A Sense of Purpose

[Krall]

For me Come Clarity was a hit ablum that included 3-4 hitsongs( TTL, CC CTK), and the other songs were just bad in a boring way. This album is more solid. Nothing is bad on it and on the other hand nothing really stands out either. Thats my point of view.

Well it is better than i expected and it deffenetly worth buying.
I don't regret orderdered it

 

[metalkicksass]

Hmm, Ok, The new album is much better then come clarity, Ander in my opinion still has his annoying clean vocals, but it's ok, also he uses some more harsh vocals like colony/clayman a bit,not too often though.

The riffs, are much better then come clarity,like an mix between colony and come clarity, and even The jester race riffs.

So, better then their previous work (r2r,stye,cc) not awfull, not perfect, but an decent album.

 

[IntoPhagist]

Ander's doesn't bother me at all. Never has...Except R2R the production made him sound like a robot.

 

[Bozz]

Well, at first listen, it struck me as a bit boring - as if there wasn't too much to really really like.

But, my second and third listen through revealed LOADS of awesome stuff. There's so many awesome little riffs and melodies all throughout... it just seems like there's a creative breath of life that was put back into In Flames. You really have to listen to it though, because there's layers and stuff.

So far, "Alias" is my favorite. It's real fucking sweet. "The Chosen Pessimist" is actually pretty powerful too. I dunno, I don't dislike any of them at this point. I love Come Clarity, but this album is much better so far.

 

[JG234]

Hey,

First post here. I was a regular poster at Everdying - an In
Flames fan site, unfortunately it was closed a few days ago.
Just thought I would add my opinion on a Sense Of Purpose and
some of In Flames' previous albums.

The first time I listened to Come Clarity, I thought 'great'.
However, after a few months I began to really dislike the album.
The songs were boring, nothing like Clayman (for example) - which
I can listen to again, again and again. I just didn't want to listen to
them, whatever made their other albums special had simply dissapeared.

In my opinion, the songs were too formulaic and extremely simple.
They were infectious - designed to sound great the first time.
Conversely I began to enjoy RTR and STYE a lot more than before,
I appreciated their experimental side.

I think Come Clarity was the band's answer to the fans'
complaints. The fans complained about Soundtrack's slow pace,
lack of real guitar solos and muddy/atmospheric production. So
Come Clarity comes out, it's generally a lot faster, has guitar
solos and the production is very, very clean. In my opinion that
was when In Flames 'sold out' - Come Clarity was released to
please the fans - that is my definition of a sell-out.

But that doesn't mean I think In Flames are bad, no way, they're
my favourite band. That's why I was so pleased to listen to A
Sense Of Purpose, it kicks Come Clarity's arse IMO.

It might not be another legendary album such as Colony or Clayman, but to me, it's a big improvement over Come Clarity.
In Flames are back.

I like all the songs on this album. The Alias riff is a bit questionable in my opinion, but apart from that it's great.

But, my second and third listen through revealed LOADS of awesome stuff. There's so many awesome little riffs and melodies all throughout... it just seems like there's a creative breath of life that was put back into In Flames. You really have to listen to it though, because there's layers and stuff.

That's exactly how I feel.

I don't think it is, less power; different production (but good though).

Less power? Personally I think ASOP has a much thicker, richer sound. This is partly because of the synths. I think the production is decent on ASOP - it's more natural and more raw. I just listened to a bit of Vacuum from Come Clarity, it sounded very thin in comparison to most of ASOP's songs.

 

[Food for the Gods]

I've finally decided that I love this album.

It is better than the last three combined.

Move Through Me has the best chorus In Flames have ever written and Alias has an acoustic break that sounds like a leftover piece from Lunar Strain.

 

[waif]

I think Come Clarity was the band's answer to the fans'
complaints. The fans complained about Soundtrack's slow pace,
lack of real guitar solos and muddy/atmospheric production. So
Come Clarity comes out, it's generally a lot faster, has guitar
solos and the production is very, very clean. In my opinion that
was when In Flames 'sold out' - Come Clarity was released to
please the fans - that is my definition of a sell-out.

Um...odd definition of a sell-out, tbh...
Also, odd explanation of the sound on that album.
But I think it's true, at least about the attempt to please fans.
I don't think that's selling out, though.

 

[Contra dk]

I think Come Clarity was the band's answer to the fans'
complaints. The fans complained about Soundtrack's slow pace,
lack of real guitar solos and muddy/atmospheric production. So
Come Clarity comes out, it's generally a lot faster, has guitar
solos and the production is very, very clean. In my opinion that
was when In Flames 'sold out' - Come Clarity was released to
please the fans - that is my definition of a sell-out.

I would say the definition of "sell-out" is when you try to appeal to a wider audience like the mainstream media. Come Clarity was not really a sell-out like Soundtrack To Escape From. With that album they got a more clean production and even more catchy songs like "Like You Better Dead" and of course "The Quiet Place". With that song they came to being labelled by many as: Nu-Metal, and further from the term Melodic-Dead Metal.

They did indeed sell-out with that album. It's okay that you enjoy their new material. There is nothing wrong with that, but you have to face that fact that the band did sell-out.

 

[hibernal_dream]

I've finally decided that I love this album.

It is better than the last three combined.

Move Through Me has the best chorus In Flames have ever written and Alias has an acoustic break that sounds like a leftover piece from Lunar Strain.

I had a listen to the new one for a laugh, and actually found myself liking it. First time In Flames surprised me in a good way in about 8 years

 

[DemonOfMine]

Hello, another refugee from Everdying. Is it really completely gone? Looks like someone's been completely altering the design (and possibly purpose of the website).

I just listened to the new album, and I'm very impressed. The production sounds great, literally their best since Clayman, IMHO. If Come Clarity was a bit of an unauthentic "return to their roots", this new album sounds much closer to their past work. It sounds more natural -- it doesn't sound like they were trying too hard to reclaim the guitar melodies that made In Flames special. In this case, it sounds like it flowed naturally out of them, for the first time since Clayman. THIS should have been the album that followed Clayman. It sounds like they've been struggling for a new, artistically solid direction since R2R and now they've finally found it.

I love the guitar solos this time around -- I'd say there's a couple here that seriously rank among their best ever, no kidding. The acoustic breaks are very retro In Flames, too. As for the modern flourishes -- they've properly integrated their new sound with the old, finally. The electronics from STYE are back, but they don't overwhelm. The riffs are thick and beefy like In Flames should be. And there's much, much more variation in the speed and melodies this time around. Come Clarity suffered because most of the songs cruised along the same tempo (and seemingly the same key too!)

Anders has changed his vocal style again, and it sounds great. I like that half-growl/half-clean stuff that he's doing here -- I've liked it ever since he tried it on the chorus of "Gyroscope" (or, more prominently, on "Coerced Coexistence"), although now he's doing it pretty much 90% of the time, and I don't mind at all. There's a few lower growly bits to mix it up too. And I don't know if people will agree with me, but I think Anders' puts on his best vocal performance ever on "The Chosen Pessimist". He sounds amazing on some of the high notes. You can hear the emotion in his voice.

Negatives? There's a few of those token cliched clean choruses that everyone seems to dislike, but they sound better hear then on past releases. I would have liked to hear a few songs in 3/4 like In Flames used to do, but that's a minor nitpick.

Oh yeah, and there's no stand out bad song this time!

Not really much filler either.

All in all, I'd say this is the best, most interesting album since Clayman. Period. Can't stop listening to it. I'm going to buy it when the album comes out, and I can't wait to see some of these songs live. I bet you anything they won't clash much with the older material, like a lot of the newer stuff does.

 

[AntiWiggin]

Another Everdying user here, with some news about the site. Apparently, Nuclear Blast contacted Archy and that prompted him to shut down the site for a short time. But according to Annihilator, it should be back up sometime soon. Probably after the album comes out.

Anyway, review time: Completely agree with that one statement about this being the album that should have come after Clayman. It really does sound like they've finally nailed that new experimental sound they have been trying to get since RTR.

There is at least one standout song on this album, which is more than I can say for Come Clarity. Nothing is exceptionally bad on this album with exception to the single. It's a step in the right direction and the best In Flames album in years.

Now I just hope I don't change my mind anytime soon.

 

[dangerass]

I just re-registered to this site after not posting here in about 3 years just to say I'm proud of In Flames for making their first GOOD, consistent album in about 8 years. It's not as epic and complex as their old stuff, but there is a new quality to their sound that I can't quite get a grasp on yet. Maybe it's the fact that it's extremely catchy in a non-cheesy way and has a lot of the spirit and style of their older works that is making me appreciate this fucker so much. Anyway, good job In Flames, I'm interested again.

 

[IntoPhagist]

I love it so much...Top Tracks would be

Drenched in Fear
Alias
Sleepless AGain
I'm The Highway
Chosen Pessimist
Delight and Angers

I don't hate any songs...There are some I like less though like Condemned.But I'm sure I'll like it eventually. The solos and Lead Harmonies are top notch...On par with the oldies IMO

 

[Thortyir]

I'm listening to it again right now, and this is great great great work! After several spins, I can say it's my favourite IF album since R2R!

Catchy songs, best production on an IF album ever, impressive riffing, cool synths, and Anders seems to have found his way behind the mic... And above all, no real weak song!

Can't wait for the "real" album with the DVD! :Smokin:

 

[The Grayfox]

Another Everdying user here, with some news about the site. Apparently, Nuclear Blast contacted Archy and that prompted him to shut down the site for a short time. But according to Annihilator, it should be back up sometime soon. Probably after the album comes out.

Not according to the email I got from Archy. He made it sound as if the forum is closed permanently now. Archy is a moderator over at Jesterhead, and mentioned that he didn't want to mod at both forums.

I believe Everdying is dead. It's kind of a shame really, but it hasn't been the same in at least a year. When the boards went down for like 3 months, a lot of people left and didn't come back. There was little activity on Everdying after that. It was around for a long time though, and I enjoyed going through the forums there.

 

[Pallbearer]

^ Damn. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
But yeah, Everdying was long past its golden age as you said.

 

[anzi]

Yeah ED is gone forever now. Had great times there, thx to all fellow Everdyers! I'm really loving the new album. But it took many listens to get actually into it. And I think that is only a good thing. As someone already mentioned CC sounded great when you first heard it. And it sounded great couple of weeks after that. But then I got bored. I think this album will stay in my playlist for a long time! IF is back!

 

[DE4life]

I'm afraid I don't see ED coming back, and even if it did come back, how many people would actually return after all of the times it's shut down now? I get the feeling people will find new places to talk about N'Flamez and forget about Everdying.

As for the new album, it's good. I disagree that it's the album that should have come after Clayman, it's too big of a leap, and would have got ripped apart, perhaps worse than Reroute did. If anything, I think it should maybe have come after Reroute, or been what Come Clarity never was. The reaction kinda reminds me of when CC first came out (OMG AWESOME) ... I hope this album has more replay value than CC, as most people seemed to grow tired of that album after a few months. There seems to be more layers to this one - things you hear upon repeated listens that you didn't hear the first time round. CC never really had that.

On first spin I didn't think much of it, but after a few listens I've grown to really like this album. I think "Disconnected" is one of the strongest tracks on the album, really good. The acoustics in "Sleepless Again" are a nice touch, and actually, the beginning of the verse reminded me a little of Dark Signs. "Alias" I really didn't like at first, but it's grown on me like a fungus. The acoustics are amazing, a throwback to Lunar Strain/Subterranean that I didn't expect. I've had the chorus and leads to "I'm The Highway" stuck in my head for the past couple of days, a great song. "Move Through Me" is good, too, nice chorus. I'm not so keen on "The Chosen Pessimist" to be honest - I appreciate the experimental nature, but I dunno, maybe it would have been better suited for the EP and have Eraser on the album? Anders vocals are unique, I'll give him that. I didn't think he had those kinds of high notes in him. 1:00 - 1:06 in "Sober and Irrelevant"... whoa! Nice! The last three are all solid tracks, and again, "March to the Shore" has been stuck in my head next to "I'm The Highway" since I heard it.

Overall impressed, I hope it stays that way in the upcoming months. Anders seems comfortable with his vocals now, I don't think there's going to be any more change there and that's fine, I would rather he found a comfortable range than try to emulate Clayman and blow his vocals out. The guitars have come back in a better way than CC - they felt forced on CC, whereas here everything sounds very natural, even the acoustic parts. Many fantastic solos to be had in here as well. I think this is their best work since R2R, they seem to have found a good spot between the older (older being claymanish) sound and their newer, experimental sound.

 

[nickel]

Well I can't take the time to read through every post so far but this I will say... Just like EVERY other IF album I wasn't very convinced on my 1st listen through. I'm now on my 6th pass and I can now say I love the new album. Slow stuff, fast stuff, classic sound and new sound - it's IF and it's grown on me already.

Tracks that stand out to me:

• 
  Condemned (good classic IF feel)

• 
  Drenched In Fear (love the riffing)

• 
  I'm The Highway

• 
  Disconnected

• 
  The Chosen Pessimist (different but I like the buildups)

And about Abnegation, the EP version is SOOOOO much better than that crappy demo that was released so long ago.
Overall I'm very happy with all the new stuff. I was extremely worried for the past year I admit.
Yes the new naming schemes and art work could be (much) better but let's not worry about technicalities.
Rock on true IF fans! (by true IF fans, I refer to people who realize that bands are constantly evolving and not releasing the same stuff over and over and over again. Yes that's right - that's a shot at all you haters. You guys can suck it )
Can't wait to see them at Gigantour!

 

[Food for the Gods]

I had a listen to the new one for a laugh, and actually found myself liking it. First time In Flames surprised me in a good way in about 8 years

Yeah, I am really enjoying this new album.

I'm so happy that they are playing real guitar solos again.

The solos = best thing about the album.

I'm definitely buying this album when it comes out.