Dark Tranquillity – Endtime Signals (Century Media)

Four years removed from Moment, arguably one of Dark Tranquillity’s strongest albums in quite some time, they have finally returned to reclaim their position as one of melodic death metal’s reigning kings. As with much of their recent material, there’s been some turbulence within the line-up, as can almost be expected due to the sheer span of time that the band has been around for. Endtime Signals then, never sounds like an album that wants to rest on its laurels. It’s classic Dark Tranquillity – hungry and full of a wealth of emotions that will sit with you far after the album has come to a close.

Endtime Signals continues to see Dark Tranquillity keep a surprising depth of diversity to their songwriting. While there’s nothing one would classify as shocking, the band keep it fresh by looking towards the past and finding ways to reintegrate it with their current sound. This time around, the nods to older albums such as We Are the Void and even The Mind’s I are notable and appreciated. So one can expect an album that occasionally sits on the darker and speedier side of things. “Neuronal Fire” swings some dark, smoldering grooves and switches up between more frantic verse speeds and a more epic and thundering chorus. “Enforced Perspective” is a full-throttle banger, with the band bringing the thrilling riffs to impressive speeds and entwining it with a playful dose of keys to keep it grounded. It’s the type of song that showcases them at their melodeath finest. Likewise, “Our Disconnect” swirls with sinister riffing and a thick and urgent atmosphere, occasionally going into almost more industrial effects to bolster the track. Lastly, “A Bleaker Sun” shines with it’s contrast between more melodic moments, such as a melancholic solo and chunky, midtempo riffs with Mikael Stanne’s monstrous roars.

But despite all the heaviness the album provides, there’s a more gentle side that feels just as important. Already released single “Not Nothing” provides that effective gothic contrast of Stanne’s clean vocals and somber atmosphere and more aggressive melodeath riffing and power. “Wayward Eyes,” to some, might even appear to have a more modern stroke to its structure, at times reminding more of a metalcore song in its shifts between more uptempo riffing and a gentle, soothing chorus that Stanne knocks out of the park. If there is one potential surprise to be had, it’s the inclusion of not one, but two ballads. “One of Us is Gone” appears halfway through the album and mostly focuses on graceful, gloomy keyboards and Stanne’s charismatic gothic timber, only cranking up the guitars about midway through and adding to the gothic-y waltz that preceded it and causing the synths to swell. The last song (on the regular release anyways) is “False Reflection,” tugs on the heartstrings a bit more in true depressive fashion as Stanne croons his best, doing almost all of the heavy lifting and giving some great nods to the perpetually underrated Projector. It should really be mentioned that this album, particularly in it’s quiet, moody moments, has given Martin Brändström some of his strongest moments in the band.

While continuing to evolve yet keep their heads in acknowledgement of their past, Dark Tranquillity maintain a balance that few veteran bands can match. They are able to keep some semblance of their original identity, yet manipulate it into something long-time fans can be challenged by. Endtime Signals is yet another masterstroke from Sweden’s finest in melodic death metal, taking the Dark Tranquillity sound and keeping it entirely relevant with an emotive core that has propelled them for much of their career and the sweeping, aggressive melodies that melodeath fans crave.