Iconic melodic death metal pioneers Dark Tranquillity recently announced the arrival of their 13th studio album “Endtime Signals,” which will be released on August 16 via Century Media Records.
The second single off the record is called “Unforgivable” and will appeal to all fans who crave a song that packs a punch, both musically and emotionally. It’s a high-energy and rapid, riff-laden track full of surprises, and true to Dark Tranquillity‘s signature sound.
The video for the new track came into being while the band was on tour: Shot during the band’s recent tours in Türkiye and Mexico, the video is a manifest of Dark Tranquillity‘s live energy and presence and a dedication to their loyal fans all over the world.
Mikael Stanne adds, “Shot during our recent tours of Türkiye and Mexico, the ‘Unforgivable’ clip showcases the band in its true element. From the intense drums of Joakim Strandberg Nilsson to the thunderous bass of Christian Jansson, the song is propelled forward at a pace not heard from the band in many years. Ripping guitars hold the structure fast as the electronic elements further emphasize the urgency and desperation of the track. A fresh surge of creativity and renewed vigor sparked this song that lyrically draws strength from frustration and helplessness in the face of oppression.”
Notably, “Endtime Signals” not only marks the 13th studio album of the band but also their tenth album collaboration with Century Media Records. Building on the success of previous releases such as Atoma (2016), which climbed up to #2 in the Swedish album charts, and Moment (2020), which earned the band a Swedish Grammis award, the band is set to continue to redefine and deliver a top-tier musical experience with “Endtime Signals”.
“Welcome to the world of Dark Tranquillity once again,” the band says. “It’s been a while since Moment and we’ve gone through quite a lot in order to end up where we find ourselves today. But as we can reveal the first single from the upcoming “Endtime Signals”, the feeling is that of pride, accomplishment, and a fair bit of relief. ‘The Last Imagination’ showcases one of many facets of what we feel is our most diverse album to date.”
The band continues, “Going back to what we fundamentally feel is the core of Dark Tranquillity, with a partly new line-up, has been a tremendous experience. It gave us the opportunity to re-evaluate and view what we have built from a new and exciting perspective. This resulted in a focused and intense writing period where we discovered aspects of our music anew and took certain elements of it further than before. Joakim Strandberg Nilson has delivered above and beyond in terms of drumming, with Christian Jansson following through in a fierce and precise fashion. This has driven the writing and recording process to feel challenging, different, and inspiring in the best way possible.”
Discussing the album as a whole, the band offers, “Thematically. the album deals with where we are heading, what has truly and fundamentally changed in us, and how we find ways to cope with it. It has been hard finding that spark of positivity lately and there is a sense of grief running through the course of the album. Not only in the sense of mourning what we have lost on a personal level but also where our sacrifices have taken us. ‘The Last Imagination’ in particular takes this to its logical conclusion and talks of what we leave behind and how hard it is for us to grasp that our significance might not be what we imagined.
“The breadth of the album is something we have worked hard at and we believe that this first song indicates if not a full picture of what is in store. There is ferocious speed, grinding brutality, and haunting melodies of devastating loss to come. This is us making good on our promise to ourselves and our continuing mission.”
Accompanying the release, Niklas Sundin, former guitarist and longstanding collaborator of the band, has crafted captivating visual elements, including the visualizer for “The Last Imagination.”
The album release date, August 16, was strategically chosen: It is no coincidence that the album reveal collides with the infamous Summer Breeze Open Air in Dinkelsbühl, Germany, and Dark Tranquillity‘s performance at the festival. As a special celebration for the reveal of their new album, the band will give a burning live performance, playing and partying into the release of “Endtime Signals” live on stage.
