The Gallery

Artist: Dark Tranquillity
Label: Century Media
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD

UPC: 727701826028
EAN: 0727701826028
ASIN: B0007Y08T2

Release Date: 2005-04-05

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Tracks:

Punish My Heaven
Silence, and the Firmament Withdrew
Edenspring
The Dividing Line
The Gallery
The One Brooding Warning
Midway Through Infinity
Lethe
The Emptiness From Which I Fed
Mine Is The Grandeur...
...Of Melancholy Burning
Bringer Of Torture
Sacred Reich
22 Acacia Avenue
Lady In Black
My Friend Of Misery

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Customer Reviews:

Such beauty..........2006-06-10

"The Gallery" is the jewel in the crown of Dark Tranquillity's god-like back catalogue, and given the quality of the competition, that's saying something. Whenever I listen to it, I'm always amazed at how such a powerful, emotive, sensual piece of art can exist. Make no mistake; this is not only the greatest album ever to emerge from the Gothenburg scene. "The Gallery" is almost as close to perfection as music can be.

The real brilliance of "The Gallery" does not lie in technical skill, although to say that the likes of Niklas Sundin and Anders Jivarp are unskilled would be completely untrue. Datk Tranquillity's real genius lies in their arrangements and songwriting. This may seem like a bold statement, but I believe that in these areas, Dark Tranquillity are unmatched. Not even Opeth, who are renowned for writing songs which rival classical symphonies, can match Dark Tranquillity in this one area. The guitars, bass and drums here harmonise in a way so perfect that it's hard to believe they were written by mere humans. Each instrument compliments each other perfectly, none dominating but all contributing to the artistic beauty of "The Gallery." The guitars and bass (and you can actually hear the bass in this album - that's always a good sign), far from being an assault on the senses like so many other heavy metal albums before and since, consist mainly of tremolo picking, the tempo often varying, intertwining around each other to create a lush, melodic, organic atmosphere. Many other, lesser melodic death bands rely on synths almost exclusively to provide melody (Children Of Bodom, I'm looking at you) as a way to get around really putting their backs into making the arrangements work, but thankfully, Dark Tranquillity's melody comes from a higher work of musicianship. Occasionally acoustic guitars and pianos will also kick in to provide a softer interlude in songs like "Edenspring."

The drumming also deserves recognition as a feat of songwriting skill. Anders Jivarp's rhythms, rather than just using repetitive beats at a fixed tempo to provide the music with solidity, provides "The Gallery" with a third thread in it's weave of musicianship and establishes another layer in its melody. He makes full use of the toms and cymbals without disregarding the snare drum, with occasional bursts on the double bass pedal to add energy when the time is right. This is a heavy metal album after all.

And then of course, there's Mikael Stanne. On "The Gallery," he's at the top of his game, belting out agonised yet hauntingly emotive shrieks that put even his counterpart in At The Gates, Tomas Lindberg, to shame. There is a distinct similarity between him and Mikael Akerfeldt in the early days of Opeth. However, unlike Opeth, his voice sits at precisely the correct level in the mix; you can turn "The Gallery" up to a decent volume without the vocals becoming grating, but the chances of anyone considering them too quiet are precisely none. Female vocals performed by Eva-Marie Larsson can also be found on the tracks "The Gallery," "Lethe" and "...Of Melancholy Burning," which are very beautiful and near classical in tone. One notable moment is on "...Of Melancholy Burning," when one of Eva-Marie's oparetic calls slowly merges with a monstrous howl from Stanne, creating an odd, yet extremely cool effect.

I really don't have anything bad to say about this album. Each song is a masterpiece, a work of art each in it's own unique way. The only pity is that Dark Tranquillity never wrote anything like it again. In my own opinion, "The Gallery" is absolutely essential to anyone who enjoys music in any way shape or form, one of - if not THE - deepest, most layered, most rewarding albums you will ever hear. It is tangible proof that heavy metal is as much an art form as anything else.

Absolutely Enthralling........2006-06-01

I believe I'm not alone when I argue that Dark Tranquility's '95 album "The Gallery" is the cornerstone of the Gothenburg melodic death metal sound, as well as the album that took it into a different dimension. This album has the trademark harmonies, melodic solos, occasional female vocals, and a stellar production; but at the same time, it's not "straight-up" melodic death like In Flames early albums or old Arch Enemy. No, "The Gallery" has a progressive feel to it, and a somewhat Gothic atmosphere to it. (I would connect this to Stanne's lyrics.) Dark Tranquility use a technical flair on this album not found in many metal bands; meaning that the transitions between the riffs are kind of weird. You know, the type of thing where just as you're getting into a nice riff, it switches up on you, and you're taken by surprise, finding yourself saying, "Woah, didn't see that coming!" However, it's not self-indulgent and the technical moments seem to make the album deeper and keep things interesting, rather than just trade riffs back and forth. For instance, "The Dividing Line" starts off with a strange, amorphous drum pattern leading a jagged guitar lead, but right after this, the boys kick it into high gear with ass-kicking harmonies in true Gothenburg style.

My love for the guitars on this album is unfathomable. From the gorgeous interlude "Mine is the Grandeur", which tastefully utilizes three classical acoustic guitars (harmonizing with each other, of course) and booming timpani drums, to the epic yet somber "Lethe" and the frantic neo-classical solos on "Punish My Heaven", it's total perfection. The display is not totally virtuostic, and the harmonies add so much impalpable atmosphere to this record. The bass playing is superb as well. Instead of playing regular root notes, the bass seems to be a totally independent instrument by itself, as seen on "Edenspring".

One of the greatest things that grabbed me about this album was the drumwork. The listener doesn't get pummeled to death with double bass overhauls or endless thrashfests, but the drumming firmly supports the music. To sum it up, it's technical, intricate, but not over the top. Anders allows to music to breathe, and his odd patterns add a lot to the music.

Stanne's voice here is his best, I think. His raspy screams are at his emotional heighth on "...Of Melancholy Burning" and the vicous "The Emptiness From Which I Fed", and his lyrics are far from the metal norm. You can feel the sorrow through his screams, and he doesn't try to be another Anders Friden clone. There are some occasional clean vocals, and the female vocals on the title track work perfectly, giving the album even more of an epic feel.

This is definitely an essential metal album, and I would place it in my top 5 of the 90's. Pick up at all costs.

"Every Picture Holds A Tale...".......2006-05-09

Of all the Dark Tranquillity albums, this one strikes me the most in awe. Reigning as their best cover art in my opinion, it stands as a testament to Heaven itself.

The opener, "Punish My Heaven", begins with incredible power and harsh vocals, but those intricate guitar leads are present with Niklas Sundin and Fredrik Johansson ready to impress. It was an experience that you do not often make musically...an experience that only leaves its mark...Being me, I disliked the tracks with female vocals on them more than the other because, well, I just don't like female vocals. I don't know why it is, but I just never enjoy listening to them. However, this album is packed with too many goods that other vocals become the least of my worries.

"Midway Through Infinity" pounds its way through with intense drumwork and assault riffs.
"The Emptiness From Which I Fed" performs like an opera and has an intensely catchy solo beginning at 4:03.
"Mine Is The Grandeur..." / "...Of Melancholy Burning" fits together like two paintings side-by-side, too beautiful to say (Even though the latter has a chick singing).

Like I said, this one needed some observing time, just like I do with all majestic or puzzling artwork. We find DT's old font (You know, that unparallel logo, which is fittingly at the top center). There are many portraits and canvases at the bottom, with continuous peacock feathers trailing across the right ones and branches across the left. The updated color creates a very brooding atmosphere for only a worthy record such as this. What blow my "mind's eye" is the way it trails into the universe like that, right into that supernova. Another quite haunting feature is the way the staircase trebles atop the gallery and amongst pillars and statues. It leads to a red throne, but it is just creepy because you are down in -The Gallery- while being sucked into the endless universe. Let us leave this by saying that this is the greatest artwork Dark Tranquillity ever wished to conceive.

Recorded by the legendary Fredrik Nordstrom, you know this will not displease. This is also the first to feature Michael on vocals, as we all know. One thing to understand is that all the tracks here achieve greatness in their own right, which is why -The Gallery- stands as a strong, unified piece of the "Holy Trinity" between -Slaughter Of The Soul- and -The Jester Race-. People...Herein Lies The Beauty...

A milestone!!!!.......2006-04-29

Dark Tranquillity is synonimous of essential melodic/death metal, and one of the top 5 bands in the genre. So, not much to say, this album got everything, incredible guitar riffs, powerful vocals, exquisite breakdowns and passages and perfect drumming. This album with "I, Mind's" and "Character" re-inventing the genre.

An Essential Stepping Stone of the Melodic Death Genre........2006-03-01

DARK TRANQUILLITY - The Gallery
-
It was 1995, Grunge had a firm foothold in North America... but in Scandinavia a different type of music was brewing...
Dark Tranquillity's `The Gallery' was released as with landmark releases by fellow Swedes Opeth (Orchid), At the Gates (Slaughter of the Soul) and In Flames (Jester's Race).
-1995 was the Year Gothenburg began.

From start to finish, The Gallery is a vicious album and even though it never received the same attention as the other 3 albums it honestly should have... Combining some of the finest Melodies ever heard with Stanne's serrated growls. Sadly, DT seem to get overlooked all to often... their latest disc `Character' is one of the finest releases in the Melo-Death Scene and it was only moderately received.
Either way, this is not an album that should be overlooked!!! If you like Melodic Death and do not have this disc, you are missing one of the essential stepping stones of the genre.

Favorite Tracks: The One Brooding Warning, Punish My Heaven and Edenspring.
-4.5 Stars

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