I don't think Jesper can return and here's why.....

[Clay-Man]

For some reason I really don't want to see anders do another passenger album.

 

[Erik Erna]

People can pretty much forget about In Flames returning to their former glories now. Jesper was the force behind TJR/Whoracle, without him those influences will be lost.

I personally never expected them to go backwards, for good or ill. I'm just hoping for a different sound, once again for good or ill. I've slowly come to embrace this melodic hard rock thing they've been doing and enjoy it for what it is.

I was just thinking, remember how they said (in reference to a keyboardist) that they would never bring anyone else into the family? This could open up the door for that, which I think would add a unique live atmosphere.

Anyone who has seen Tuomas Holopainen play live knows what I mean.

 

[DE4life]

I personally never expected them to go backwards, for good or ill. I'm just hoping for a different sound, once again for good or ill. I've slowly come to embrace this melodic hard rock thing they've been doing and enjoy it for what it is.

I was just thinking, remember how they said (in reference to a keyboardist) that they would never bring anyone else into the family? This could open up the door for that, which I think would add a unique live atmosphere.

Anyone who has seen Tuomas Holopainen play live knows what I mean.

I wouldn't want to see them go back either... not sure they could, anyway. There are just a lot of people who want them to. They don't need to go back to TJR/Whoracle because they've already made those albums and they're pretty much perfect.

As for a record sounding more like Colony/Clayman? I wouldn't complain.

 

[Erik Erna]

I wouldn't want to see them go back either... not sure they could, anyway. There are just a lot of people who want them to. They don't need to go back to TJR/Whoracle because they've already made those albums and they're pretty much perfect.

As for a record sounding more like Colony/Clayman? I wouldn't complain.

Well, I liked how Dark Tranquillity keeps evolving the boundaries of melodic death. I wish In Flames would have as well, opposed to just leaving the genre behind. In Flames now is just American metal, if it were good. Actually...they're responsible for a lot of the American crap influx...oh well.

Let me say you can tell they are not American, which is always good.

 

[Clay-Man]

Well, I liked how Dark Tranquillity keeps evolving the boundaries of melodic death. I wish In Flames would have as well, opposed to just leaving the genre behind. In Flames now is just American metal, if it were good. Actually...they're responsible for a lot of the American crap influx...oh well.

Let me say you can tell they are not American, which is always good.

Well I personally think they were expanding melodic death metal with the Colony and Clayman albums.

They were very unique albums within the genre. Still Melodic Death Metal, but nothing like anything else.

 

[DE4life]

Well, I liked how Dark Tranquillity keeps evolving the boundaries of melodic death. I wish In Flames would have as well, opposed to just leaving the genre behind. In Flames now is just American metal, if it were good. Actually...they're responsible for a lot of the American crap influx...oh well.

Let me say you can tell they are not American, which is always good.

If you took the vocals out of In Flames, I'm not sure on their recent albums you'd neccassarily know whether they were American or Swedish. Anders' voice contributes to that notion far more than the instruments these days.

Well I personally think they were expanding melodic death metal with the Colony and Clayman albums.

They were very unique albums within the genre. Still Melodic Death Metal, but nothing like anything else.

I agree with this... Colony and Clayman were an evolution of In Flames music without sacrificing the talent which made them stand out. You cannot say that about their recent albums - which are mainly evolution for the sake of gaining more American fans and American dollars.

 

[FJChaos]

Oh god no. I just heard on Encyclopedia Metallum that Jesper left permanently.
What about the stable line up?


EDIT: Now I see it on their official site. Fuck, this shit just turned real.

EDIT 2: Just read earlier posts. Damn, I was beat to it.

 

[Erik Erna]

I'm not sure if the change was for the dollar, so to say. It just seems like a blend of what everyone in the band is into, but it doesn't always go together how you would hope...

I loved R2R, STYE created an amazing atmosphere...CC feel flat to me, but I really did like ASOP. I just wish they would have retained far more of the beautiful melodies that they used to have. R2R was the last album they did that was intensely melodic, while still blending more of the modern styles.

 

[krofius]

I'm not sure if the change was for the dollar, so to say. It just seems like a blend of what everyone in the band is into, but it doesn't always go together how you would hope...

I loved R2R, STYE created an amazing atmosphere...CC feel flat to me, but I really did like ASOP. I just wish they would have retained far more of the beautiful melodies that they used to have. R2R was the last album they did that was intensely melodic, while still blending more of the modern styles.

I disagree alittle bit. What about CC, it's also very melodic? ASOP is way more melodic than CC and STYE though, but not as agressive. I think CC was a perfect mix of melody and agression, and imo best vocals since clayman.
But I love all albums though

 

[Erik Erna]

I disagree alittle bit. What about CC, it's also very melodic? ASOP is way more melodic than CC and STYE though, but not as agressive. I think CC was a perfect mix of melody and agression, and imo best vocals since clayman.
But I love all albums though

I dunno, I like the first half of it I guess, but it just seems a bit like going through the motions to me...Perhaps I am just weird, but it is my least favorite album by them. Not that I don't like it, granted.

 

[krofius]

Btw for anyone interested, here is an interview with Jesper from July 2008. It's pretty nice and interesting.

http://www.metal-rules.com/zine/content/view/1317/84/

 

[Maxim1110]

But saying that there are no more original members in In Flames with the departure of Jesper is on one hand true, on the other hand it's complete bullshit. He started it as a project, therefore he was the only member in the beginning. Now, we all know that in the first few years bands change their lineup quite a lot, same happened to In Flames. Bjorn and Anders have been in In Flames since '95, so they did actually help creating The Jester Race, Whoreacle and Colony, for example.

 

[karver]

yes but its jesper who made in flames style.. he is that one who gave their songs form and concept.. he teached bjorn how to play riffs and bjorn also said that jesper is faster than he is.. yes without other members wouldn't in flames sound as they sounded, bjorn did excelent drumming job on whoracle, anders old vocals were also very spacific also daniel is amazing.. but jesper was basis on which others have built on.. hope they could continue.. thats my opinion

 

[IknowSATAN]

If they continue, I wish they would make a album as a tribute to their 1993-2001 period.

 

[stizzleomnibus]

There is a strange fetishism that we all have for a bands original members. Many bands don't even really click until later. I'm not an Opeth fan, so I don't know much about them, but that one guy wasn't even an original member, and apparently now he is Opeth.

Even then, a different line-up is in many ways a different band; often they only share a few members and a name. They keep the name if they're continuing on the same path (In Flames), or ditch it if they're changing completely (Hopesfall).

Names and memberships are irrelevant. IF fans have good cause to be nervous, as they're losing a principal songwriter. Beyond that, though, they went through a dozen session musicians and short-term members during the good old days, and that didn't change anything. Maybe they should keep cycling members; that might actually bring them back to the original sound.

 

[nickel]

I know I'm really late to the show, but I live in a cocoon. I've tuned out IF ever since their last tour, mostly because I feel completely out of touch with 99% of their fan base and the fact that I had to stand through 2 Killswitch openings to see them. Following them was depressing me.

But now, I don't know what to say. This is the lowest of the low. I don't need to say it - we all know the history. For me, Jesper represents "the" sound - TJR and Whoracle - the sound that I will always come back to - the sound that gives me chills, even after hearing it hundreds of times. It's also the sound that inspired an excellent album, Colony, and another mostly excellent album, Clayman.

All good things come to an end, and maybe now I'll finally face facts. IF will never again be the band I want them to be. I wish I admitted this sooner... (although i'm very glad i got to shake Jesper's hand and talk to him while he was still around)

Moving on...

Amon Amarth and Dark Tranquillity are filling the void very well. I just saw AA for the second time and it was quite possibly the best time i've ever had at a show. They sounded near perfect and the crowd was in sync. There were no posers/fakers in sight. I left that show thinking - THAT is what melodic death is suppose to be - it felt like something really special had just happened - and it had been way too long since i felt that...

Here's to hoping Jesper continues making music <- ya i know, the irony

 

[krofius]

If they continue, I wish they would make a album as a tribute to their 1993-2001 period.

Come on dude, are you serious? Which fucking band makes an album as a tribute to their early years? And especially In Flames doesn't since they are only moving forwards, not backwards. Elitists elitists..