In Flames

[Zantera]

I don't think people bash on the new In Flames albums only because they are different, but the quality just hasn't been there. I know some of the more hardcore fans are very vocal about how Clayman was the last great IF album. Personally, I was along for the ride up until, and beyond Come Clarity. I think that album is under-appreciated and it was also my first IF-album. I think it's a pretty good album. A Sense of Purpose was the album that lost me and the stuff they have out since is not just bad because it's another direction, it's bad because the songs are awful. The band used to write some really great melodic death metal and now they sound like a watered down version of Breaking Benjamin.

I honestly can't think of another band who had a worse decline than In Flames had. Some bands I love have put out sub-par albums and dropped a bit in quality, but the career of In Flames could best be described as a car crashing off the road and diving 50 miles down a cliff. It's a shame. :/

[wolfking]

Once you get over the fact that In Flames of today and the last couple of albums, bear no resemblance to the old IF melodic death metal sound, then I reckon your on the right track.
I don't care what kind of metal IF play, as long as the songs are good.

Pretty much this.  And I'm loving their later stuff, I think they have found a good sound lately.

I honestly can't think of another band who had a worse decline than In Flames had. Some bands I love have put out sub-par albums and dropped a bit in quality, but the career of In Flames could best be described as a car crashing off the road and diving 50 miles down a cliff. It's a shame. :/

I can't disagree with this more.

[gazinwales]

Zantera, you've answered your own question.
They used to write some really good melodic death metal, now they just write great songs.
They left behind the MDM stuff more than a decade ago.

[Zantera]

I think you can change styles and continue delivering but that's not what In Flames have done IMO. A lot of people give Metallica shit for their decline, but in my opinion albums like Load and ReLoad look like modern masterpieces in comparison to A Sense of Purpose or Sounds of a Playground Fading.

Yeah they have changed styles and whether or not you like the new direction is obviously 100% subjective. I'm not even a big fan of melodic death metal, but I think that's a genre where In Flames really shined when they put out some really strong albums and were one of the pioneers of the genre. Now they have changed into something different, which in my opinion would be a more radio metal sound, and whether or not you like their new sound, I think it's safe to say that they used to be a very influential band that inspired many other bands to make the same kind of music, but it's not like they're relevant at all these days. Again, quality of the music aside, their status has changed. It's kinda similar to how bands like Trivium or KoRn were very hot during a time of their career, but they didn't hit that final homerun and they kinda faded away.

[LCArenas]

Zantera is laying it down as it is. I tend to look In Flames as two separated bands, the second one being born with Reroute to Remain. The second In Flames has had some really good albums like RtR or Come Clarity (Which I think is really underappreciated, mostly because Anders Fridén can't do the same growling vocals anymore and people don't like to accept that). Hell, even some songs of A Sense of Purpose and Soundtrack are really good. But Sounds of a Playground Fading sounded... Uninspired in a lot of parts. I don't think they're going for the Hard Rock audience right now but they're definitely not going for the MDM audience either. I just don't know what are they trying to do with their music right now.

[?]

Samples of new songs: https://vk.com/wall-7425815_585744?reply=585783 Anders should consider taking singing lessons... His vocals aren't as whiny as before, but he still has a long way to go if he wants to make clean vocals the main focus of their music (which seems to be happening on the new album). Hell, he needs a backing track for the chorus of Come Clarity live, even though there are no harmonies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQ9oVfGRJeQ

It feels like they went from being leaders of the melodeath scene to being followers of whatever style of metal is popular in America. STYE includes a lot of nu metalish chugga chugga riffing, CC and ASOP have a bit of metalcore, and I guess the new stuff is aimed at fans of... modern alt rock or something like that? I'm not saying they sold out, but it looks like they've been taking cues from younger bands and altered their music to keep up with the times and find a new audience. Good for them, because obviously they make more money now, and a lot of people seem to be happy with the new direction, but it's not my cup of tea. Come Clarity is a passable album and the rest have a couple of decent songs, but they have little to nothing to do with the In Flames of 90s, especially now that Jesper is gone and there are no members left from the original line-up.

[gazinwales]

Anders can actually sing pretty well, when he wants to.
Proof is in the side project he did in 2003 called Passenger.

IF are in a no win situation, regardless of what style they play.
Had they continued with the MDM style on every single album, people would be bitching that every album was sounding the same.

[Dark Castle]

Anders can actually sing pretty well, when he wants to.
Proof is in the side project he did in 2003 called Passenger.

IF are in a no win situation, regardless of what style they play.
Had they continued with the MDM style on every single album, people would be bitching that every album was sounding the same.

Not really, because they could have evolved that MDM sound.

[adace]

Can't say those samples got me too excited for the album.

[wolfking]

Anders can actually sing pretty well, when he wants to.
Proof is in the side project he did in 2003 called Passenger.

Never heard of this one, will have to check it out.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Anders can actually sing pretty well, when he wants to.
Proof is in the side project he did in 2003 called Passenger.

Never heard of this one, will have to check it out.

Wow that is one project I haven't heard in ages. Brought back some flashbacks for me. Despite that it's not a very good album they did, some highlights but for the most part i'm not very fond of Anders contribution to that project but that's just me.

https://youtu.be/kBcJR85KC5o

[gazinwales]

Yeah I always remember the Passenger album being pretty good.
I've dug out the CD and will give it another listen.
Surprisingly, it's not OOP and available at Amazon UK for a decent price.

[wolfking]

Samples of new songs: https://vk.com/wall-7425815_585744?reply=585783 Anders should c

I think Filtered Truth was really quite good, but Everything Is Gone was pretty ordinary.

[fadetoblackdude7]

Half way through my first listen of Siren Charms. Very melodic and more aggressive than people might think.

Paralyzed......WOW!!!

[wolfking]

Half way through my first listen of Siren Charms. Very melodic and more aggressive than people might think.

Paralyzed......WOW!!!

This is great to read.

[Xenon]

I'm not a fan, but I think it's pretty good. Really like the vocals.

[adace]

The new album is slightly better than I thought it would be but it still has nothing that would make me want to listen to it again. Too radio-friendly and weak vocals, especially the screams.

[wolfking]

I've listened to the new album a few times, and I guess you can call me an In Flames fanboy, I really enjoy it.  It's certainly different, but the songs IMO are still great.  I would have liked some more traditional newer In Flames style songs like Rusted Nail, cause I think there is a little too much clean vox from Anders, but I like it.

[LCArenas]

Sorry people, but I think this album isn't any good. I think it's the first In Flames album in history that has actually made me yawn. The riffs do nothing, the vocals and drums are bland to me... I don't know. Maybe I'm not made for this kind of album.

Except "Dead Eyes". It's a pretty great song.

[wolfking]

Dead Eyes is top 3, terrific song.  i can see why people wouldn't dig this album, but I'm loving it.

[Polarbear]

I liked the last album better, but this one is not bad at all!

Filtered Truth was pretty damn catchy.

[gazinwales]

In Flames touring AU in November as special guest to Trivium.

[wolfking]

In Flames touring AU in November as special guest to Trivium.

WTF?!  This sentence doesn't make sense.  Is this the bizarro world?

[gazinwales]

What exactly dose not make sense?
https://www.soundwavetouring.com/news/trivium-with-very-special-guests-in-flames-announce-australian-tour/

[wolfking]

What exactly dose not make sense?
https://www.soundwavetouring.com/news/trivium-with-very-special-guests-in-flames-announce-australian-tour/

It should be named an In Flames tour with Trivium as special guests, not the other way around IMO.

[ariich]

Wut? Trivium are way bigger than IF.

[fadetoblackdude7]

I've seen Trivium open for IF twice, once in 2006 and in 2012.

[wolfking]

Wut? Trivium are way bigger than IF.

Yeah, I guess these days to the masses and mainstream audience, Trivium are a little bigger, but I didn't think so much that In Flames would be bumped to support act.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I don't know what things are like in other parts of the world, but in the US at least I think Trivium are way bigger.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Yea I was about to say that. I have a feeling IF may be bigger in europe but not in the US.

[ariich]

Not in the UK either. Maybe in contintental Europe, but I doubt it.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

In Sweden IF is definitly bigger than Trivium. 

[?]

In Sweden IF is definitly bigger than Trivium. 

Same here in Finland. When IF and Trivium toured Europe together in 2009, Trivium headlined in the UK while IF closed the rest of the shows: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taste_of_Chaos_2009#Taste_of_Chaos_2009:_Europe

[Zydar]

In Flames are one of the biggest bands here in Sweden, if not THE biggest.

[wolfking]

Here in Australia neither are that big at all.    Although, come to think of it, Trivium do make the charts with their new albums, not sure if In Flames ever has.