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Dark Tranquillity - Exposures: In Retrospect and Denial

Rating

RIYL

In Flames
At the Gates
The Haunted
Dimmu Borgir
Witchery

Label

Century Media

Tracklist

Disk 1:

1. Static
2. The Poison Well
3. Misery in Me
4. In Sight
5. Cornered
6. Exposure
7. No One
8. Yesterworld
9. Unfurled by Dawn
10. Midwinter / Beyond Enlightenment
11. Vernal Awakening
12. Void of Tranquility

Disk 2:

1. The Wonders at your Feet
2. The Treason Wall
3. Hedon
4. White Noise / Black Silence
5. Haven
6. Punish my Heaven
7. Monochromatic Stains
8. Indifferent Suns
9. Format c: for Cortex
10. Insanity's Crescendo
11. Hours Passed in Exile
12. The Sun Fired Blanks
13. Damage Done
14. Lethe
15. Not Built to Last
16. Therein
17. Zodijackyl Light
18. Final Resistance
19. Ex Nihilo

Dark Tranquility have been making metal mayhem for more than ten years now, and although they've never really garnered themselves any commercial success out of their native Europe, they've always been one of the best examples of metal that the almighty Europe has or has had to offer (aside from their dismal 1993 debut, Skydancer).

They hit creative gold with albums like The Gallery (1995) and reaffirmed themselves with Haven (2000) and Damage Done in 2002, but even when they weren't at their most composed, they were still better than 80% of the other (and there are many) metal exports from the same area. Their sound was never strict to any category, and they definitely had a sound that they could call their own. They didn't just mimic In Flames or Dimmu Borgir, or rip off bands like At the Gates or Therion -- they had enough energy and knowledge and creativty to make something truly spectatular on their own without stomping on anyone else's ground beforehand.

Dark Tranquility could belt out song after song and have all of them be as symphonic and energetic as possible no matter what their mood -- and that's why this collection of B-sides, rarities, and live material is just as intriguing as anything they've ever released in the studio. Exposures is a 2CD set, one with all their odds and ends being tied up and the other being just the audio from 2002's Live Damage DVD.

The first disc is by far the best (because the live CD isn't really anything new, for one .. come on, give your fans some different live material), mostly because it allows the casual fan a much more up-close look at this very talented band than they've probably ever gotten (or dreamed of getting) before. The first seven tracks are outtakes and b-sides from their first three studio albums ("Static" and "Poison Well" being the best), and with the exception of "The Misery In Me", all are just as good as anything the band has ever put on record. The next five are all tracks that most DT fans have yet to hear -- the first two of them being from their debut 7" (A Moonclad Reflection") and the final three being taken from their first demo back in 1991 ("Trail of Life Decayed). And while they're not as good as anything the band has supplied here and elsewhere, they're a pretty good hint at the fact that this band ruled from the very beginning. The tracks are much more aggresive and heavy, similar to early Entombed and Nightingale, and show a much darker side of DT (one which would be increasingly apparent after listening to their middle albums where they felt the need to be like Opeth but sing all the time).

And then, yes, the 2nd CD. Live Damage was an alright display of the band's talents, but like most bands, DT is much better in an actual live setting, and a recorded version doesn't particularly do them justice. Unless you're a diehard (which if you were, you'd probably have this DVD already), skip this portion and just stick to the main CD.

Despite being a good value overall, this is not a good starting point for anyone who hasn't heard any Dark Tranquility yet. So if you're a newbie, start with The Gallery. But, everyone else, pick this up. Even the most casual fan will appreciate it.

--Timothy Golden

Author

tim

Last updated: 09/29/2009 09:03PM