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

[Villain]

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.

Well, that's pretty much what I meant with option number 2, but my poor attempt at sarcasm at the end probably blurred the whole point. Which was that it is always easier to mention the negatives than the positives.

-Villain

 

[Taliesin]

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.

I think so, too. There has been criticism of some parts, but here I thought DS and I were the only ones not so crazy about the new album.
Maybe I'll stick around long enough to see whose opinion changes first.. ours, or the general one

 

[anita_job]

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.

Look, I'm an "old" DT fan - I remember back in '97 opening up my copy of the Mind's I on Christmas Day, putting it in my CD player, and being FLOORED! (I was a mere 14 back then and I've like DT for more than a third of my life.)

Anyway, I just wanted to take the opportunity to comment on Projector and on the "old" fans some of whom have turned into the most stupid "critics."

I'm not the biggest fan of the album. There were some amazing tracks and more than a few that I didn't care much for, but the album was a breakthrough in terms of DT's artistic direction. After the Mind's I, I was worried they'd get stuck in a creative rut. After all, how could they top the Mind's I and the Gallery? Where could they go? So I for one was relieved when they undertook a bold experiment in their sound by incorporating Stanne's amazing clean vocals and electronic elements. The overwhelming majority of good/excellent metal bands do not venture in bold new directions once they've established themselves and made themselves comfortable with a certain sound, either because they are afraid, they don't care to evolve or change because "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," or whatever.

Projector was a turning point for DT. It marks the end of the DT's middle stage (which I would say spans from Skydancer/Of Chaos to the Mind's I, while the early DT was pre-Skydancer) and the beginning of what I consider their mature stage.

The stupid critics would rather DT stagnate and produce the same album(s) over and over and over again and that's why I can't stand their criticism. If DT actually made a bad/crappy/lame album, I would be the first to say so. But I'm very happy that they are growing, changing, and evolving while still retaining their trademark sound. There is both change and continuity, and the music has become more rich as a result.

To me, Fiction is as much a classic as the Mind's I or the Gallery. Character and Haven were both good (Damage Done was excellent), but I really do think they have managed to create a flawless masterpiece this time. Of course there are fans who will disagree with me on this, but unfortunately a lot of the criticism of Fiction has been extremely shallow, stupid, and impressionistic. If you want to criticize, at least have some good arguments and points to make.

And Villain, you forgot a fourth possibility: they are just idiots, plain and simple.

 

[Taliesin]

And Villain, you forgot a fourth possibility: they are just idiots, plain and simple.

I dont see why a matter of taste has anything to do with intelligence, but maybe you can help me out here.
Im a DT fan and have been for the last 4 or 5 years, but that doesnt mean I lick their spittle every time they talk.
I realise a band's board is not the best place to voice criticism of said band, but where else am I supposed to go with my opinion? Am I supposed to shut up, because my opinion is different? Because you're all fanboys? Should I dye my hair different, too, while we're at it?
Im sorry to be the partycrasher, but I dont see what all the fuss is about, you have your opinions, I have mine.. no need to be childish about it. I mean, Im not calling anyone stupid, because they like an album that I consider unimaginative and dull, am I?
And even though rahvin is not exactly encouraging a diversity of opinions on here, I dont think I'll shut up anytime soon

 

[Jolty]

If you guys look at the charts on Last.FM... People certainly love their technology, don't they. Dark Tranquillity has shot up 166 positions in the overall Last.FM charts, and their new songs have over 2000 plays each. I think it's kind of funny, actually. I hope everyone is planning to buy the album.

http://www.last.fm/user/Jolty/journal/2007/02/28/357059/ (I wrote a journal entry about it, but I think I summed it up well enough here.)

 

[Kovenant84]

Jebus your avatar scared me, Jolty.

Talie - I agree with you, just not on your opinion of the album, . There are songs I don't care for as much, and some that are taking a hell of a long time for me to get into. That being said, I really do think it's an awesome album. I had a problem with Character in that many of the songs sounded much too similar, and there didn't (from my point of view) seem to be enough variation between tracks. This time around, I think they got a good deal of diversity into the mix.

~kov.

 

[rahvin]

It would seem that every new album of theirs receives plenty of harsh criticism (and only some of it well articulated)

This is one thing that I've noticed, as well. I know there's plenty of retarded praise too: people dropping by just to say "it's awesome!" or "you're the only true gods of death metal!" and who would likely say so no matter the qualities of the relase. But it seems more tolerable, since at least it's a compliment and you can't really react too harshly to compliments, can you? The barely understandable criticism, on the other hand, gets annoying fast: why must one sound filled with nerd rage of some kind? Isn't it possible to state your opinion in a way that it might encourage discussion, instead of predictable flames? At the very least, it would be more decent to say "I don't like it" and leave it at that if you don't want to explain but are not interested in offending either.

And then we have:

And Villain, you forgot a fourth possibility: they are just idiots, plain and simple.

Sure, because not liking what you can call superior in 200 words for Amazon.com is obviously lack of intelligence. Thanks for dropping by and showing us praising can be as ridiculous as bashing.

Blah blah RAHVIN blah blah RAHVIN blah ME SMASH THINGS

I confess, I want to censor you because you're too real, dawg! Keep fighting the good fight.

 

[Taliesin]

 

[The Moonshield]

The worst critics aren't the ones who hate either DT's newer or older stuff IMO; plenty of those people are intelligent. The ones who hate DT in general or the entirety of meldodeath/Gothenburg metal, on the other hand...

Actually, to be fair, it's not so much the people who hate DT or the entirety of meldodeath/Gothenburg metal in general who are stupid as it is the ones who are so vocal about their hatred. Head over to metal-archives.com and read reviews of Skydancer, The Mind's I and Damage Done by "UtlraBoris" to get a good example of the type of nonsense that these people are capable of uttering. It's actually kind of amusing, IMO.

 

[La Rocque]

Any news about the release of a single(or EP) from Fiction?
I thought the 'Lost to Apathy' EP was a fine idea -

 

[stardrowned]

I don't suppose they're be releasing and EP before an album each time.

 

[marduk1507]

I confess, I want to censor you because you're too real, dawg! Keep fighting the good fight.

@this plus the quote: whats up with you rahvin?

@anita_job: hmm, splendid, for a newcomer. Dont you think you shouldve devoted more time to reading the thread, instead of showering us with your wisdom? There have been small traces of criticism so far (as compared to positive feelings), so I dont really know if the only reason you dropped by was to post your review. What I think is that each real DT fan should listen to the album, and think about the strong and the weak spots it has, and then maybe question him/herself why is it so. As for me, my only beef now is just the last song - I cant seem to look forward to it after having heard the whole album. After several spins I even started to like the keys and the slower parts.

 

[rahvin]

@this plus the quote: whats up with you rahvin?

Not much at all, I wasn't upset or anything.

 

[Taliesin]

@this plus the quote: whats up with you rahvin?

I have a certain theory..

 

[rahvin]

I have a certain theory..

I'm only on step #3 of my twelve-step program to stop hating people from Germany, so give me a break, ok? It's bad enough that I have to watch all the episodes of Mein Name ist Derrick in chronological order without the likes of you breathing down my neck.

 

[anita_job]

Sure, because not liking what you can call superior in 200 words for Amazon.com is obviously lack of intelligence. Thanks for dropping by and showing us praising can be as ridiculous as bashing.

Actually if you read what I wrote in its context, you would realize I was suggesting a fourth possible cause for the phenomenon Villain described: "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."

Unfortunately, people read too fast and jumped to the conclusion that I was labelling any/all critics of Fiction as idiots and morons. My point was that people should criticize but have some content to it, don't just complain "it sucks" or "its not DT" or "not DT enough."

 

[rahvin]

Actually if you read what I wrote in its context, you would realize I was suggesting a fourth possible cause for the phenomenon Villain described: "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."

I think Villain was addressing both well and poorly articulated criticism in his list (after all, he mentioned the less-legitimate variety only in parentheses) and this is why your fourth option sounded quite extreme. But ok, I take it back and you have the benefit of doubt.*


*offer void if user German.

 

[Taliesin]

Hilarious. Now restudy step 3

 

[anita_job]

Any news about the release of a single(or EP) from Fiction?
I thought the 'Lost to Apathy' EP was a fine idea -

I was wondering the same thing. I'd like to get the bonus tracks that are on the Japanese and Australian versions of fiction without waiting another 5 years for another "In Retrospect" compilation. I guess it's too late in the game though for a promotional-type EP since the release date is like two months away?

 

[Dark_Silence]

Unfortunately, people read too fast and jumped to the conclusion that I was labelling any/all critics of Fiction as idiots and morons. My point was that people should criticize but have some content to it, don't just complain "it sucks" or "its not DT" or "not DT enough."

The critics i read for this album on the forum had some contents to it.