Fiction [New Album Spoilers Highly Likely. Read At Own Risk]

[Kovenant84]

I'd tend to agree with Plintus on this point - I take those intermezzos to be the whole character of the album - it's not so much to build a tension-release pattern, as it is to combine different aspects into a single song and to break up the continuity. It's a calculated move, as far as I can tell, to keep the listener guessing. It strikes me a bit like a thought pattern, the way people often run off on a tangent before bringing it back into the fold of the original train of thought.

Now, I could be off base with that, but personally I like them, and I'm glad they play such a significant part.

~kov.

 

[marduk1507]

It strikes me a bit like a thought pattern, the way people often run off on a tangent before bringing it back into the fold of the original train of thought.

Well, thats exactly what was happening to me when listening to DD and Character, and I didnt like it. This time though Ive been glued to the songs, but those parts keep distracting my attention. But youre view is interesting nonetheless. But dont you think they couldve at least made them sound more "fresh"?

 

[plintus]

It would be even greater without that slowish intermezzo, it loses its drive there.

That's the whole point, as it's not just something to headbang to - makes you listen, aye? I mean - here's this head-on shredddddddding, and then - bam - slow we go. Doesn't fully take you off the hook, but gets your attention.

Keyboards sounds is a bullseye 9 out of 10, put me off alittle in the Focus Shift - somehow I couldn't "sense" atmosphere, but the rest of the album has enough uber-grim electronics for me to forget that.

Terminus is begging to be remixed. Lesser Faith got this characteristic electrobeat in the bridge (or whatcha call it?), but it's just another element, where Terminus could have been fully electronic and wouldn't lose it's angry energetic appeal.

My thought.

 

[Kovenant84]

You have a point in that regard. An example of one of the switchups I like the most is in Nothing to No One. I think that the keyboard bit that rearranges the tempo and beat of the song is 'ace' (I think KC is rubbing off on me). It's one of the better implementations of the theme throughout the album.

I'll agree that the intermezzo in Particle Storm catches me off guard a bit, but I think it really keeps with the theme of the song overall. In a song about the use of airborne chemical warfare, a slow yet unstopping intermezzo really seems to fit.

On your other point, though, I really don't think that the last three are 'points off' for them on the album. Right now I'm not of the mind that Focus Shift really does justice to the rest of the album, thematically at least, but it's certainly not a bad song. I guess it's a question of how to best incorporate those songs, because from a lyrical (as in arching over the whole album) point of view they fit, but they don't really sound like the rest of the album vocally, so it is a bit jarring. I'm not really sure if the placement could have been done any better, though.

~kov.

EDIT: Plin, the idea of remixing Terminus is an interesting one, but I'm liking it too much right now to have it changed.

 

[Jolty]

I like how you said 'Oops, I heard it' I'm sure it was all just a big misunderstanding.

Of course it was. I certainly didn't spend two days refreshing Limewire in hopes of finding one song, and then decide I'd just torrent it and just uncheck all of the other songs. I must've accidently clicked on it when I was downloading Swedish porn. Yes, that must've been it.

Also, I agree that Terminus is very "remixable." It reminds me a lot of The Endless Feed.

 

[Villain]

Okay, I haven't heard Fiction yet, but what Plintus and Kovenant are saying is certainly teasing me to no end. I've always been a great fan of DT's intermezzos - the breakdown on One Thought is one of the greatest moments on Character (and all music ever created) - and now you are telling me that Fiction is all about them!

Damn you guys, you are really testing my faith here. I'm not going to give in, April is here soon, I'm not going to give in and download, April is here soon, I'm not...

I must've accidently clicked on it when I was downloading Swedish porn. Yes, that must've been it.

Yeah, that often happens to me as well. Not yet with Fiction, though.

-Villain

 

[Kovenant84]

Plintus - we've got him at 10%! Time to DPS him down!

Oh man, One Thought was my favorite track off of Character too, but Inside the Particle Storm blows it out of the water. Not the same catchiness as One Thought, but it's an incredibly beautiful track - a bit heavier than I would expect, but it flows into that intermezzo so beautifully, and comes back out without a hitch.



~kov.

EDIT: And no wonder you're getting so much swedish porn... it's about all that's on limewire these days...

 

[Cuthalion]

Now we just need some one to tab the whole album

 

[Crapples]

I think Inside the Particle Storm is easily one of the greatest songs DT has ever written. That intermezzo gives me goosebumps every time.

 

[[Negation]]

And seriously, that end part to Empty Me is friggin rough

I agree...I'm trying my damndest to figure it out. the only thing i can help you with kov is the ending. right before "And Kill The Light", it's "to stop the day"

at least i think.

P.S: what server do you play WoW on?

 

[Kovenant84]

I think you're on to something there. It's better than my guess of 'stabbidity'.

Oh, and I do believe I've jumped the gun on the Lesser Faith...

It could just be "How can you matter? You're insignificant." Which I don't think is nearly as cool, but it sounds much more correct.

~kov.

 

[[Negation]]

I think you're on to something there. It's better than my guess of 'stabbidity'.

Oh, and I do believe I've jumped the gun on the Lesser Faith...

It could just be "How can you matter? You're insignificant." Which I don't think is nearly as cool, but it sounds much more correct.

~kov.

haha yeah. The Lesser Faith though, I don't think there's enough 'space' for that line to fit. the way mikael sings it doesn't leave enough room. at least that's what i think ><

 

[IntoPhagist]

I was a basher but i like this album way better then Character, character is def my least favorite dt album.

 

[marduk1507]

@plin, kov: well, I guess Ill have to listen to teh album way more to fully adapt to the slow parts (you know Im all over fast brutal shit), and Im afraid I wont change my mind in thinking they all sound very similar. But we will see...

EDIT: And kov, I didnt say the last 3 songs are bad, but that they dont fit too well with the previous 7. But Ive listened to it this morning, and it feels much better, so its all about giving it time I guess.

 

[anita_job]

I can't understand why so many people are complaining! Fiction is a great album that represents some of the best of DT's work (especially late DT, by which I mean post-Projector DT). It's heavy, it's melodic, it's aggressive, it's atmospheric, it's emotional, it's dynamic - everything a good DT album is supposed to be. And yet I see people claiming "this isn't DT," as if they are the band and the guys making the music are just same lame wannabe fans.

Anyway, here's the review I posted on Amazon.com for the album:
Great metal bands are usually lucky to have 2-4 amazing albums, with the rest being somewhere between good and mediocre. Dark Tranquillity, on the other hand, have been producing nothing but phenomenal albums since their 1995 release of The Gallery. Ten years and five albums later, we have their latest and possibly their greatest masterpiece: Fiction.

Anyone who loved their last album, Character, will love Fiction even more because it's better at every level. It has the same dynamic blend of savage, heavy riffing, melodic passages, guttural growls, blastbeats and synths that manage to provide background and texture to DT's beautiful melodic aggression. I was pleasantly surprised to hear these elements, so well-utilized on Character, blended with clean vocals and even female guest vocals on Fiction. I was also surprised that I could understand most of the lyrics without the booklet, a testament to the fact that vocalist Mikael Stanne has honed his uncanny ability to roar demonically while retaining total control over his voice.

While Character was a great album, there were a few tracks that I wasn't crazy about. Fiction, on the other hand, does not have a single weak/mediocre/could-have-been-better track - they are all phenomenal. How a great band can become greater with each passing album without falling into a musical rut after more than fifteen years is mind-boggling. They could have retired long ago as THE premier Gothenburg/NWOSDM band, but instead they chose to persevere, to remain true to their death metal roots and at the same time grow, change, evolve, incorporate new elements into their amazing sound, and to continue releasing unbelievable albums.

As an atheist, I have to say: thank God for Dark Tranquillity!

 

[Dark_Silence]

Anyone who loved their last album, Character, will love Fiction even more because it's better at every level.

NOT

 

[Kovenant84]

...Brought a tear to my eye.

That is how I feel about the album, almost exactly. Of course, I can see how there would be elements people might not like as much - especially if you're not a big fan of intermezzos.

~kov.

 

[Villain]

As an atheist, I have to say: thank God for Dark Tranquillity!

Well put.

As for the complaints, ever since Projector first leaked, every time a new Dark Tranquillity album hits the net, people have complained on the forum. It would seem that every new album of theirs receives plenty of harsh criticism (and only some of it well articulated) from some old fans even before it is officially received.

There are at least three possible explanations for the phenomenon:

1. People are just too damn demanding - especially regarding the new stuff - and expect DT to record another The Gallery every time.

2. The people just want to concentrate on the negative aspects, even if they like the albums as a whole. They are fans of Dark Tranquillity, after all - they should expect perfection every time, right?

3. The people who criticise the new album are just a vocal minority - their arguments seem to overwhelm the not so furious nods of approval by the silent, yet satisfied majority.

Just by looking at this thread, the option number 3 would appear most correct: there are plenty of people here who seem to like Fiction a lot - and yet the few critical voices tend to get far more attention than any of them.

-Villain (still adamantly waiting for the official release-date)

 

[Kovenant84]

It sounds silly, but I had an incredibly surreal experience playing WoW and listening to Fiction yesterday, when my brother pulled a whole bunch of air elementals in Silithus, and we were suddenly surrounded by huge stormclouds and lightning while we tried desperately not to die. All the while, I'm hearing Stanne singing away... "Innnsiiide... the particle storm..."

Was pretty fun. I kept the song on repeat as we ground through a few more packs. Definitely my favorite song so far.

And Villain, I like option #4 as well. #4 is that it would take waaaaay too long to list all the good stuff, so it's quicker and easier to just state what you think is wrong and assume the rest is perfect.

Perhaps not an accurate option, but one I like to think is correct.

~kov.

 

[stardrowned]

The album is simply perfect! But I wouldn't mind another The Gallery.