Five Former Members Of In Flames Unite In The Halo Effect

[Xpyro125]

I think Mikael said in an interview that THE is just supposed to be a fun project where the five of them write what they want, while DT is where he and the DT guys push the boundaries, try new things, and progress their sound. And that's ultimately how I see Days of the Lost. It's a safe album and pretty much what you expect from this lineup, and it's not really trying to be more than that. I don't anticipate there being much progression in their sound on Album #2.

... Well, they're doing a great job at pushing the boundaries these days.

Days of the Lost is pretty wonderful though, I just want more neat things like the "Zombie Inc." interlude.

 

[ciko_gfb]

He's the guy that told Peter on his facebook acount that THE was a Anders-hating band. So, you can guess.

And don't tell him that Jesper is a legend because he thinks that the real legend here is Anders.

And? Most of the people though that way when the band formed. I’m sure even Peter forget about that why are you so salty?

And yeah Anders is the real legend for sure, at least he doesnt publicly speaks shit for the people who he worked with like a manchild

 

[DE4life]

I've only seen the OFTW melody mentioned on here. It's a good catch by Xpyro but if it was that obvious I expect I'd have seen it mentioned elsewhere too.

Anders has done more to shit on Jesper's legacy than anyone else with the shit he and Bjorn have released under the IF banner over the past decade. That's far worse than any harsh words Jesper may have said and then deleted 5 minutes later. Those Clayman rerecordings were a slap in the face to everybody involved with the original Clayman.

Fact is Jesper had been pretty chilled out over the past few years. Anders is the one making interviewers uncomfortable by being a childish ballsack when they dare to bring anything up about THE

 

[eochaid]

And? Most of the people though that way when the band formed.

Lol. No. Just fanboys like you thought that this was about Anders. As if everyone's lives revolve around him.

Fact is Jesper had been pretty chilled out over the past few years. Anders is the one making interviewers uncomfortable by being a childish ballsack when they dare to bring anything up about THE

Fact is that Jesper has been an influential musician for decades. When was the last time that Anders has been named amongst the most influential vocalists in the genre? Anders has been object of criticism since I can remember.

The thing is that our Cjko man here is in a bad mood because a lot of people like this album. And that's something that he cannot understand so he's trying to pass that bad mood to me, since I've been, probably, the most critic about Anders and that has hurt his feelings. He still has not learned to not be emotionally attached to public persons like Anders so he's taking every attack on him as a personal attack.

 

[Jester Slave]

Fact is Jesper had been pretty chilled out over the past few years. Anders is the one making interviewers uncomfortable by being a childish ballsack when they dare to bring anything up about THE

To be fair it's just shitty journalism to nag him with those questions. If he is defensive, he is called out as childish. If he aired some dirty laundry, he would be called unprofessional. If he faked sympathy, he'd be called insincere. I think it has been clear for a very long time that he and Jesper became fire and water at some point, so unless they publicly make up, it's pointless to nag them about eachother.

Fact is that Jesper has been an influential musician for decades. When was the last time that Anders has been named amongst the most influential vocalists in the genre? Anders has been object of criticism since I can remember.

When was the last time Jesper did something truly influential or groundbreaking? Cyhra 1 and THE are decent little records and we can point to certain elements, saying "ooh, this is so Jesper!", but it is hardly on the same level as what Jesper did in the scene before and during his IF career.

Jesper became an unrealiable mess and Anders became lazy with a mid-life crysis. They are both in a better place than their worst (I'd say it was Battles for IF), but we should accept that they will never ever reach the heights they had in the past. But it's pointless to argue about which one of them are a bigger legend or sth like that. Objectively speaking Jesper deserves a lot of credit for being the architect (for both the mdm scene and IF), while Anders deserves a lot of credit for being that unique piece in the puzzle which made them into the most famous and most commercially successful mdm band. Without Jesper, Anders may have never reached to the point where he actually tries to sing, which utilized his biggest strength, his unique voice, but without Anders, Jesper wouldn't be set for life financially.

It's pretty tragic and poetic how much these two guys could probbaly still achieve together, but they are just not compatible. I'm jumping ahead, but it will be a really sad story if they take this shit to the grave. (Obviously the others contributed as well, but I always thought about Björn as more of a pupil)

 

[DE4life]

To be fair it's just shitty journalism to nag him with those questions. If he is defensive, he is called out as childish. If he aired some dirty laundry, he would be called unprofessional. If he faked sympathy, he'd be called insincere. I think it has been clear for a very long time that he and Jesper became fire and water at some point, so unless they publicly make up, it's pointless to nag them about eachother.

Bruh, literally all he needed to say was "yeah it's cool what they're doing. Some good stuff there. Good luck to them". That's it. All drama nullified. The only people who would take issue with a statement like that are morons. The way he reacted only made it seem more like there was a rivalry, not less. Even if Anders does feel fucking pissed off about the whole thing, it isn't that difficult to be diplomatic if you don't want any further drama. Plus it's not like Jesper is the sole member of the band - he's supposed to be friends with Mikael, Niclas, Peter and Daniel, so even if there's animosity with Jesper you surely still support your other four friends? Sorry but no matter how you spin it Anders was just being a dick. It's obvious he'll be asked questions about THE - just be polite and move on. Believe me, as an adult who has to deal with being diplomatic a lot, it really isn't so hard.

 

[eochaid]

When was the last time Jesper did something truly influential or groundbreaking?

Far later than Anders did. That's never. It's like asking when was the last time that Steve Harris did something influential or groundbreaking when he has been regarded as one of the most influential bassists in Heavy Metal music. Or when was the last time that Kerri King did something influential or groundbreaking. When was the last time that the fathers of melodeath did something groundbreaking? They did it once and that was enough to inspire new generations of musicians till now.

What really matters is the legacy that they leave behind. Not their current state. People have been influenced, they still are, about what Jepser did in the past. He has his importance and his role in metal music. Anders will be remembered as one of the most critiziced singers in the extreme metal scene.

Now, we're denying Jesper's influence because... Why? Because it doesn't suit your own thinking?

 

[Jester Slave]

Sure, maybe his answer was somewhat combative. Honestly, I am kind of sick and tired of people dissecting others and giving them a lecture about the perfect way they could've handled said situation. Some of us are more pissy individuals than others - it is what it is. I think it's clear that he is sick of Jesper and the others may get some flak for pulling this stunt. At the end of the day it's just a storm in a bottle and I am sure that it will be smoothed out with everyone but Jesper eventually.

I don't even know where to start with such a statement which implies that Anders is like Kerri King, collecting a paycheck for the bare minimum. Sure, if we are being technically correct, Jesper is the one who did the groundbreaking stuff, because having a cool, unique voice and utilizing it the way Anders did is mostly a gift from his parents, but that view is so dismissive. Same with highlighting the criticism about him. Who the fuck cares about criticism of his voice, when that said voice was what pulled many people into loving the band? Ask yourself what made them headline the biggest festivals: Moonshield or Cloud Connected? Like it or not, without Anders, IF would've been a flash of lightning in the 90s, then either disband or fade into obscurity, only recognized by people in the depths of a metal board. I understand if some people would've preferred that, but even they have to admit that Anders was a crucial part of their post-2000 run.

I really don't get how it is even up for debate on a (sub)board about In Flames.

edit: wtf I'm not denying Jesper's influence, I literally said how he was influential in the mdm scene and throughout his IF career as well

 

[DE4life]

To be fair most of us really like the 2002-2006 period though. It's more 2008 onwards where shit starts going wrong. Jesper along with Bjorn wrote all of the music during that middle period, but would the songs have been less popular with a better growler/singer? Idk. Hard to say. All you can say is that the vocals on their own would sound like shit, but the instruments on their own would still sound good. So I think most of the credit still goes to Jesper and Bjorn.

 

[eochaid]

because having a cool, unique voice and utilizing it the way Anders did is mostly a gift from his parents, but that view is so dismissive. Same with highlighting the criticism about him. Who the fuck cares about criticism of his voice, when that said voice was what pulled many people into loving the band?

Man, don't mistake your own situation with everyone's else. And man, don't mistake Anders for a competent singer. Maybe, he had a voice, but he never knew how to use it without the use of protools. He cannot seriously sing two lines without messing them live. And that voice is long gone. Now it just remains a semibroken mess.

Still, even if a bunch of millenials, like you and Cjko, approached IF because of Anders, that doesn't mean shit for how influential he is as a musician. Now, show me how many bands have formed after the members listened to Anders and decided that he was a worthy cause for starting writing some music. The number will tend to zero. Then, show how many bands have been formed after the Jespers, the Bjorns or the Bjorler brothers. How many people was influenced to pick up a guitar and start writing music. Those guys created a whole gender. Not some random incompetent singer.

 

[Jester Slave]

To be fair most of us really like the 2002-2006 period though. It's more 2008 onwards where shit starts going wrong. Jesper along with Bjorn wrote all of the music during that middle period, but would the songs have been less popular with a better growler/singer? Idk. Hard to say. All you can say is that the vocals on their own would sound like shit, but the instruments on their own would still sound good. So I think most of the credit still goes to Jesper and Bjorn.

Nu-metal was the last time metal/rock music was ever truly mainstream and compared to them IF was in a different category, so you can't even say that Jesper and Björn were making good music at the right time in the early 2000s. It was - maybe with the exception of STYE - just too hard for that crowd. But a singer like Anders can do wonders in bridging the gap. Cloud Connected, Quiet Place, Take This Life - Anders' whiny, emotional, jumpy cleans and prime (and primal) screams just pulled in a bunch of people they otherwise would not have been able to. You can't teach that and you could not have heard that anywhere else.

Do you honestly think they would've had the same or even bigger success with Björn from Soilwork? He's like a 10/10 singer, but to this day I feel like he is "just" constantly good, but when I listen to those IF records I'm like "whoa...". It's just something else.

Man, don't mistake your own situation with everyone's else. And man, don't mistake Anders for a competent singer. Maybe, he had a voice, but he never knew how to use it without the use of protools. He cannot seriously sing two lines without messing them live. And that voice is long gone. Now it just remains a semibroken mess.

Still, even if a bunch of millenials, like you and Cjko, approached IF because of Anders, that doesn't mean shit for how influential he is as a musician. Now, show me how many bands have formed after the members listened to Anders and decided that he was a worthy cause for starting writing some music. The number will tend to zero. Then, show how many bands have been formed after the Jespers, the Bjorns or the Bjorler brothers. How many people was influenced to pick up a guitar and start writing music. Those guys created a whole gender. Not some random incompetent singer.

His current voice has nothing to do with his legend status. Puskas is pretty fucking dead now, which is a suboptimal state of being you ask me, but he is still among the best footballers ever.

I will give you that maybe the right expression would be influental to IF's success, though it still takes some credit away from Anders' influence on the direction of the band. And yes, "us teenagers" were as much of a part of their success as you underground metalheads who went to all the underground Local Sausage Fest to check out all the up and coming metal bands.

 

[eochaid]

His current voice has nothing to do with his legend status.

Legend status he says. That was funny. I must admit that. 20 years ago, Anders wasn't as unable to sing as he is now.

His influence on the direction of the band, if you were aware of what was discussed here in the past months, is restricted to the last four albums. Before that, they did their music on their own and then they were sending it to Anders to write his parts. This according to his own words. So, nothing before or after Clayman was due to his influence. He was rather surprised by the new approaches in the music.

 

[Jester Slave]

You are in deep denial if you don't think he was key to their success. It doesn't matter how able or unable he is to sing, it just worked, period. Turns out you don't have to hit all the notes as a metal singer and it's a big commercial strength if you can convey such emotions as he did in a genre which is rarely able to do so through their singers.

What you described was the music making process and not their musical direction. Do you honestly think Jesper went from Clayman to STYE on his own without the band actually discussing it beforehand? I'm not saying he had to be held at gunpoint, but that is a wild assumption it was all his and Björn's doing. Once again you are trying to have your cake and eat it too. Anders is a primadonna when it fits your narrative about having bad relationship with others, but the one time when him being a primadonna would work against your argument, because it would imply that Anders wanted his vocals to be more prominent in their songs, you just casually ignore it.

 

[eochaid]

Turns out you don't have to hit all the notes as a metal singer and it's a big commercial strength if you can convey such emotions as he did in a genre which is rarely able to do so through their singers.

One thing is to not hit all the notes. What he does is... He cannot sing. No matter how emotional he's at the studio with pro tools. He is unable to sing live.

What you described was the music making process and not their musical direction. Do you honestly think Jesper went from Clayman to STYE on his own without the band actually discussing it beforehand?

Man, seriously, read those posts.

Jesper and Bjorn wrote the music on their own and Anders knew what it was about when he was receiving the recorded tracks.

Discussions beforehand? Apparently, by the time they recorded Come Clarity they weren't even talking to each others. STYE? Anders was surprised by the lack of guitar melodies.

He even said that himself in an interview. It was a matter of compromise. Jesper and Bjorn did they thing. Anders did his thing and no one was meddling with the other.

That's how the albums were made during that era You don't have to believe my words and you don't have to believe Anders words. It's ok. It's you against them and you're probably right because you won't admit any other version of reality than your own.

I'll need @DE4life help in this matter since he has a better memory than I have.

 

[Pallbearer]

Clayman and Reroute were collective efforts. According to Björn the arranging process changed after Colony. On Colony he and Jesper wrote absolutely everything, arrangements and all, and told everyone how to play the stuff. On Reroute the guitarists only wrote "rudimentary blueprints" and the songs were arranged to completion democratically by the entire band. I assume it was rather similar on Clayman, because I remember Peter commenting how they arranged the songs together. Except that on Clayman the producer Nordström seemed to be heavily involved as well, and apparently the band members didn't always agree with him, as I remember someone of the classic lineup stating "the recordings took place in a tense atmosphere."

 

[eochaid]

When they recorded Clayman, they wanted to change directions but Nordstrom insisted on following the same path. A lot of the frictions came from the fact that Nordstrom made them work hard.

Jesper said something like it felt like working at an office. Probably meaning that they had to keep on working during their time at the studio instead of playing poker and drinking beers.

 

[Jester Slave]

Anders brought in a bunch of new fans vs. he underperformed live. Okay, are we going to pretend these things just knock eachother out 1 to 1? I don't even care if you, me or anyone else find him a good singer or not: he was the right singer for success at IF, and that is all that matters. Cross Anders out from the equation and IF would've been "just" another band from that era in the mdm scene with moderate success. Probably still the best of the bunch, but they would not have made that jump in the early 2000s without him.

The part about STYE being on the guitarists is surprising, not gonna lie.

 

[eochaid]

I don't even care if you, me or anyone else find him a good singer or not:

No man. That's not a matter of opinions. That's a fact. If someone cannot sing two consecutive notes then that person is not a good singer.

he was the right singer for success at IF, and that is all that matters. Cross Anders out from the equation and IF would've been "just" another band from that era in the mdm scene

That's pure speculation and there's the fact of the huge success of Anders outside of IF. Like there's not such success.

 

[DE4life]

Yeah Anders said in some interview I read that he was surprised and disappointed with the lack of guitar melodies on STYE. Despite the historical narrative of Anders being to blame for the shift in direction, it's clear the sound of that album was not his doing, he just worked with what he was given. Same with Come Clarity. They then went back to collaborating properly as a band for ASOP and, well, we all know how that turned out.

I don't think it's a given that another vocalist couldn't have been just as successful with IF material. We'll never know. Maybe they would have been less successful, maybe the same, maybe moreso. They should have just replaced Anders with some chick, probably would be at Arch Enemy/Amaranthe levels now.

 

[eochaid]

Even in the ASOP documentary, you never see them together. It's clear how they first record the guitars, and Anders is never there, and the Anders is doing his thing on his own.

Like, none of them cares about the work of the other.