Dark Tranquillity Album: “Damage Done [Deluxe Edition] [Bonus Tracks]”

A mere week after its release, "Damage Done" has already assumed a prominent spot among my favorites of the new millenium. Simply put, it's an outstanding synthesis of what's come before, showing influences of classic metal, prog metal, thrash, and death metal. The playing is extremely tight, and a diversity of sounds and frequent time changes keeps things from ever getting boring. If this is a direction that metal will be going in in coming years, I'll be pretty damn happy.

Opener "Final Resistance" is a perfect mood-setter, a rousing speed-metal number with riffs and drums that would do Megadeth proud, complemented by a killer melodic chorus. "Hours Passed in Exile" has a melodic lead guitar line effotlessly woven into the verses, with some keyboard touches thrown in for atmosphere. "Monochromatic Stains," ironically, is anything but monochromatic, as it's chock full of tempo changes, careening back and forth between melody and all-out aggressiveness. "Treason Wall" slows things down bit initially, but it's still plenty heavy, with menacing vocals from Stanne, and it breaks into a thrashy sound in the chorus. The title track brings the album back into the thrash sound, as it's perhaps the fastest song to be found here. "The Enemy" is perhaps my personal favorite on "Damage Done," though, as it seems to exemplify everything that makes the album great. It starts out as a midtempo, heavy-as-hell basher, but then abruptly shifts into a soft melodic passage highlighted by almost-gentle keys and lead guitar work before reverting to the metallic sound again.

As my review should have indicated by now, the band seems intent on not sticking with one sound for too long, as each song goes through a myriad of changes. There are plenty of catchy

Swedish-style riffs, but there are also some terrific twin guitar harmonies, and lofty leads and keys are used tastefully and to great effect. "Damage Done" showcases how much a band can achieve through little things like solid musicianship and songwriting, two elements that all genres of music could use more of. This may be my first Dark Tranquility album, but it won't be my last.

I've been a metal fan since the early 80's. Starting about 1990, I decided it was essential to have a "Metal Rescue Disk" (a tape at the time, but now a disk) on hand at all times.

On this Rescue Tape/Disk, which accompanies me on all road trips and other places where I might find myself without access to my collection, I place ~80 minutes of the best -- and ONLY the absolute best -- metal songs I've ever come across.

Each time a new song cracks into the 80 minutes-worth of best music I've ever heard, I destroy the old recording (I know: shame on me. But it's a ritual; what can I say?), and immediately make a new one, retaining as many of the Old Classics as possible, while making room for the new song. This happens about once every couple years. At most. Genuine classics come about that infrequently, so I don't take this process lightly.

After just a couple listens, the 4 or so minutes of "Monochromatic Stains" has earned a place among the best 80 minutes of metal I've ever heard. Less than a week after buying "Damage Done," I took the 20-lb sledge to the old Rescue Disk and created a new one, adding this track, and bumping Slayer's "Angel of Death," which had been with me since the beginning.

"Damage Done" is worth the price of the disk for this track alone. The amazing thing is that the remaining tracks are all nearly as strong. There is not a weak moment on the album, and in its strongest moments, I place it among the Legends. That is higher praise than I could give it in a thousand words of musical description. Easily the best album I've purchased in 2002.

Dark Tranquillity are one of the premier Swedish metal bands, and "Damage Done" is a fine example of why. While not quite as diverse as some of their previous material, this is solid songwriting, and highly addictive stuff.

Much like their sibling band, In Flames, DT started out with a much rawer, heavier sound, something arguably closer to black metal, and matured into a brilliant melodic metal band. However, unlike In Flames, they have yet to become trite and watered-down. Setting them apart is a their subtle, but excellent use of keyboards, to perfectly complement the dizzying textures of guitars. These guys can shift from powerful riffs to stunning melodies in the blink of an eye (to the uninitiated, think In Flames, with more sophisticated song structures, and add Kevin Moore on keys, and you'll have an idea). Frontman Mikael Stanne regrettably doesn't do any clean vocals here (in addition to a monstrous screamer, he's also a pretty damn good singer), but he still does a killer job.

Standout tracks include "Final Resistance", "Hours Passed in Exile", "The Treason Wall", and the beautiful instrumental closer, "Ex Nihilo", but every song here is great. This album may seem a bit repetitive on the first listen, but don't let that be the last word. This album is chock full of subtle textures and nuances that will keep you enthralled for repeated listens.

Recommended to Swedish metal lovers of all shapes and sizes. For newcomers, In Flames might be a more comfortable place to start, but this is a damn fine introduction as well.

I just cannot get this album out of my CD player! I've tried and it just stubbornly keeps going right back in. Then why four stars you say? I reserve that for albums that have slowly over time become ingrained in my metal-skull and have made my personal Metal-Classic list. But Damage Done may well be on that path do not doubt! This album is a HUGE difference from the disappointment of Haven and I welcome Dark Tranquillity back to my world of good metal! This album has great mind-catching songs like the openner 'Final Resistance' and epic sounding 'Format C: For Cortex'. I think this album has a great blend and BALANCE of every instument. Nothing is to dominating. If you like melody, great riffs, and heavy vocals you'll like Damage Done! 4 stars

One of the best metal albums in history! So much passion in the vocals and the rest of the band is unreal. Every time I play this album I hear something new, it just doesn't get old. This is a very technical band so it's recommended you listen to them with some good speakers or headphones. If you're looking for something new this will open up a whole new world for you. The melodies (especially from their early work) will blow you away. If you like Damage Done I would then move onto "The Gallery" and "Mind Eye" which are two classics. I can't understand why any metal fan would give this less than 5 stars!