Dark Tranquillity - Atoma

I’m not generally a fan of melodic death metal, nor of genres that rely almost exclusively on harsh vocals, so you’ll have to excuse me if I don’t come off as the most knowledgeable person in this matter. However, Dark Tranquillity is one of the few bands of this genre that managed to get me hooked, as it doesn’t display any of the traits that usually put me off it. It’s a special brand of melo-death, a more mellow and atmospheric one, with less aggressiveness and more melody and emotion.

Their most impressive win comes in the form of Mikael Stanne, of course. I knew he was a staple of high quality grunts even before I knew exactly who DT were and it all made sense when I finally payed attention to him and his band. Aside from the fact that he makes the lyrics clearer and easier to understand than many clean vocalists, his voice has so much passion even when he’s singing in a way that doesn’t really allow much variation. Usually when I’m acquainted with a singer, I first hear his voice and only later on (if ever) do I get to see him perform and catch a glimpse of his personality. With Mikael it was exactly the opposite and he made such a strong impression on me that I now find his character transpire into his music. He seems like such a sweet guy that I keep hearing gentleness and warmth in his voice even when he’s singing something that is not exactly known for these characteristics. I’m still glad that he uses clean vocals from time to time, though, they add colour and a place to grow from.

But to focus solely on the lead singer would be an insult to the actual music. Although this is a very steady album, one that belongs to the school of “less is more” that I so dearly love, there is little monotony. The instrumental provides an excellent background to Mikael’s vocals and quite frankly, that hypnotising guitar in the background would be enough to keep me hooked throughout the album. It’s like even the instruments have feelings in this band! This is quite interesting and new for me, as I am usually mostly focused on the voice and vocal line, but with them, my attention is equally divided between the voice and the instrumental.

All tracks are engaging, intense and compelling, and yet full of musicality. The transitions are well done and there is always a sense of growth, of evolution. The build-ups are present in almost each song and I love how they get me invested, curious to know what are they striving for and where is their story going to. For some reason it’s very hard for me to find words to describe them and the sentiments they stir. In fact, it’s difficult to even rationalise them, let alone verbalise them. Although powerful and even energising sometimes, there is a certain sadness and regret to their music, something resemblant of gothic metal and especially old school Paradise Lost. I guess it’s little wonder that their music evokes the same sort of murky undescribable, yet highly rewarding feelings as the aforementioned Paradise Lost. They even remind me a bit of Saturnus, or better said of the sensation that listening to Saturnus gives me, as they don’t sound too much alike. I suppose it’s that northern melancholy, a music that’s deep and somber, but without exaggerated dramatism or theatrics. Something that fills my heart and mind and keeps me focused and invested.

Clearly much could be said about the technical aspect, about how solid and constant all tracks are or about the talent of the songwriter, but for me music is first and foremost about emotion – the emotion of the artist, as well as the emotion of the listener. Genres, song structures, chords and time signatures may be limited, but stories and experiences are infinite in both expression and understanding. So, as always, I’ll leave it at that...