Label: Century Media Records
Runtime: 49 Minutes
Released: November 4th, 2016
November marks the return of two Gothenburg, Sweden-based
melodic death metal originators, and while the collective metal community seems
to have given up on In Flames after their numerous and storied shifts toward a
pop-metal sound, Dark Tranquillity stand accused of an entirely different
crime: stagnation. Even DT's staunchest supporters generally admit that since
2007's album Fiction, Dark Tranquillity have been in a creative rut that just
keeps getting deeper and deeper. 2010's We Are the Void failed to innovate or
garner much attention in an increasingly over-saturated metal scene, and in
2013, Construct proved that consistency of output isn't always a net positive.
And then in early 2016, a bombshell dropped: founding band member Martin
Henriksson quit the band, stating that he had "lost the passion for
playing music", leaving fans more nervous than ever about where Dark
Tranquillity would go from here on out. This brings us to the November release
of Atoma, the latest DT platter and their first album post-Henriksson. So how
does the new album measure up against Construct? Have Dark Tranquillity broken
the chain of Fiction-clones and produced something for Gothenburg metal fans to
sink their teeth into?
Atoma is a masterfully constructed and produced album with
one foot firmly in high-tempo melodeath riffs, and the other submerged in deep
gothic depression. Vocalist Mikael Stanne sounds as soulful as ever, his
instantly recognizable cleans peppered far more liberally throughout the album
than usual. Early single 'Forward Momentum' evokes a wistful yearning, running
the gamut between hopeful to depressed and back again within its all-too-short
3:14 run-time. In stark contrast, tracks like 'The Pitiless', 'Force of Hand',
and 'When the World Screams' all offer a faster-paced melodic death metal side
of the band, making sure to jolt you upright between dips into slower gothic
territory. This is Dark Tranquillity by the numbers, but it is flawlessly
executed, and a sight better than expected after Henriksson's departure. Atoma
once again falls into the trap of DT's redundancy, but it is just so much fun
to listen to and so well designed that it stands tall above the lackluster
efforts of the previous two albums.
There are a few standout tracks that offer brief glimpses
into where the band could go were they to stop playing it safe and flex their
atrophied innovation-muscles. 'Clearing Skies' feels fresh and engaging, its
melodies and staccato rhythms grabbing for attention while Martin Brändström's
keys add atmospheric depth. It's not too far removed from the DT template, but
it feels just fresh enough to stand out from the pack. Also of note are the two
bonus tracks included on the physical release, 'The Absolute' and 'Time Out of
Place'. It's really a shame that digital download and streaming site fans won't
have access to these tracks, as they are some of the most interesting material
the band has put out in over a decade, wallowing in keys, clean vocals, and
walls of sound that almost approach an accessible 'drone' from time to time,
recalling the song 'Auctioned’ off of Projector, but with a more modern and
accessible edge. Century Media released small snippets of the songs as a 'medley'
on their YouTube channel, but it's more of a tease than anything else.
Atoma is the best that Dark Tranquillity have sounded since
Fiction, and it’s great to hear songs like ‘Clearing Skies’ pushing the
envelope, no matter how minute the push forward may be. The entire band is at
the top of their game here and the production is crisp and clear—very pleasing
to the ear in the wake of so many brick-walled releases over the past few
years. That said, there’s almost nothing new to find here. If you were tired of
Dark Tranquillty treading water before this release, Atoma isn’t going to
change your mind. It’s just so frustrating at times to know that the band have
it in them to wow us with something unique and exciting, especially when they
release bonus tracks that sound so fresh and engaging outside of the album
itself! But then again, there is something to be said for consistency as well.
Atoma may be yet another cookie cut from DT’s Fiction mold, but it’s still a
damn tasty treat.
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