Dark Tranquillity

Dark Tranquillity currently consists of Niklas Sundin, Martin Henriksson, Anders Jivarp, Martin Brändström and Mikael Stanne who formed the band in 1989 with Sundin. A year later the band recorded a demo cassette tape entitled 'Enfeebled Earth'. It was followed by multiple demos and musical style changes before their first full length album 'Skydancer' was released in 1993. Soon after, Fridén, Dark Tranquillity's main vocalist at the time, left the band to join In Flames. Stanne then became the lead vocalist, and Fredrik Johansson was recruited to take over rhythm guitar duties.

From the period of 1995 - 2000 the band released four more albums which failed to gain them commercial success yet their fan base grew dramatically. 'Projector' earned the band a Swedish Grammy Award nomination in 1999 and is noted as a turning point in the band's songwriting style to incorporate the growled vocals and their signature death metal sound with pianos, baritone soft vocals, and verse-chorus fashion song structures which form the basis of their future sound. 'Damage Done' was the band's first appearance on the Swedish album charts at #29 and the next release 'Character' was a critical and commercial success, peaking at #3.

The next three albums built on these accolades, all charting within the top 10 in their native Sweden and making dents in charts all over Europe due to the band's relentless touring to promote previous releases. Dark Tranquillity are celebrated to this day as one of the longest-standing bands from the original Gothenburg metal scene despite several line up changes.