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
Show all reviews by David

Ratings

David: 8.5/10

Members: No members have rated this album yet.

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Comment by Mads Aanum (Anonymous) - Friday, March 5, 2004

Hey David!!! Can you tell me if this album is the NEW album of In Flames??? Hahaha just kidding. I can't wait to get my copy as soon as this album is out. I am hoping that the single will arrive today. I like the In Flames sound and I can't wait until the album is released. hopefully it will be as good as the last album, or even that one new track on the Trigger EP. Well for now I will have to do with the video on www.inflames.com or the track on www.nuclearblast.de By the way, David did you like the Trigger EP. I find the Genesis cover really good. how about you??? Mads Aanum

Comment by The Fat Friar (Anonymous) - Saturday, March 6, 2004

HAHA you crazy man! Yes of course it's new one! It is a great album...by far my favorite. Blows Re to Re away IMO. Yes i got Trigger EP...loved the whole thing. You know how they remixed Cloud Connected? Sounded better right? Well this one is as good or better sounding than that production. YOu will love it.....very catchy.....stays in the brain for days!

Comment by Mads Aanum (Anonymous) - Saturday, March 6, 2004

OK Great. Regarding the "Cloud Connected" remix I wouldn't say better I'd say different, I like the album version, but I guess the remix has something special also. I can't really pick the one I like best both are great. Can't wait to get my hands on the new album though. well I guess I'll have to wait for this NEW album. hahaha... Mads Aanum

Comment by JesperJotun (Anonymous) - Thursday, March 11, 2004

I agree that the formula is becoming jsut that: formulated, almost cookie cutter. I appreciate the fact that you can listen to this CD with an open mind. I agree FULLY that "Touch of Red" is a freakin MONSTER thrash riff in the beginning. I also agree that two albums of this is enought tho. Keep progressing, but in a new area. The elements are ripe for some blistering things in the coming sdecond decade of this phenominal band. As a quote from billboard, "Metals most touted band" says it all.

Comment by The Fat Friar (Anonymous) - Thursday, March 11, 2004

Hi Jesper! Thanks for the comments first of all. It's amazing how good this album really is and i felt weird saying it needed to change after this. Hard to love it and at the same time be critical of it....although my criticism is futuristic and designed for the next album. That criticism is really reserved for the band if they should ever read this. For people who want an excellent album by " Metals most touted band" they should have no hesitation in buying it! It's freaking great! Thanks for reading the review man and keep it forever heavy \m/

Comment by Flex-Oink (Anonymous) - Sunday, March 14, 2004

Let me start by saying I didnt like the passenger album. And I didnt like this one either. Whatever happend to the best melodic deathmetal band out there? I dont see it as a good thing that Passenger elements are being introduced into In Flames. The songs lack speed, agressiveness, good tention build-up and harmony. The vocals sound pretty weird combined with the somewhat mellow guitarwork. Sometimes Anders sounds like Jonathan Davis from KoRn, with his whiny voice. The guitar riffage, In Flames' trademark, has been totally removed. No killer intro's like in Scorn (colony) or Swim (clayman). The guitarwork strikes me as simple and uninspired, very nu-metalish. The drums still kick-ass although I miss the blast-beats. My problem with this album is that its an In Flames album. For any new band I'd find it pretty digestable. But C'mon we're talking about the band who were lords of the death-metal scene, without one doubt! This new album nowhere lives up to In Flames' full potential as musiscians, these guys are capable of much much more! Favorite song; In Search for I

Comment by Battle Monkey (Anonymous) - Wednesday, March 24, 2004

Bottom line, if you liked 'Reroute', then you'll like this. Otherwise, you will probably hate it, as IF is traveling the same road that they started on with RtR. Whether that's good or bad is up to you.

Comment by fat friar (Anonymous) - Thursday, March 25, 2004

Here here BAttle Monkey! What he said!

Comment by Agent Steel (Anonymous) - Friday, March 26, 2004

Jump Metal

Comment by The Fat Friar (Anonymous) - Friday, March 26, 2004

Clue us in...what do you mean JUMPMETAL? After listening to it you want to jump off a building or something? Agent Steel you got some splaining to do! hehe

Comment by napalm (Anonymous) - Sunday, March 28, 2004

Nice album... but i was expecting an excellent one! I liked some changes in RTR - it was innovative but still great anyway. This one is in the same vein - except an excess of Soilwork similarity, and that's not good for In Flames identity. In Flames are much better, i think... - and it lacks power and speed. Summing up, this is a very good album - In Flames don't know how to do bad songs - but probably one of the worse In Flames albums. I hope next time they'll take the power and speed back to kick everyone's asses! This time they were not capable of it, but anyway i don't think you'll find much better albums nowadays... so buy this one as soon as possible!

Comment by gonçalo (Anonymous) - Sunday, March 28, 2004

Excellent album like all In Flames albums... but not the best one! No doubt in it. They're losing their personality... i hope only temporarily. And also the power and aggression of their best songs to date. The changes in Reroute to remain didn't sound bad because the sound was still In Flames. This time it's a little less In Flames in it. No good... But i know it will come back next time (;). This time we have an alternative In Flames album... I agree with all napalm's words and if i would rate The Jester Race (my favorite one) with 9.5 out of 10, this one would get 7.5 points. The other ones would be between these two.

Comment by The Fat Friar (Anonymous) - Monday, March 29, 2004

Ok since i reviewed that album I have lsitened to it at least 30 times! it keeps getting better and better....give it a fair amount of time to sink in everyone! There is a lot going on and they worked hard on it! It is a mix of R2R and Passenger....that's the best i can describe it.....it's filled with hooks!....which i happen to like and look for in songs no matter what style of music or style of metal! Bands will always dissappoint fans of certain albums....we can't really expect them to write Jester Race over and over....be honest, you'd get tired of that and then you'd rag on them because they haven't done anything new! It's a great record!

Comment by DancingJester (Anonymous) - Wednesday, March 31, 2004

Sup my fellow In Flames fans. As I speak, I have but 1 week to wait for Soundtrack to your Escape! WOO! Now, I pre-ordered it, but the pre-order track listing is different from the one you show here; the difference that stands out the most is that Dead Alone was Track 6 on the list I saw. Maybe I saw the European track list. Ahh, screw it. Somebody clear me up.

Comment by God (Anonymous) - Wednesday, March 31, 2004

To the guy who wrote this: You are a fuck. You know nothing about music. To suggest that this is the best In Flames work so far, you obviously don't know what you're talking about. In Flames used to be a respectable band around 10 years ago, but now they are mereley a death/pop band. What the hell is that anyway? Perhaps you should get off your computer and listen to some more MTV.

Comment by Wanderer (Anonymous) - Wednesday, March 31, 2004

This album isn't bad, but it isn't one of favourite In Flames albums. I really miss that "old" In Flames sound in the earlier albums and those acoustic masterpieces.. and like Flex-Oink said it isn't a good thing that Passenger elements are added to In Flames songs. (I don't mean that Passenger is a bad band, they're really good too) but In Flames is In Flames and Passenger is Passenger. One thing that I miss too: where are the awesome guitar solos which appeared on earlier albums? but I say: This album is OK Best song of album: The Quiet Place

Comment by The Fat Friar (Anonymous) - Wednesday, March 31, 2004

Hey Dancing Jester, Well the copy i got was promo of course so the track listing may indeed be different than the one you are getting...or the place you are buying it from may have put the list in the site incorrectly....who knows?! Still I hope you dig it!

Comment by The Fat Friar (Anonymous) - Wednesday, March 31, 2004

Hey god.....you got to be one of those blabbermouth posting dudes! I can tell by your insults and crude remarks.....if you don't like the album that's cool....we don't use this messageboard to insult people here or start word wars....so stick to what you either like about In Flames albums or dislike please. I happen to be in the minority of people who like the newer In Flames to the older stuff....Colony sucked IMO...Clayman sucked IMO...Jester Race was good and R2R was good....This one i happen to like the best...SO FAR! It would be cool to hear the next album quite a bit heavier and more on the death side than the pop side....i will take this over tons of other psuedo Nu metal bands out there right now though and i ain't a NU fan by any means. I just like the record!

Comment by Brandon (Anonymous) - Thursday, April 1, 2004

Ack, I can't believe you said Colony and Clayman sucked. Clayman was definitely my fave. It was the perfect balance between agression and commercialism. Reroute was amazing the first two weeks I listened to it, then I started to get really burned out on it. I like the new single, and I think the album looks promising. I'm in the mood for them to do something different, and I'm happy they just didn't write the Jester Race over and over and over, which is a mistake alot of metal bands make. As for the whiney "underground" metalheads who don't like anything that's not recorded in a dungeon with a tape recorder in 3 days by satanists sacrificing virgins, go fuck yourself. The metal world will continue to evolve while you sit there with your battle axe sulking in the corner. In flames rules!!

Comment by The Fat Friar (Anonymous) - Thursday, April 1, 2004

Hey Brandon, Thanks for the comments man! I think we all want IF to change on the next one....grow but yet retain that special Flavor flav that only they possess. I will agree that R2R didn't have the longevity factor of say a Master Of Puppets album we all know....but i still bring it out from time to time and dig on it....this new one is getting better and better to me all the time.... a factor R2R lacked. Thanks again....if you haven't...check out the newest Kataklysm man...freaking awesome!

Comment by In Jesper's Flames (Anonymous) - Sunday, April 4, 2004

My favourite song of the album is Dead Alone,i like very much the riff at start. Did you hear the song (only in the japanese's copy) "discover me like emptiness"?

Comment by DOOM METAL!!! (Anonymous) - Tuesday, April 6, 2004

I'd like to say that i am a huge fan of In Flames, especially their older music. Favorite album is the Jester Race. I find it very shitty that such a great band turned into such mainstream nu-metalish sellouts. What Happend?,...In Flames used to kick ass, but ever since reroute to remain, and that god-awful trigger ep, this band has gone bad. Its sad. Although I still like their new cd, it just really pisses me off seeing a band that I have come to love turn into another Metallica.

Comment by DancingJester (Anonymous) - Tuesday, April 6, 2004

Hey, DoomMetal, you know what I'm sick of? People calling every band who changes their style the slightest bit along their path of fame sellouts. First of all, it's very tiring hearing every pseudo-metal fan saying it over and over again. It makes me want to set them on fire, or push them off a cliff, or something fitting like that. Maybe the next time you change your hairstyle or clothes, we'll call you a sellout. It's the same concept.

Comment by The Fat Friar (Anonymous) - Tuesday, April 6, 2004

Hey In Jesper's Flames, No I haven't heard that tune man! Only have the standard album release. I'm sure it kills! Thanks for posting!

Comment by The Fat Friar (Anonymous) - Tuesday, April 6, 2004

Hey Doom Metal, Appreciate the post man. I'll have to disagree on one thing with you. In no way has IF done what Metallica did. IF has changed but damn man..at least you can listen to it and bang your head! ST.Anger is such a bad listen all the way around...you can't say this album is bad! It may be catchy and more "pop" sounding but it ain't bad for sure! I've said it before and i'll say it again....if this is what's becoming of Nu Metal then i will be a fan. I just take this album as it is and don't compare it to thier past. On it's own it is a great record. Jester Race is a classic and my all time fav. IF album. I like this one just as much though, even though it's different, it's a good different. I do long for a progression from here though.

Comment by Wild (Anonymous) - Saturday, April 17, 2004

Nice review. One disagreement - I wouldnt say Borders and Shading is a filler. Id have to agree that this is their best work do date. As much as I LOVE Clayman, Soundtrack to Your Escape is much easier to listen to.

Comment by Rolling Elbow (Anonymous) - Wednesday, April 28, 2004

I found it hard to get into Reroute to Remain... but they did manage to keep some hard riffing and melodies so I said ok, improve on it next time boys. CLayman was the right direction , that was a masterpeice..so what happened here. I don't know what's happened but there are brilliant sections of riff madness and some decent synth-guitar melodies. However, what is with these wide overdubbed expansive choruses that start to sound the same?! Sometimes i don't know if the song is lacking direction or if the production just sucked. The drums sound tingy, "A quiet place" is a song that went wrong, and for the love of god, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SOLOS?! THE SOLOS PEOPLE. I loved In Flames for the remarkable talent they had to write leads that actually fit well into the song.. that is all but gone here. This band is not really exciting me anymore. Like I said, there are great moments on here but not one song really sticks out at me.. it could have, but didn't. 5/10.

Comment by The Fat Friar (Anonymous) - Thursday, April 29, 2004

Hey Rolling Elbow, Well man i'll agree with you on most of what you said especially the missing solos on the album...that would have been sweet! However i do really like this album, along with others they have written. I don't see this as a bad direction they have gone but i would hope they try something different again on the next one....certainly more extreme would be my wish. Thanks for your comments man...keep it forever heavy \m/

Comment by Mads Aanum (Anonymous) - Tuesday, May 18, 2004

damn didn't get this one yet... must have slipped my mind... damn what was I thinking... Mads Aanum

Comment by dan (Anonymous) - Thursday, June 17, 2004

yeah,right.this album sounds like static on a radio. don't waist your money. get anything below whoracle. but especially no escape. It's crap.

Comment by Mads Aanum (Anonymous) - Friday, July 23, 2004

Hi David... Finally got this Album (the same day P:FF arrived)... I have to say that the first track F(r)iend has a killer riff that stays with your for days... and I also agree with your rating dude... This album took a few run throughs before I opned up to it... or is that the other way round? hmmm... anyway This is a great melodeth album... Love it... better get back to the P:FF cd again... talk to you later David... Mads Aanum

Comment by ed (Anonymous) - Thursday, August 19, 2004

its a good article

Comment by ed (Anonymous) - Thursday, August 19, 2004

love this album didnt enjoy it as much as clayman but i think its insane shit

Comment by The Fat Friat (Anonymous) - Thursday, August 19, 2004

@Ed Hey man thanks for the post and appreciate the compliment. I think people are opening up to this new work more and more as time passes....In Flames are from done IMO! ROOOOOOOCCCCCKKKK!!!!\m/

Comment by Sanne (Anonymous) - Wednesday, September 8, 2004

IN FLAMES IS THE BEST BAND AND WILL ALWAYS BE THE BEST!!THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE!!

Comment by Drew (Anonymous) - Tuesday, November 9, 2004

It's an okay album but can someone explain to me why after releasing masterpieces such as the jester race, whoracle and colony people claim that each new album is the best to date. In flames haven't been in their best form for five years now. Stop kissing butt.

Comment by Matt (Anonymous) - Sunday, February 20, 2005

Fans of all bands do that.

Comment by SAVA (Anonymous) - Saturday, February 11, 2006

This release is the WORST IN FLAMES EVER!!! Almost every review that I read was great for this album but when I speak to the IN FLAMES fans (just like me) they HATE IT! What's that all about I don't know but that might clear you one or two things. Almost all songs are TERRIBLE! Voice is ANOYING! This CD got NOTHING to do with Melodic Death Metal! Just some stupid attempt to jump in "modern core/noise" carriage. AVOID,AVOID,AVOID! If you are IN FLAMES fan from the beggining - AVOID! If you are METAL fan - AVOID! If you are "new modern punk/rock kid with so called attitiude" - ENJOY! I'm sorry but that is the truth...

Comment by liam (Anonymous) - Tuesday, October 3, 2006

ok like i.m not got or heavy metal guy..but why the fuck do you all have 2 comments in the last few years like ..its kinda sad

Comment by liam, again (Anonymous) - Tuesday, October 3, 2006

yeah sorry bout last comment i taught they were the comments for the whole site