Dark Tranquillity, one of the forefathers of the “Gothenburg sound,” never ceases to amaze me and other fans of extreme metal, even almost 15 years after their release of their debut album, Skydancer. Their new release, Fiction, is their most impressive effort in years. The melancholy feel and extended use of keyboards marks a return to earlier albums such as The Gallery or The Mind's Eye, and every aspect of Dark Tranquillity's sound climbs to an all-time high on Fiction.

While it's true the band has never released anything I consider bad, 2005's Character didn't exactly make for the strongest follow-up to the monster that was Damage Done. With that being said, Fiction is a totally different album than Damage Done and several tiers higher than Character. The new material is their most varied to date. It's almost like the overall aggression of Damage Done has been combined with the brilliant melodies of early albums. The haunting piano that backs the deadly rasp of Michael Stanne is instantly memorable on “Nothing to No One,” and the epic “Inside the Particle Storm” reminds me of “Indifferent Suns” from the Haven album. “The Lesser Faith” is one of DT's strongest songs ever, a brutal piece and a guitar-lover’s fantasy offset by beautiful piano work and an excellent performance by Stanne. In fact, Stanne sounds as deadly, determined and formidable on this release as ever. “Empty Me” features blast beats but also one of the album's catchiest choruses. How does Stanne pull this off with his growling vocals? I'm not sure, but he does it like no other in the genre. The album gains momentum in the second half with “Empty Me” leading into “Misery's Crown,” in which Stanne reverts back to his eerie clean vocals, then barks “Don't bring it/Don't bring it/Don't bring your misery down on me!” repeatedly during the chorus. The ultra-heavy “Focus Shift” is more along the lines of Damage Done's ripping “Monochromatic Stains.” That song was badass enough, so why the hell not? The album concludes with “The Mundane and the Magic,” featuring clean Stanne vocals, trading off with a female singer. Another fantastic piece ending a phenomenal album.

If you think back to the hey-day of American metal, the big three were considered Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer. These three bands paved the way for thrash, then death metal and much of the American metal you're hearing today. Sweden also has a big three: In Flames, At The Gates and Dark Tranquillity. They all pioneered the Gothenburg sound, and subsequently opened the door for many bands. Dark Tranquillity are all still prospering by evolving their sound and churning out great albums today. I just hope Stanne and the boys keep bringing the misery down, as it makes for one hell of a record.