New! What a great word. I like brand new stuff. Especially stuff that not many people have yet. Like the NEW
In Flames album.
Not released yet, NEW!
Privileged! Another great word and one that describes me in this instance. I am one of a few privileged to have the NEW
In Flames album kicking hard in my stereo right now....even as I am writing this it is fully kicking me in the butt!
I can honestly say this is my favorite album of theirs to date. Now I wouldn't really say that you should pick this one over any other. They have covered a lot of ground in their long history as a band and have many fans who like different albums better than others for various reasons. Now having said that I can say that if you liked where last years' "Reroute To Remain" took you then this will be what you want. Stylistically similar to said album but much better! For one, that muddy production of "Reroute" is gone and this one is a ton clearer, and two, the songs are much more focused and, to me, better written.
I may piss some of you off for saying this but I hear a lot of
Passenger in this album, which is to say that it sounds like that whole experience for Anders Friden with
Passenger had a great effect on him and his approach to writing. That is some conjecture on my part but nonetheless I hear some of that influence on this album.
What is really cool is the groove this album has. Very rhythmic and catchy but a degree heavier than they have gone in a while.
Especially album opener F(R)IEND. Whoa man!...that death growl underneath the screams in the chorus is bitching! Very heavy and showcases the death element in some of the songs.
Ok well I think since I have this record as a pre-release and not many have heard it I believe it requires a track by track breakdown.
You get 12 tracks running in at 47 minutes and some change. The "Reign In Blood" album length! hehe. Great! It doesn't get old and tiring.
Ok up first is the heavy opener
"F(R)IEND":
Opens with a sound byte then cranks right into a chugging guitar riff fest with a short bass guitar/drums segue before Anders comes screaming in. Mid paced through the verses but goes into a speed metal style chorus, musically, with Anders screaming at the top of his tortured lungs. Underneath the screams is a freaking low ass death growl that says the same thing Anders is screaming! hehe yeah! This is a bad ass song! Should have been the single in my opinion!
Track 2 is the single called: "
The Quiet Place". This is the "Cloud Connected" of the album and is a solid tune with great two beat chugging happening with some crazy synth action going on. Beautiful layered vocals on the chorus with nice background vocals happening.
As a single should be, it is a catchy tune and will park itself in your head for days on end with only a few listens.
Track 3 is called:
"Dead Alone". Kinda follows the opener formula but with one of those
Passenger influences showing up at the beginning. Mid paced verses again with some speed metal shifts happening too but a slower chorus this time and then it ends with the
Passenger type influence again.
Track 4
"Touch Of Red": Thrash style track with a blistering beginning. This your second single I think. Really catchy chorus and generally just heavy but with that nice clean feel that makes it a good radio candidate. Typical
In Flames monster song! You will dig it for sure!
Track 5
"Like You Better Dead": This is a ballad style song or so you would think from the beginning clean guitar! Just as you get mellow from that clean opening guitar it jumps into heaviness and the synths perculate between two beat chuggs again. At this point i begin to think that this is just too easy for these guys! hehe
Track 6
"My Sweet Shadow": This track goes back to the heavier side with a death feel in it but there is a nice keyboard arppegiating in it that is a signature part of the track. A huge chorus, and a long one too I might add, makes this a memorable mind number.
Track 7 :
Evil In A Closet": The ballad on the album, yes this is a real ballad this time, is a great song. One of my favorite tracks. Probably because it sounds like
Passenger a lot to me. In fact the only difference is the heavier, but still a slow ballad, section where the trademark
In Flames guitars resurfaces with that classic killer drumming Daniel Svensson is known for.
Track 8
"In Search For I" : SPEEEEEED Metal is alive and well in Sweden!
Yes this is a quick paced one that only slows to mid paced for the chorus section. The death vocals come back again hiding under some of the verse sections. Guitar solos come up on this one though they are short and, in my opinion undeveloped. They aren't bad....just too short really. Would like to hear some wailing solos from time to time. Still a great song and the blister ointment is need after listening to it haha!
Track 9
"Borders And Shading": Now I know that this is just too easy for these guys! This is the formula in effect and is a great song but this is where i start to to think there is a sameness to some of the songs. They rely on the two beat little pumps too much. Kinda a cookie cutter song. Like i said it isn't a bad song just too similar to others on the album.
Dare I say filler?
Yes i do!
Track 10
"Superhero Of The Computer Rage": Like "In Search For I" this one starts as a speed metal track and stays pretty up tempo the whole way through. This sounds more stripped down and heavy...me likey very much! Lots of screaming from Anders with a gang style chorus from the other guys, though it is subdued and kinda hidden in the mix a bit. Very little keys at all which is nice for a change.
Track 11
"Dial 595-ESCAPE": Another standout track here. Still the two beat chugg formula shows up but it is done fast in a speedier form. The chorus is cool as crap! Almost punk flavored a bit but very catchy and will have you singing along with it.
Yes this an anthemic tune for sure that retains more of the death metal roots.
Track 12
"Bottled" : Get ready to mosh! A mid paced thrash monster that starts off like an
Anthrax pumping mosh tune. All that changes around chorus time where the keyboards take a dominant role in the rhythm and soundscape. Lots of variation in Anders singing on this one. One of the most schizophrenic singers i have ever heard. He has so many things he can do with his voice, it's freaking great!
This is the most grooving of the 12 tracks and is a great way to finish an awesome album.
This album I think will be the top of the bands' catalog. So with the praise I offer this album I also want to offer that they should really try something different next time. To do this album again would be career suicide. There is maybe one, or at the most, two filler tracks on the album but it's filler you can live with and even like. The challenge will be to change and not remain comfortable with the formulas they implement so often on this album. This is what they call constructive criticism and should in no way shine a negative light on this album so don't take it that way.
Ok so that is in the future.....right now you should know this is an awesome record and i strongly recommend it to any
In Flames and/or
Passenger fans. An MCD with the single " The Quiet Place" is already out and it contains the video for the single and two tracks that are not on the new album.
Written by
David Friday, February 27, 2004
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