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In Flames: Sounds of a playground fading

11/07/11 || Altmer

Excuse the title. Really, I mean it. Excuse the title of In Flames’ latest album, and you’ll do yourself a world of good. Everyone and their mother has always complained about this kind of stuff: “Anders’ lyrics are emo! In Flames sold out! In Flames are now pop music!”. It’s always the same old story with people who talk about In Flames, especially the older metalheads get; “I only like The Jester Race and Whoracle!” Etcetera, etcetera. Let me tell you something, fuckos; sure, In Flames don’t sound like the metal of yesteryear and they don’t do the stylings they were so famous for when the genre of melodic death metal spawned. In Flames are barely a metal band, anyway. They’re just a troupe of a revolving door of five musicians with a common vision – to play the best music known to man and do what they love.

Sure, they fail here and there. Sometimes experiments go wrong. Sometimes you find a certain sound does not entirely work for you. Sometimes you find you move on in life and you need to do something else. In Flames changed, it’s as simple as that. They grew as people and as musicians and their taste developed. It happens to all of us, and it’s happened to more artists than just them. Sometimes it’s for the better, sometimes it’s for the worse, sometimes they hover around the same average quality. What matters is – is the music good? Do we actually like what they produce, not because it doesn’t fit into our predefined box of what they should produce, but because we like it? And that’s really the true question with In Flames; are you on board with where they are going now and trying to go next? If you’re not you should probably stop reading this review. It’s not the next “Jester race” and we’re not getting the old days back. Not this time around either.

One thing that I personally like about In Flames is that they’re an honest bunch of dudes. They like metal, they like groove, they like melody, they like acoustics, they like electronics, and they like atmosphere. And when they make a record, there needs to be a focus on all of these – sometimes with emphasis strangely put, or inverted, sometimes with a sharper production – the same elements they’ve always toyed with, but arranged slightly differently each time. And sure, they like making it accessible. They like liking the songs. They’re not trying to weird us all out by going John Cage on our asses. We should be able to understand the music while still retaining the edge and unique flavour that makes it In Flames. That’s another beautiful thing about these guys – I can put the needle on any In Flames track from Jester Race onwards and tell it’s them. The hallmark of a good band, I always say – you can tell that it’s them playing, even when they’re working in a different genre, outside of their comfort zone. A signature style that remains present in whatever context you place the music. That’s the beauty of a good band and In Flames have always had that edge. It makes me respect them as musicians – I will never ever understand the hordes of people going insane over a band like Motörhead who stick to the exact same formula every record.

But, something is true about the naysayers. They do have their weak moments, In Flames. It’s not that you change, it’s how you do it, and In Flames have had their share of fuckups. “Soundtrack to your escape” featured a lot of odd electronics and a weird production that makes it sound like it’s a nu-metal band – it worked for the odd song, like “The quiet place” or “My sweet shadow”, but it didn’t work for the entire album. Half of “Come Clarity” bores me to tears. “A sense of purpose” gets decidedly weaker towards the end. And this album is no different – In Flames follow up excellent moments with weaker ones, or just unmemorable ones. This album is pretty long, and there are a bunch of songs that don’t give me anything. That’s just how it is – and the funny part is it’s exactly some of the more conventional songs using recycled riffs that make me feel like I’ve heard it all before. I actually like it when In Flames decide to do something else – “Jester’s Door” is a fantastic track, but it sounds like exactly nothing they’ve ever done before. It doesn’t even have acoustic guitars. But it sounds cool, and different, and outside of their comfort zone, and still I can recognize that it’s them doing it.

Even the loss of Jesper Strömblad (the last founding member still in the band before his departure) hasn’t affected what they do. This album really does follow a natural path from “Sense” – “Playground” has a similar production with a few new tricks and twists. Closing song “Liberation” sounds like a stadium rock song and has absolutely zero to do with metal. But it’s along with the aforementioned “Jester’s Door” and “The attic” (which sounds like an attempt to mix some prog rock into the fold), the only true deviations from the formula. In Flames still have some more traditional material there for us to devour, including fast-paced mosher anthems, the trademark twin lead guitars, and even – get this – acoustic fiddling, which sounds like some of the really old material. A humble nod to their past without becoming nostalgic.

The last thing is that Anders, for once, sounds reasonably comfortable. He’s shaken off using most of his hoarse, raspy scream and does a lot of clean vocals – not sure if it’s the effects, but it works fine and he doesn’t sound as strained. Perhaps the growls took their toll – whatever the case, he sounds better doing the clean vocals than he does screaming, and I’m glad Anders has figured that out. He is not my favourite vocalist, and often reminds me of the dude from Korn – just with more existential angst. But he sounds all right here, and doesn’t kill the songs for me, which he had a habit of doing in the past.

In short – if you are on board with where In Flames are going nowadays, you will be on board with this one. It’s got everything they are known for and more, just to spice it up a little and keep up the evolution, like they have always done. It’s got everything a music fan could want and hope to receive from the band at this point – one that doesn’t continuously swear by what is passed and dwells in memories of 1995. Not all of this album is great, but most of it is – just like the previous couple albums. They won’t be my favourite band of all time, but they still have my respect as artists, even if they introduce the catchy synth beats that pervade “Deliver Us”. And I understand them a lot more than I do the AC/DC’s and Motörheads of this world.

May you live long, In Flames. May you prosper doing what you love as opposed to what we, the old-timers and fans, love. I’m glad to see you’re doing well even though it’s not always worked out. You remain welcome here.

7,5

Information
Released: 2011
Label: Century Media
Website: www.inflames.com
Band
Anders Fridén: vocals
Bjorn Gelotte: guitars
Peter Iwers: bass
Daniel Svensson: drums

Tracklist
01. Sounds of a Playground Fading
02. Deliver Us
03. All For Me
04. The Puzzle
05. Fear is the Weakness
06. Where The Dead Ships Dwell
07. The Attic
08. Darker Times
09. Ropes
10. Enter Tragedy
11. Jester’s Door
12. A New Dawn
13. Liberation

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