VS: Crowning The Kings of Gothenburg

In this edition of VS, we tackle the melodic death metal sound made popular by two of the biggest acts to come out of the scene during the early to mid-90’s. Two bands, who coincidentally switched vocalists and made their debuts on each other's band's second albums. These acts were defining names in the melodic death metal genre. Putting the city of Gothenburg on the map of metal and dubbing their style of melodic death metal as “The Gothenburg Sound”. One would continue the melodic death metal, but begin to push the sound by adding progressive elements and experimentation. The other, a band that is now known for an alternative fusion of the genre, but got their origins with one of the most well-known releases and a quintessential release in the genre.

In this corner, we have Dark Tranquillity with the band's second album, 1995's The Gallery. This would be the debut of new vocalist Mikael Stanne, the former vocalist of In Flames, appearing on the band's debut Lunar Strain. Progressive, heavy and melodic, the album would be hailed as a defining record in the Gothenburg sound, along with At The Gates' Slaughter of The Soul and their opponent's second record. With such power and sophistication, the album would push the band into one of the most recognizable names in the Swedish melodic death metal scene.

The album opens with "Punish My Heaven". Opening with dueling guitars by Fredrik Johansson & Niklas Sundin, the song starts with strong, reverbed heavy guitars. With Anders Jivarp's aggressive drumming behind the riff, the song starts off fast and heavy out the gate. Martin Henriksson's bass highs pop, as an almost counter melody, to the aggressive and fast guitar playing. Vocalist Mikael Stanne's snarling growls have so much gravelly grit to it and fits the song's motif. I love the slow-down tempo change at the halfway mark, sounding like traditional heavy metal with the build up, combined with the clean vocals and emotional guitar solo. You hear the anguishing growls of Stanne's voice before the dueling and acoustic guitars join around the three quarters mark. Strong, complex, progressive melodic death metal. A heavy and diverse opening track.

"Silence, and The Firmament Withdrew". the track has a very mid-tempo opening feel. With little flurries of speed up, but then returning to a much slower pace. I adore the slower pacing and feel of the song. Along with the guitars having that trademark Gothenburg sound the genre is famous for. Henriksson's bass pokes through during the dueling guitars. As Stanne's vocals get layered with harmonies and ferocity into a perfect combination of beauty and aggression. Following that is "Edenspring". With opening drums by Jivarp and bass by Henriksson, it transitions beautifully into atmospheric guitars. Then, with a snarling scream by Stanne, the pacing picks up and the song's intensity amps up throughout the track. I love how Dark Tranquillity play around with progressive metal in their death metal. With the addition of piano on the track, the start/stop pacing, and transitioning of guitar heaviness to emotional soloing and back, is just top-notch on this album.

"The Dividing Line" has an almost guttural growl into a banshee-esque shriek in the opening moments. With guitar and bass blending well together both musically and production, into a bouncy drum section. The song has a classic heavy metal sound to the playing and tone of the guitars. Stanne just pushes himself vocally, with each verse section giving a more snarling, phlegm-inducing growl or shriek. The progressive metal elements truly get showcased on this song. With such complex and unique pacing, transitioning from aggressive guitar to atmospheric, into black metal tremolo playing. The song is just a sonic journey through the whole five minutes. Following that song is the album's title track. With an angelic opening acoustic guitar and accompanying bass, the song picks up with the drumming. Henriksson's bass adds accent and pulse to the track as the song's aggressive side begins to rise. Another track with snarling and visceral fury on the verses. With returns to the acoustic section and female vocals by Eva-Marie Larsson. Giving off a diverse and unique vocal delivery of harmony and distortion in the vocals between Stanne & Larsson.

On "The One Brooding Warning", the drums strike hard and fast. I love the chugging guitars, into complex fretboard hopping playing, accompanied by double bass behind it. Creating a great rhythm section of Henriksson & Jivarp. This track really showcases that Gothenburg sound in the verse and chorus. The aggression in the vocals, the guitar harmonies and dueling throughout it, and then the unique guitars with bouncing bass and drums behind it. "Midway Through Infinity" goes full speed with the opening drums and guitar. Jivarp's blast beats in the opening and throughout the verse section is top-notch. Johansson & Sundin bounce off each other really well. Sharing the dueling leads and not dominating one over the other with solos or over-soloing longer than needed. Jivarp's drum mix on the track is so good, and I love the double bass punching behind the guitar solo a little after the halfway mark. "Lethe" opens with a dark guitar passage. With heavy bass hums interspersed, it adds depth and a feeling of sorrow and loneliness. Then, the band kicks in before the halfway mark, and the energy turns to aggressive & anguish in the vocals and sound of the guitars. Stanne's vocals seems like regretful, emotional pleading in his delivery, which fits the aura and feel of the track. His vocals begin to almost become unhinged and unintelligible near the end of the track, which again adds emotion and dynamics to the song's already remorseful feel.

"The Emptiness From Which I Fed" starts off blasting with drums and fast, up-tempo guitars. The fury and intensity in the playing is a stark contrast from the previous track. Sounding like the band went from the depths of depression, to furious and pissed off with this one. Progressive elements being to show themselves again, especially during the spoken word section before the half way mark. The band's musicianship is strong when they dive into those progressive waters. A simple, but beautiful acoustic guitar piece, starts at the halfway mark of the song. Building back into the burgeoning fury of the band. Bringing the aggression back to the front in it's intensity and pacing. This is my favorite track off the album, We get an instrumental track "Mine is The Grandeur..." next. A nice, dueling acoustic guitar opens the track with light drum accents behind it. The addition of a timpani drum being played behind it, adds a theatrical element to the track. Painting a picture of war with the driving and pounding drum, while also seeing the sadness and death of war with the acoustic guitars. We then get the album's closer "...of Melancholy Burning". With drum builds and ringing distortion, the riff is simple but heavy, with the accenting double bass and drum fills underneath it. I love the guitars dropping during the verse to let Stanne's vocals shine and show his vocal delivery off. Larsson returns on the track, but her vocals are more intense. Delivering a call-to-arms vocal delivery before Stanne joins behind her. Creating what I call "harsh harmonies", his gravelly growling harmonizing with her clean vocals. A very strong closing track to a very progressive twist on the burgeoning melodic death metal sound.

In the opposite corner, we have fellow countrymen In Flames with the band's second album, 1996's The Jester Race. This would mark the debut of new vocalist OneHealthcare24!, the former vocalist of Dark Tranquillity and appeared on the band's debut album Skydancer. With the dual guitar leads, growled vocals and acoustic guitar sections, it became a landmark release in the genre. Putting In Flames as almost the leading band of the genre. Does this album stack up against it's opponent in it's race to the finish line?

Album opener "Moonshield" opens with acoustic guitars and a pulsing kick drum. As the dueling acoustic guitars of Jesper Strömblad & Glenn Ljungström build, the song kicks in with heavy guitars. Johan Larsson's bass brings a deep groove to the guitars as vocalist Anders Fridén's growls are deep. In the mix, his vocals are a little lower than what he would sound like on later releases. With the band being more front and center in the production. Drummer Björn Gelotte adds nice fills, adding on to the guitar harmonies at just the right timing. Especially adding some power behind the acoustic parts after the halfway mark. Following that track is "The Jester's Dance". An instrumental track has a great opening bass piece with ringing clean guitar tones. Sounding so good drenched in reverb and chorus. The dueling harmonies and tone of the guitars sound so good when the song's heaviness and pacing picks up. "Artifacts of The Black Rain" opens with pummeling double bass and driving guitar. Fridén's vocals are higher up in the mix on this one, so they aren't as buried behind the band. I love the riff, it's very catchy and the double bass hits so good on the breaks between verses. The riff change into the bridge after the halfway mark, with the galloping guitar, is so heavy. Sounding like a chuggier Iron Maiden style riff and I dig it.

"Graveland" starts with a pounding drum and lo-fi guitar mix before everything comes full energy. THIS is what classic In Flames does so well. Defining the Gothenburg sound in this track. From the simple but pounding drums, to aggressive and fast-paced, fretboard hopping guitars. The simplicity of the guitars in the chorus, along with the building that they do add so much to the quality and style of the music. It is high octane, and shows the evolution of death metal into its melodic form. "Lord Hypnos" starts with the same high-energy guitar tone. Fridén's vocals sound more unhinged, sounding deeper and more out of control as it goes further into the song. The sudden musical drop, around the halfway mark, into an acoustic section and then merging into the electric guitars, is a nice change of pace. The run to the finish line, with the lead guitars in the background hit so well. "Dead Eternity" rings with pounding blast beats, matched with up-tempo, fast-paced guitar. The ominous spoken-word, underlying guitars into the high shrieks, hits so good and gave me goosebumps when the growl started. Vocal harmonies are awesome on the track around the halfway mark. Adding more force and fury to Fridén's vocals. The riff instantly makes me wanna bang my head along, especially going into the faster, on-the-verge of blast beat drum section.

Now is the album's title track. With driving drums front and center by Gelotte, along with clean atmospheric guitars, it kicks off with a chugging riff behind it. Along with accenting double bass. I love the pacing of the song, picking up as it goes along further along. Larsson's bass beneath the guitar adds a heavy gurgle and groove to the riff, in an almost counter-melody way, but it works. Strömblad & Ljungström work well on the song too. Bouncing off each other with harmony sections and leads throughout. Fridén has more oomph in his vocals on the track, even in the guttural delivery. It still sounds strong and amplified in layered sections and along with the bounce of the riff. I LOVE the guitar solo near the close of the track. My favorite track off the album. "December Flower" has that aggressive and pummeling drum opening. Matched with the riff machines Strömblad & Ljungström delivering that melodic death guitar tone and playing. A style that would inspire countless metalcore and melo-death bands following the release of the album. I love the guitar solo and tone on the track. Almost adding an 80's style inspiration, mixed with the harsher, chugging guitar riff beneath it. A unique blend, which I dig on the track. Gelotte is also just relentless on the drums.

With the instrumental "Wayfaerer", it has a more mid-tempo riff opening with a pulsing drum behind it. Larsson's bass adds depth to the guitar section and more power behind them. Strömblad & Ljungström lead the charge on the track, front and center throughout. I love the wailing keyboard section on the track with the chugging guitar riff. VERY early Children of Bodom feel to it. The riff turns to an almost 80's metal sounding track. With higher notes, pulsing bass and drums, and a more upbeat tone and attitude. It has a more lighter sound and tone to it, though different from the rest of the album.. The song returns to the chuggy melo-death riff and ringing keyboards towards the close. Album closer "Dead God in Me" brings back that ferocity of early melo-death. Snarling, gritty vocals and a chugging guitar into dueling harmonies. The song has a traditional death metal sound around the minute mark. More tremolo-like, early death metal guitar playing and blasting drums behind it. I love the building drums behind the riff change. Almost arena rock sounding guitar playing, the song turns and goes into the melodic as the guitar solo begins. An aggressive track and a strong closer to a classic in melodic death metal.

After listening to these melo-death classics, which one stands on top of the mountain as the winner and Kings of Gothenburg? This is a real tough one. I love the progressive melodic death metal sound that The Gallery delivers. But, I also love the more straight-forward sound and guitar playing of The Jester Race. After deep thinking and a couple re-listens, I pick The Gallery as the winner of this matchup in a VERY close margin. The Gallery is a stronger record. When Dark Tranquillity tried the progressive elements, they nail it and when pushing further into the song or the album as a whole, it was done perfectly. On The Jester Race, In Flames did deliver a good record, but I think there were issues with the mix with some examples where the band was louder then Fridén. The guitars were trademark melodic death metal and had a lot of catchy, earworm-style riffs. This is my opinion (and I’m ready to face the wrath of the internet), but I think The Jester Race is not as a good as everyone says it is, maybe dare I say, “overrated”? I feel the following records were better and more perfected, more influential then The Jester Race. This album walked so Whoracle, Colony and Clayman could run. This was a close matchup and I can see the influence both band's had with this album, but I would choose The Gallery as the winner today.