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   13 barn owls in a trenchcoat (hauntedowlbear@eldritch.cafe)'s status on Saturday, 07-Sep-2024 20:52:13 JST 13 barn owls in a trenchcoat

   I wasn't feeling lifting today, so I decided to reward myself with my official/nominal favourite album.

   I used the performance boost to achieve incredibly fluid and easy full depth squats at 27.5kg, so we'll be going to up to 30 next round. Bench press is now also at 27.5, although I need to hold that weight for a couple of sessions to avoid form breakdown in late sets/reps. Increased weight on rows and glute bridges for the hell of it.

   Dark Tranquillity - Haven
   YT: https://youtu.be/RNEaftwfadU
   Invidious: https://invidious.jing.rocks/watch?v=RNEaftwfadU

   I eke out listens to this one, so I don't numb myself to it, and as a reward I take away something new every time.

   This is not an especially popular DT album, although a several of its tracks are immortal live staples.

   It's heavily synth driven, fast, melodic and lyrically fascinating. I couldn't pick a favourite track (The Wonders at Your Feet? Indifferent Suns? Haven?).

   This time, though, it's Fabric that's captivating me. Unwinding those lyrics, man. The romantic synth progressions! It's really distinctive structurally for a metal song.

   "Scattered throughout now
   Indefinite form
   Willed to find strangers
   In the wickedest state
   When it comes upon you my friend
   Fear not - it makes us men
   Hidden within ourselves now
   Lured into hiding out of sight"

   On the subject of singing, this album highlights Mikael Stanne's ability to consistently and precisely hit a note in his harsh vocals.

   It's also dripping in new member Martin Brändström's synthpop aesthetic, and although he gets relatively few writing credit on the original release (I believe this is rectified with a full-band credit on the reissue, but this is the version I always listen to).

   Drummer Anders Jivarp contributes a lot here and you and hear common points in his use of structures and keyshifts in his current self-named pop music project (sadly accompanied by "videos" that are incredibly hard on the eyes - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvDOosH78oWxv-W-qsFRdvg), and Martin Henriksson's style is very audible in in the guitar work. Sundin lists this as his least favourite of the band's albums.

   The linked album description includes a certain degree of absolute bullshit, so you should listen to me instead.

   Also, the remaster and bonus track versions should be avoided, because the CD needs to finish on Emptier Still.

   • Embed this notice
     13 barn owls in a trenchcoat (hauntedowlbear@eldritch.cafe)'s status on Sunday, 08-Sep-2024 05:30:19 JST 13 barn owls in a trenchcoat

     in reply to

     • tautology

     @tautology I really appreciate that I'm still taking away new things from it so many years later, given how many hundreds of times I must have listened to it.

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     tautology (tautology@infosec.exchange)'s status on Sunday, 08-Sep-2024 05:30:20 JST tautology

     in reply to

     @HauntedOwlbear Haven is one of my favourites too as it was the first DT album I bought just after it came out out.

     My previous experience of DT was a taped copy of the Gallery that someone who I shan't name sent me.

     Haven is really the album that resparked my interest in the band.