity completed recording its ninth studio album on 14 October 2009. On 26 October, the band released the DVD "Where Death Is Most Alive". At the DVD's release party on 30 October, 333 copies of the rare live album "The Dying Fragments" were distributed free of charge.
On 21 December 2009, the band released the song "Dream Oblivion", followed by "At the Point of Ignition" on 14 January 2010. Both songs appeared on its ninth studio album, "We Are the Void", which was released in Europe on 1 March 2010 and in the United States on 2 March.
The band supported Killswitch Engage on a winter tour of the United States, with The Devil Wears Prada also appearing on the tour. In May and June 2010, Dark Tranquillity headlined a North American tour with Threat Signal, Mutiny Within and The Absence. In February 2011, the band performed at the BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus in Hyderabad, India.
"Construct" (2012-2013)
On 27 April 2012, Dark Tranquillity renewed its recording contract with Century Media Records. The band began writing material for its next album on 18 October 2012. On 10 January 2013, it announced that the album would be titled "Construct". The album was released in Europe on 27 May 2013 and in North America on 28 May. Jens Bogren mixed the album at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden.
On 18 February 2013, Antonsson left the band amicably to focus on guitar playing, recording engineering and production. The band announced on 27 February that recording for "Construct" had been completed. Although Antonsson remained involved during the recording sessions, he did not perform bass on the album.
Guitarist Niklas Sundin later commented that the recording process for "Construct" had been shorter than that of previous albums. On 27 March 2013, the band revealed the album's track listing and released a promotional teaser. The group described the album as one of its most musically varied releases since "Projector".
To promote "Construct", Dark Tranquillity toured internationally, performing in Finland and North America with Omnium Gatherum, in Europe with Tristania and in Sweden with Darkane.
On 10 July 2013, the song "Sorrow's Architect", a track recorded during the "Construct" sessions but excluded from the album, was released on a limited-edition flexi-disc included with an issue of Decibel magazine. On 14 January 2014, the band announced that "Sorrow's Architect" would be released alongside another B-side, "A Memory Construct", on a limited-edition tour single and through digital platforms. The physical release became available on 1 February 2014, followed by the digital release in March.
"Atoma" (2014-2018)
In March 2016, guitarist Martin Henriksson announced his departure from Dark Tranquillity, explaining that he had lost his passion for playing music after 26 years with the band.
On 22 May 2016, the band began recording its eleventh studio album, "Atoma", which was officially announced on 6 July. Century Media Records released the album on 4 November 2016. In March 2017, the band released "The Absolute", a song recorded during the album sessions, as a digital single.
On 28 January 2018, Dark Tranquillity began a European tour with Equilibrium as the main supporting act.
"Moment" and "Endtime Signals" (2019-present)
On 22 March 2020, Sundin announced his departure from Dark Tranquillity through the band's social media accounts. The following week, the band announced that recording had begun on a new album and confirmed that Christopher Amott and Johan Reinholdz, who had toured with the group since 2017, had become full-time members.
The album, "Moment", was released on 20 November 2020. The band released four singles in advance of and alongside the album: "Phantom Days" on 11 September, "Identical to None" on 16 October, "The Dark Unbroken" on 30 October and "Eyes of the World" on 20 November. In 2021, "Moment" won the Swedish Grammis Award for Hard Rock/Metal Album of the Year.
On 13 August 2021, Stanne announced the departures of founding drummer Anders Jivarp and bassist Anders Iwers. Stanne consequently became the band's only remaining founding member. For subsequent live performances, bassist Christian Jansson and drummer Joakim Strandberg Nilsson of In Mourning initially joined as session musicians. Both were announced as full-time members in June 2023.
Former guitarist Fredrik Johansson died of cancer on 25 January 2022. On 23 July 2023, Christopher Amott announced that he was leaving the band.
On 7 March 2024, Dark Tranquillity released the single "The Last Imagination" and announced its thirteenth studio album, "Endtime Signals". The album was released on 16 August 2024.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Tranquillity
Studio albums
Skydancer (1993)
The Gallery (1995)
The Mind's I (1997)
Projector (1999)
Haven (2000)
Damage Done (2002)
Character (2005)
Fiction (2007)
We Are the Void (2010)
Construct (2013)
Atoma (2016)
Moment (2020)
Endtime Signals (2024)
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…shrink me down again