Dark Tranquillity
The Mind's I

THE REVIEW

Dark Tranquillity... I perfectly remember the moment in March 1995 when I decided to order their first work "Skydancer." That name was deeply attractive to me, and hypnotized by Tiamat's "Wildhoney," I was searching for new emotions and unknown bands coming from my beloved Sweden. And it was love at first encounter, completely captivated by the union of dreamy melodies with harsh, schizoid vocal grunts, rhythms sometimes raging, sometimes warm and velvety... a true carnival patchwork, pure fantasy! Good times...

Coming to the subject in question "The Mind's I," it is the follow-up to the much-celebrated "The Gallery", a work marked by the media as the creative pinnacle of the combo, and it was released in 1997 by Osmose Productions. Highly anticipated by myself as well as many of their new fans thrilled by the previous platter, the Scandinavians offer us twelve furious, direct tracks, cleverly adorned with the usual clear melodies made in Göteborg but partially devoid of the exasperated and hypnotic technicalities of previous works.

Yes, here the impact is prioritized, the riffs are lean and seismic, the rhythms muscular, and even Mikael's singing becomes rougher, veering towards tones bordering on guttural, becoming dense, imbued with ferocious gloom. Indeed, with "Dreamlore Degenerate" we move away from the regal nature of the anthem "Punish My Heaven", the track immediately reveals itself urgent, aggressive with Stanne fiercely growling and axemen Sundin-Johansson painting essential and effective harmonies. References to At The Gates' death-thrash abound in the following "Zodijackal Light," equally fast and irate but elegantly interrupted by thoughtful moments where the twin solos allow the usual impeccable melodic taste to shine.

One of the peaks of the work is undoubtedly the hysterical "Dissolution Factor Red", the elaborate technicalities return to be heard, and the speed further increases in the sad guitar lines resting on rough and raw blast beats. "Insanity's Crescendo" opens the doors to what will be the dark-dreamy atmospheres of the subsequent "Projector," a semi-ballad with acoustic tones beautified by Sara Svensson's clear and crystalline voice that plunges into a hurricane of acidic doom-metal weight in the concluding part. Stanne's screams are passionate and the lyricism cultured.

Other metallic assaults, always paired with seductive harmonies, reveal themselves in "Still Moving Sinews" and "Atom Heart 243.5", where the exhausting work of the guitars is noticeable, the number of riffs proposed here is incredible, always changing and original but partially deprived of the many solos admired in the past.

In the finale, the melodic concreteness of "Tidal Tantrum" stands out, a doom-death experiment embroidered by melancholy and folk-like six-string guitars, while the nostalgic "The Mind's Eye" closes the batch with a solitary drum supporting slow harmonies that seductively drape in the solitary progression of acoustic sounds and crystal keyboards.

In short, a quality work, professionally produced in all aspects, conceived as a slight change of stylistic direction aimed at simplifying the sound architectures of the two opening works. Indeed, it is from this "The Mind's I" that the Swedes will embark on different musical paths but united by a greater expressive immediacy that will not, however, abandon the vibrant guitar battles so admired in "The Gallery". An absolute must for melodeath lovers!