Search - Dark Tranquillity :: Yesterworlds

A deluxe look back at the early days of Dark Tranquillity

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 08/29/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Yesterworlds is a collection of early releases and demo tracks from Swedish melodic death metal masters Dark Tranquillity. Some of these songs were previously available on the 2-disc live/rarities collection Exposures: In Retrospect & Denial, but Yesterworlds has a few surprises for die hard Dark Tranquillity fans.



Yesterworlds includes the complete 1991 Trail of Life Decayed demo, the full 1992 A Moonclad Reflection EP, the 1994 Promo release (which featured early versions of songs that would later appear on The Gallery), and an alternate version of "Punish My Heaven" that was included on a Wrong Again Records 1994 compilation. Musically, these are all very raw, very vicious death metal songs that go back to the band's teenage years, when future In Flames vocalist Anders Friden was in the band. It's pretty far removed from the innovative melodic death metal of Damage Done or Character, but you can still hear the foundation of the Dark Tranquillity sound in songs like "Void of Tranquillity" and "Yesterworld."



As I mentioned earlier, most of these songs were available on Exposures, but it's still cool to have them in one dedicated collection, especially one as aesthetically pleasing as this one. Yesterworlds comes in a very cool mini LP package complete with a separate internal sleeve for the CD and a larger than normal booklet that features lyrics, production info, commentary from guitarist Niklas Sundin, and the original artwork from the very rare A Moonclad Reflection EP.



You probably won't find yourself spinning this disc very often, but Yesterworlds is still a compilation that any serious Dark Tranquillity will want to own."