The Gallery by Dark Tranquillity

First of all, this is my favourite album from one of my favourite bands, so this isn't gonna be impartial or objective. Second, to really appreciate this album you have to remember it came out in the mid ninties, a time when metal was really in the dumps (full of pitiful bands re-hashing Metallica and Slayer while nu-metal began to rear its ugly head) and it came from Sweden, not really on the metal map at that time. And this pretty much blew everything else away.The Gothenburg 3 (DT, In flames and At the Gates) all had very different sounds within the melodic death niche. At the Gates were very extreme/thrash/black metal while In Flames had more of an 80s guitar hero power metal vibe. And DT was, well, DT was DT. Whats really unique about this album is that most of the guitar work is higher up on the fretboard with very few lower end riffing or power chords. Guitar work on this album is very intricate and delicate boardering on a neo-classical feel, which is added to by the complex, progressive song stuctures. Like other Gothenburg bands, there are the ethereal melodies and a very melancholic feel to everything, but DT also take alot from progressive metal (Helloween anyone?). What really intrests me when listening is that, rather then simply playing the root notes of the guitar riffs, the bass has a pretty much a free reign playing its own interisitng arpegios and riffs. But thats not to say that this is a weak or light album. DT play this with all they've got, as if there very lives depended on it. Itss incrediably tight and well stuctured, played with a passion most bands would kill for, yet never strays into musical over-indulgence. Top this off with Mikael Stanne's tortured vocals and you've got a killer combination. I can't think of a better vocalist for this genre; scathing and extreme yet emotional and vulnerable at a time when metal vocalists were still doing the whole macho/tough guy thing. Its also interesting that there's alot of variety in his vocals, occasionaly going really high, sometimes dropping lower, and whats super awesome is the way he alternates from a raspy, drier scream to a gutteral gargled sound. He actually articulates his lyrics (which are beauiful) so you can understand them without looking at the album sleeve.So onto the songs. Well, each one is a classic, bursting with excellent riffs and vocals and has its own unique character but nothing feels out of place. There's a huge wealth of variety and the cd really takes you on a journey through the mysterious world of The Gallery from the super intense (Punish my Heaven) to the fast (Edenspring) through mid paced epics (The Gallery) down some beautiful classical guitars (Mine is the Grandeur) and finally to its stunning, collosal conclusion (Of Melancholy burning). My favourite has to be 'Lethe', which starts out with an ominous clean riff before exploding into a slow burning number that builds up incrediably with clean spoken vocals for a volcanic explosion of emotion and Stanne's throat shredding screams .I must admit i always apporach albums as revered as this with some caution as they're often overblown (i.e Clayman) but i can safely say this was not the case with the Gallery. If you ask me this is the best album from one of the best metal bands ever. On the one hand i'm baffled that DT still seem to be the Gothenburg band that acheieved the least fame, but i guess maybe there something more too it. You'd never see a video from this on Scuzz or Kerrang, nor would we see DT on Ozzfest. While not the heaviest band of all time, the music is complex and difficult to get into and its not really one for hoodie wearing metal wannabe kids. Also, DT would never change their sound to suit popular taste, unlike some of their peersIf your into melodic death you've probably already got this (if you haven't shame on you). If your thinking about trying the genre (or if you've gotten sick of all those plagerising metalcore bands and want to see the real deal) then this, along with earlier In Flames albums and At the Gate's 'Slaughter of the Soul' should be top of your list. Just be sure you give yourself enough time to really absorb and lose yourself in this, as back-ground music it ain't.p.s. If you like this you might want to check out Vilda Mannu by Eternal Tears of Sorrow. It sounds pretty similar in many regards.

This is purely a fan opinion review I'm not really going into any great depth about the music or structure of the way the album is set out or anything so if you are interested in that kind of this please read another review! In my view this is simply one of the absolutely greatest metal albums of all time. From start to finish song after song of sheer metal brilliance. I would definitely say this is the best of the "melodic death metal" scene and probably the whole of the "death metal" scene, but it is so much more than that. Out of any genre or sub genre of metal in my books this comes up top end off all metal albums I own or have heard. Even if you are not a "death metal" fan this album is a definite brilliant purchase you will be listening to it from start to finish multiple times a day. Its the kind of album that if you forget about then find it again later you will wonder how you ever forgot about it. Top notch stuff. Must own.

this album was a landmark in the genre of melodic death metal. sounding different to the other two big gothenburg bands at that time (at the gates and in flames). on this release(probably their best, although others are worthy or a look), there is little or no bottom end to the guitars and most of the riffing is speed picked on the middle strings of the guitar. there are some real jems on this album, such as the sing-a-long friendly(seriously!! not a bad thing btw) punish my heaven, a superb opening song with an incredible riff. if you are new to the genre, buy this album, and if you're not, why dont you own it already?????

Very good