Dark Tranquillity

Dark Tranquillity
Dark Tranquillity playing live at Summer Breeze Open Air 2007, with former bassist Michael Niklasson on the left and the vocalist Mikael Stanne on the right.
Background information
Origin	Billdal, Sweden
Genres	Melodic death metal
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Slaughter Records (1992–1993) Carnage Records (1993–1994) Spinefarm (1993–1994) Osmose (1994–1998) Metal Invader (1998) Century Media (1998–)
Associated acts	In Flames, HammerFall, All Ends, Soilwork, Dimension Zero, Theatre of Tragedy, Solution .45, Lucyfire
Website	www.darktranquillity.com
Members	Mikael Stanne Niklas Sundin Anders Jivarp Martin Brändström Anders Iwers
Past members	Anders Fridén Fredrik Johansson Mikael Niklasson Daniel Antonsson Martin Henriksson

Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg. They are one of the longest-standing bands from the original Gothenburg metal scene.

Dark Tranquillity was formed in 1989 by vocalist and guitarist Mikael Stanne and guitarist Niklas Sundin, who looked at their influences and then decided to form their own band under the name Septic Broiler. Not long after, three additional members, Anders Fridén, Anders Jivarp and Martin Henriksson, joined the line-up.

In 1990, the band recorded a demo cassette tape entitled Enfeebled Earth before they would change their name to Dark Tranquillity and change their musical style. It was followed by multiple demos, and in 1993, Skydancer was released. Soon after, Fridén, Dark Tranquillity's main vocalist at the time, left the band and later joined In Flames. Stanne then became the lead vocalist, and Fredrik Johansson was recruited to take over rhythm guitar duties.

In 1994, Dark Tranquillity covered the song "My Friend of Misery" for the Metallica tribute album Metal Militia - A Tribute to Metallica.

In 1995, the Of Chaos and Eternal Night EP and the second full-length album The Gallery were released. The Gallery is often referred to as the masterpiece of the era. The Gallery saw a change in the band's style, but kept the characteristics essential in the band's melodic death metal sound, such as growled vocals, abstract riffing, acoustic passages, and a female guest vocalist.

Dark Tranquillity's second EP, Enter Suicidal Angels, was released in 1996. Their third album, The Mind's I, was released in 1997.