Dark Tranquillity

Dark Tranquillity are like an old standby: they're good at what they do and fans generally know what to expect, even if the band throw in the odd twist or new development here and there. We Are the Void is a record that makes this reliability growlingly clear. Despite the odd bit of clean vocals, prominent (especially keyboard) melodies and recurring solid groove, there's no descent into goth rock or pop metal here. If 2007's Fiction had you worried, relax, this latest record is more aggressively heavy, even death-y, at times, including some high-speed passages and a few shredding solos, without sacrificing any of the band's smoother touches. I can imagine these songs going over well live, injecting some catchy new material into the set list. But despite its loud and fresh charms, there's not much on We Are the Void to make me choose it over any other Dark Tranquillity album. Sometimes reliable just isn't quite enough.