Review by Death8699 on January 15, 2019.

When melodic death is played right, it comes in the form that Dark Tranquillity plays here on this Projector release. A big Depeche Mode influence that Mikael Stanne portrays in his vocal efforts. Of course there's variety, he mixes clean vocals with raspy ones according to the music. When you hear the clean guitar bits, he's singing in a very melodic tone. I can say that he actually sings with such passion. He does mix clean vocals also with the distorted guitars by Fredrik Johansson and Niklas Sundin. There's a female vocalist that contributes some to this release as well by the name of Johanna Andersson. What an outstanding voice!

The songs are true melodic death to the core. There's a mixture of clean tone guitars like I previously mentioned mixed with heavier melodic riffs. The songs themselves are so well played to perfection. There are not really many guitar solos, just an array of melodies that are so amazing it's captivating to hear. Mikael's vocals augments the guitars and piano as well. Talk about an amazing vocalist! Well he has so much variety it's unbelievable. Every single song on here deserves mention. This band really hit a gemstone which Projector is. The metal really flows and the clean vocals almost outweighs the hoarse tone. Don't expect anything too fast on here because it's just not here. Each track is slow paced and even one song called "Day To End" features a heavy synthesizer that dominates the track along with the clean vocals.

Dark Tranquillity copies no one on Projector, it stands alone in sheer dynamite. Especially with melodic death freaks like me, it never grows old. An album that was so well mixed, nothing is left out. All of the instruments are heard and heard with vigor. The crunch tone distortion from the guitars features riffs that are original and innovative. No weak points on any of the songs.

This band really was creative in this offering and probably in my opinion their best work, surely surpassing The Minds I. I'd have to say that it surpassed both older and newer releases by far. Amazing work by all musicians in terms of the songwriting. A true Gothenburg band that surpasses all of what I've heard from this band. If you want true melodic death metal the way that it should be played, pick up Projector because there aren't any albums that feature this highest standard of musicianship whatsoever.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Emma on May 7, 2010.

‘Ingratuu Maate Langentii’ starts as a quiet evening walk. It’s not too cold outside, jackets optional. One finds the further they walk the thicker the trees become. It is no longer a walk as much as haphazard hacking through sticky branches when suddenly the earth drops from your feet- open the inner gorge. Evening turns to night as a muddy path through the rest of the track leads to the bottom.
‘Sombre Fortu’- the stillest pond-carrying the butterfly’s moan from one end to the other. Invisible/invincible/divisible voices. Mourning? Mocking? What are they saying? Where do they take those who listen?
‘Yrg Alms’ continues wending down paths of this interior/exterior reflective landscape, a sigh here, a breath there. Take your time to, just don’t get lost.

One partly wishes they could translate the Cirque Du Soleil lyrics in hopes they might begin to reveal what the quiet-self is seeking, but the mythical aspect they add is so strong one is simultaneously afraid to know in fear of discovering it to be grocery list in disguise.

OK for a traditional description of what to expect here: Progressive Black Metal wrapped with Ambient and experimental moments. I’m going to say it: if you like most bands on the Southern Lord or Starlight Temple labels, you’ll definitely want to check out this release by Njiqahdda. They have so much more material than "Yrg Alms" that I would be hesitant to say you’d like anything by Njiqahhda (because I personally have yet to survey it all myself), but Experimental Black Metal junkies will want to check this out. I was not particularly struck by this album first time around because I can’t say its unlike anything else I’ve heard before, but it is for sure a piece worth sitting down with more than once, preferably in a quiet low-energy environment.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 10
Production: 8
Originality: 8.5
Overall: 9

Rating: 8.7 out of 10