Come Clarity sounds so fucking good

[The Unavoidable]

Yeah, I just got an itch for it and put the album on for the first time in a year or so. I had completely forgotten what a monster sound possesses. Also, this is the first time I notice the redicoulusly loud distorted bass grinding away through all the tracks. The drums are classic Bergstrand, very natural and "woody" sounding, but with tons of attack and punch. I have however noticed the rather thin and fizzy rythm guitars, but I think it fits great and gives the whole album it's character.

I so need to track down Bergstrand again and pump him for some info on this stuff. (I met him a while back at a bar, but was too inept at recording to ask any relevant questions). Even worse, the album was mixed by some dudes right here in my town. WTF

Anyway, this album slays becuse it caught most people completely off-guard, beign to me one of the angriest and straight-to-the-point albums IF has ever made, even if it doesn't surpass the greatness of the holy trinity. (But then again, what does?) But being such an underdog of an album, I feel it gets way to little attention since it really is a class A album. I mean the melodies at 2.05 on "Dead End", that's just classic IF.

DISCUSS. Or, put on the album and rock out.

PEACE



(I might be a little bit over-exicted since I'm leaving for Gothenburg in a while, where I will hang and go to the awesomness that is the Metaltown festival!)

 

[The Unavoidable]

EXCEPT for the title track. LAAAAMMEEEEEEE

 

[Ermz]

I actually find the midrange of that album unbearable to listen to. I can barely get through an entire song.

I agree though the low-end and drum punch is monstrous.

 

[Morgan C]

Crawl through Knives is the fuckn shit.

I've got mixed opinions on the mix.. I used to the think it was awful, but now I think I like it. Its messy, angry, dirty but at the same time retains a professional quality. I love the drums.. hearing the cymbal bleed in the snare drum, or how the tom and room stereo imaging doesn't TOTALLY align. Stuff that is inevitable in any real drum recording, but instead of minimising it, Bergstrand has used it to his advantage.

Bergstrand is perhaps my favourite engineer just because of his 'risky' style.. sometimes it'll turn out shit (*cough* Soundtrack to your Escape *cough*), sometimes it'll turn out effing awesome (Come Clarity is good, Reroute to Remain may be my favourite mix ever).

 

[MetalJonesy]

yeah i dig this album loads not too much on the mix side and reroute, theres just something in em that really perks my ears up when listening!

 

[Line666]

I dont think the mix is that great at all. Having said that its always sounded a lot better to me on cheaper shitty speakers as opposed to really nice ones, I never understood why people preferred Clayman to Come Clarity until I got some nice speaks.

Great album though.

 

[ParsonsMatt]

Horrible album and terrible production uke:

 

[Sickan]

Horrible album and terrible production uke:

+1

The toms are huge at least

 

[GarethSE]

My favourite in flames album and production
the only one of theirs i can really sit and listen to and enjoy nowadays i have to admit

 

[abyssofdreams]

The guitars are highpassed to extremes. That's the Bergstrand formula on most of his albums. Gives the drums and bass enough room to dominate.

 

[The Unavoidable]

Indeed it is, and it's something I've found myself doing on alot of my own stuff. It's not really something I thought about, it was just something that made sense to me. It might also have something to do with my love of Bergstrands work, so maybe I subconsciously try to emulate it!

 

[ahjteam]

I don't know why, but I think that the titletrack is maybe the best track In Flames has ever made (I own 6 of their albums and the dvd box). When I heard In Flames live first time in the Unholy Alliance tour (2006 I think) I heard that song for the first time too and it was pretty much the only song that caught my interest.

 

[The Unavoidable]

Maybe it's just me and my perpetual hate for add9 chords.

 

[abyssofdreams]

Best In Flames has ever done is Jester Race and Whoracle for me, the songwriting is superb. I do like most of their other stuff too though.

 

[The Unavoidable]

Yeah those are definintly gold, "Whoracle" being their absolute peak for me. With a band like IF it's hard though, since their later material (Colony & Clayman) are also fucking great, but in a completely different way. And the same applies to all the albums after that. Great stuff, but impossible to compare since there is such a huge difference in styles.

 

[Metaltastic]

I really like the production on Come Clarity personally, it's unmistakably Bergstrand with the drums and bass (especially the bass, DAMN), and the guitars have a great crunch IMO! Musically...eh, better than Soundtrack and the newest, so I'll put it at third from last (although that's not entirely fair, cuz I do enjoy a fair amount of the music on it, in a kind of shallow way)

 

[DanLights]

from the first time I heard this album I couldn't believe the bass sound. HUGE bass, love it. The rest, yeah it sounds a bit too dirty and messy for my taste. but that bass, damn...

 

[Metaltastic]

Listening now for the first time in awhile, I agree that it's pretty fatiguing, but I'm not sure it's the midrange; maybe the upper-mids, but it mostly seems like highs...

 

[GarethSE]

imo this is the only in flames album that sounds like a band in a room together playing some music
not all dry and overproduced
loads of character to it, sounds amazing IMO

 

[Metaltastic]

Oh you and your "honesty" Gareth And I'd say it sounds a fuckload more overproduced than Jester Race or Whoracle! (not like I give a shit about things sounding "overproduced", just saying)