Metal Israel has issued a new interview with DARK TRANQUILLITY frontman Mikael Stanne. The following is an excerpt:

Q: I love the way you write. You’re an awesome lyricist. So in a few words, if you choose of course, what does each track on the new album mean, like what were you trying to say in each song. So I’m going to say each title, and please say what you wanted to say with it, if you had wanted to say anything at all.

A: "Well, I’d rather go for the overall experience, the overall theme of the album. I decided since when we started the band, you know, we didn’t want to be an ordinary death metal band. So we decided never to write about death and life, the big topics, you know. Well, the cliches, so to speak. So I never really touched on it until now. I felt like hey we’ve been around for 20 years – it’s time to do something more about the big issues: Death, sorrow, grief, loss, that kind of thing. So that’s how it started, and the inspiration came from Scandinavian poetry about death, really. I read 200 poetry books to get inspiration and that’s really where it comes from. It’s just, I don’t know, somewhat of a Scandinavian view on things, on life and how we deal with the inevitable nature of things, and how we deal with the fact that we’re not going to be around forever. I find it really, really interesting and like the way that I’d rather use the poetic sense. You’re always taught a way to make sense of the world: Why are we here? What are we doing? And try to find something that keeps you going. People find comfort in faith, in family, whatever. And just kind of fill your life with something that makes sense to you. And that’s not always very easy. I’d rather take the poetic route and just try to use words to describe what’s going on and what’s going to happen instead of… I’m an atheist. I don’t really believe in anything, I’m just here to try to make sense of it as much as anyone else."

Read the full interview at this location.

As previously reported, Dark Tranquillity guitarist Niklas Sundin is re-publishing his long sold-out Gadus Morhua books from 2005-2006.

"These sketchbooks were originally planned to be a just-for-fun project; a way for me to keep track of my compulsive drawing habit as well as a service to the people that saw my sketches and urged me to publish them in book form.

The original editions were limited, and there was no intention to make them available again after they initially sold out some years ago. However, since then I've gotten so many requests on tours and recieved so many emails from people that missed out the first time, so I'm pleased to announce that both books are now available again.

The content is identical to the original versions, but the new edition books are or higher quality and are printed in a 19x19 cm square format that better showcases the images and gives them room to breathe."

More info/ordering:

- Gadus Morhua Vol. 1
- Gadus Morhua Vol. 2

Samples can be found at this location.

Dark Tranquillity recently added the following dates to their live schedule:

August

14 - Artmania Festival - Sibiu, Romania
28 - Kalmar Rock Bay - Kalmar, Sweden

Where Death Is Most Alive Part II dates include:

September

23 - Hamburg, Germany - Uebel&Gefaehrlich;
24 - Leipzig, Germany - Conne Island
25 - Munster, Germany - Sputnikhalle
26 - Köln, Germany - Essigfabrik
27 - Tilburg, Netherlands - 013
28 - London, England - Underworld
29 - Vosselaar, Belgium - Biebob
30 - Paris, France - Trabendo

October

1 - Montpellier, France - Salle Victoire 2
2 - Bilbao, Spain - Rockstar
3 - Porto, Portugal - Teatro Sá da Bandeira
4 - Lisbon, Portugal - Incrível Almadense
6 - Madrid, Spain - Sala Heineken
7 - Barcelona, Spain - Razz 2
8 - Lyon, France - CCO
9 - Lausanne, Switzerland - Les Dock
10 - Bologna, Italy - Estragon
11 - Rome, Italy - Alpheus
12 - Milano, Italy - Magazini Generali
13 - Zagreb, Croatia - Boogaloo
14 - Budapest, Hungary - Duerer Kert
15 - Wien, Austria - Szene
16 - Ljubljana, Slovenia - Gala Hala/Media Park
17 - Graz, Austria - Orpheum
19 - Stuttgart, Germany - Röhre
20 - Luzern, Switzerland - Schuur
21 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
22 - München, Germany - Backstage
23 - Brno, Czech Republic - Fleda
24 - Berlin, Germany - Lido

Band contest ends here.

25 - Malmö, Sweden - KB *
26 - Kalmar, Sweden - Skövde, Mariestad **
28 - Jyväskylä, Finland - Lutakko ***
29 - Oulu, Finland - Teatria ***
30 - Seinäjoki, Finland - Rytmikorjamoo ***
31 - Tampere, Finland - Klubi ***

November

1 - Helsinki, Finland - Nosturi ***
2 - Turku, Finland - Klubi ***
4 - Stockholm, Sweden - Medis **
5 - Örebro, Sweden - 700 **
6 - Oslo, Norway - John Dee **
7 - Göteborg, Sweden - Trädgån **

* with Insomnium and Avatar, not part of the band contest.

** with Avatar, not part of the band contest.

*** with Avatar and Omnium Gatherum, not part of the band contest.