Reviewed by Niklas
Photo by Michael
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City: Stockholm, Sweden
Venue: Klubben
Date: 5 Mar 2005
Set length: 55 minutes

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All pictures are © Michael Finnermark.
Please contact him and ask for permission before using any of the pictures.
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Dark Tranquillity

With their new album "Character" peaking at 3rd place of the Swedish Album Chart, Dark Tranquillity of Gothenburg have indeed introduced themselves to the masses. And with this package of a tour, where they share the scene with Hatesphere, Ektomorf and German thrash legends Kreator, they are sure to gain several new fans. Who knows, if they keep this up they might even catch up with their buddies In Flames sometime in the near future.

After touring Europe for five weeks consistently (with only one day off during the whole time), you might suspect that the members of Dark Tranquillity are feeling tired and longing for their vacation. Well, not these guys. After the atmospheric intro, demonic vocalist Mikael Stanne and his team enter the stage and delivers "The Treason Wall" with impressive enthusiasm. You can tell by the performance that they love what they're doing, and it all sounds great as well. No wonder, since Dark Tranquillity rehearses several times every week.

Half of the songs tonight are from the highly praised album "Character", rightly so. The new single "Lost to Apathy" sounds and feels exquisite, so does the following track "Through Smudged Lenses", which has got to be their greatest head banging song yet. The crowd is down with the band since the very first song. I've been to Klubben several times, but I doubt that I've ever seen a more devoted audience than tonight. Mikael Stanne looks seriously moved by the great reception and seems to get some extra energy from it, which might explain why he decides to stage dive over the audience halfway through the set. He also reveals that they have shot a video for the track "The New Build".

How incredible as it sounds, Dark Tranquillity is not the main band of the evening, an honour that went to Kreator. And even though the Swedes have extended their set with ten minutes, it proves impossible to perform all their old classics during 55 minutes. It must not have been easy to give up on fan-favourites like "Monochromatic Stains", "Therein" and "Zodijackyl Light", but obviously some tracks had to go. However, Dark Tranquillity pleases the fans of the older albums by playing "Punish My Heaven" and "Scythe, Rage and Roses". They also make sure to nail the killer tracks "The Wonders At Your Feet" and the closer "Final Resistance".

Dark Tranquillity has proven that they are not only a great live band by reputation; this was a very intense experience to say at least. Luckily for everyone, Stanne says goodbye by telling the fans that the band will be back later this year, this time with a full set. I'm already there!

8 chalices of 10

SETLIST

1. The Treason Wall
2. Lost to Apathy
3. Through Smudged Lenses
4. White Noise / Black Silence
5. The Endless Feed
6. The New Build
7. The Wonders At Your Feet
8. Scythe, Rage and Roses
9. Punish My Heaven
10. One Thought
11. My Negation
12. Final Resistance

Related links:
www.darktranquillity.com