Nailed it bro. Krofius would hail it as In Flames best ever song. Impossible to tell how Slave would react except to say that the vocals are amazing and dat emotion mang. Ciko too I guess. The rest of us would just feel the deep rooted sadness Anders pretends to feel when he writes about how terrible his life is.
IN FLAMES new album being released by the end of 2016
- Thread starter PlainVanilla
- Start date
Nailed it bro. Krofius would hail it as In Flames best ever song. Impossible to tell how Slave would react except to say that the vocals are amazing and dat emotion mang. Ciko too I guess. The rest of us would just feel the deep rooted sadness Anders pretends to feel when he writes about how terrible his life is.
Jester Slave
Narcissist
I know League of Legends of course, but I'm hardcore fan of Dota 2. Hmm I'm really curious about this one actually.
This topic is really going insane, somebody save meeeeeee!
I cannot frame, that's why I lose control
I aim, I stumble and I fall
Our adaptation can't be faithful
Your world does not attract me
This is the end you see
There is no more truth in me
As if you would deserve it
You are my enemy
Those are some good and direct lyrics. You can feel his rage. These days he is just a crybaby.
System's lyrics/vocal delivery is awesome. Only slightly tainted by the shitty vocal mixing.
I actually much preferred Anders cleans around this period. He still sucked but it wasn't overproduced pretend-pop shit. It was just amateurish cleans. There was kind of a charm to them which totally disappeared after Come Clarity.
I actually much preferred Anders cleans around this period. He still sucked but it wasn't overproduced pretend-pop shit. It was just amateurish cleans. There was kind of a charm to them which totally disappeared after Come Clarity.
Yeah those are very good and direct like you said. I'm talking about first albums, I'm not really into them.
ThePhobiac
be at ease
I've always thought that, after he got over his personal problems in the Clayman era, Anders's lyrics have mostly just been what he expects young, angsty metalheads to relate to. I'd be surprised if he still genuinely feels the conflict he describes in "Through Oblivion", at least to the extent the lyrics suggest. So I believe it's fiction, or at least heavily-exaggerated to appeal to younger people.
Sometimes he does a good job of it, I think. "With Eyes Wide Open" has some of my favorite IF lyrics and is one of my favorite SC songs because of it, mostly because he doesn't dip too much into melodrama (i.e. how come we walk a mile just to shatter what we love / (with) eyes wide open?). Probably the most lyrically depressing song in modern IF, because of how frank and cynical it is.
Songs like "Evil In A Closet" and "In My Room" are also solid in this regard:
(I sink in waters deep / your presence kept me floating far from depths where secrets lie / maybe in another lifetime / I could be the first you meet)
(Creating dreams, let the worlds collide / escape the void and feel alive / don't have any answers but I'll survive)
"Wallflower" has a neat chorus, too (I want to be heard, but leave no trace / I want to be seen, but take no space). I like that a lot, though the rest of the song is pretty weak, lyrically.
And what's nice about these songs is that he doesn't step into the melodrama that gives us stuff like the infamous "I feel like shit / but at least I feel something" and "and I don't care what you think / or maybe I do". I don't think those are shitty subjects to write about - he just didn't go about it the right way. Like, I wouldn't be surprised if he approached Niklas Sundin with those sentiments, said "hey, can you translate these for me?" and we would wind up with fucking amazing TJR-tier lyrics that cut the bullshit and use imagery to get the point across.
It's not that he needs better material, per se. Mikael Stanne writes about his observations of society and human nature, but does so in a way that's engaging and evocative. The difference is that Anders keeps it painfully simple and doesn't put a lot of thought into how he gets his point across, whereas before, as in Clayman, he really seemed to.
Sometimes he does a good job of it, I think. "With Eyes Wide Open" has some of my favorite IF lyrics and is one of my favorite SC songs because of it, mostly because he doesn't dip too much into melodrama (i.e. how come we walk a mile just to shatter what we love / (with) eyes wide open?). Probably the most lyrically depressing song in modern IF, because of how frank and cynical it is.
Songs like "Evil In A Closet" and "In My Room" are also solid in this regard:
(I sink in waters deep / your presence kept me floating far from depths where secrets lie / maybe in another lifetime / I could be the first you meet)
(Creating dreams, let the worlds collide / escape the void and feel alive / don't have any answers but I'll survive)
"Wallflower" has a neat chorus, too (I want to be heard, but leave no trace / I want to be seen, but take no space). I like that a lot, though the rest of the song is pretty weak, lyrically.
And what's nice about these songs is that he doesn't step into the melodrama that gives us stuff like the infamous "I feel like shit / but at least I feel something" and "and I don't care what you think / or maybe I do". I don't think those are shitty subjects to write about - he just didn't go about it the right way. Like, I wouldn't be surprised if he approached Niklas Sundin with those sentiments, said "hey, can you translate these for me?" and we would wind up with fucking amazing TJR-tier lyrics that cut the bullshit and use imagery to get the point across.
It's not that he needs better material, per se. Mikael Stanne writes about his observations of society and human nature, but does so in a way that's engaging and evocative. The difference is that Anders keeps it painfully simple and doesn't put a lot of thought into how he gets his point across, whereas before, as in Clayman, he really seemed to.
Ilias7
Member
- Aug 24, 2016
- 345
- 184
- 43
Thanks for posting this. I thought Anders did a good job and I agree on him starting to get more comfortable with his lower registers. Sounds good and I hope he keeps going in that direction. Before I Fall had good baritones around 1:06 ... sounds awesome.
I thought the backing tracks were too loud. And why no Joe or Peter playing? They could scale back (thinking NPR tiny desk concert style here). Kind of weird not to have the full band. At least try to involve your rhythm section, you know?
Pallbearer
Passive Member
I do enjoy a good portion of the early lyrics but at times it feels like Sundin is trying too hard to pass himself off as one of the greatest poets of the postmodern era or whatever, and his writing suffers because of that. Take the song "The Hive" for example. The general concept of the song isn't too hard to understand (or at least to make a personal interpretation of.) I believe the song is about how we humans have become like drones in a beehive. We just work like dogs following orders and that's about it. Our personal dreams and hopes ("stars within us") have been "disarmed". But there are some lines which are throwing me off big time. Such as: "Waning ring-deep / a halo of thorns / sips now down in sheets of sharp silver / to disarm the stars within us." What's that supposed to mean, really?
I do enjoy a good portion of the early lyrics but at times it feels like Sundin is trying too hard to pass himself off as one of the greatest poets of the postmodern era or whatever, and his writing suffers because of that. Take the song "The Hive" for example. The general concept of the song isn't too hard to understand (or at least to make a personal interpretation of.) I believe the song is about how we humans have become like drones in a beehive. We just work like dogs following orders and that's about it. Our personal dreams and hopes ("stars within us") have been "disarmed". But there are some lines which are throwing me off big time. Such as: "Waning ring-deep / a halo of thorns / sips now down in sheets of sharp silver / to disarm the stars within us." What's that supposed to mean, really?
Yeah, some of Whoracle's lyrics are downright ridiculous. You get a very similar feeling on the first few DT releases, especially Skydancer/Of Chaos and Eternal Night. The lyrics are awesome, but I'm not sure they are necessary. They actually impede the vocal flow, because there are too many words to fit in. You see it on TJR, too, where Anders sometimes just completely ignores a word or two because he just can't fit them in.
I think it depends on your music sensibilities outside metal. Personally, I can tolerate pop music if it has some energy to it - EDM stuff, some hip hop, kpop. But I can't stand "rock". Never have, never will. I will change the station/song every time.
I've been listening to SC the last few days. I hear a lot of rock influence. My opinion of SC is that there are 2-4 songs on the album that I want to listen to. Battles on the other hand, I've got 6-8 songs I'm cool with. Battles is obviously more pop oriented.
Now as far as vocals go, how can you say SC is better than Battles? He is so much better on Battles. Maybe some pro tools action, but also the confidence alone. Also hitting lower registers in several songs. Screaming more powerful and varied. He may still be a bad singer, but he did improve.
Jester Slave
Narcissist
Ciko, what server are you playing on? EUW or EUNE?
I love that he did something new with his voice on Battles, I love that it sounds nothing we've heard before, great stuff. But his singing on SC is still better. I'm not gonna get into "well, objectively..." argument about this, fuck everyone who wants to rate a vocal performance from an objective, music teacher's viewpoint. But listen:
Battles - despite revolving around personal struggles in our lives - sounds much weaker in terms of vocal depth than SC. Anders sounds crisper than ever, but also deconstructed. DE4life (what kind of fucking name is that btw?) said it well that Anders' flaws in his singing gave it a certain kind of (SIREN) charm. Yes, he was talking about R2R, but my point is that principle alone.
Anders sounds more exciting on Through Oblivion or Filtered Truth alone than in any of the songs on Battles. The only reason it's concealed is because Howard seems to be a fucking pro on how to sell vocals, and the way he tuned them up plus used choirs almost perfectly on songs he used them on is a massive boost to Anders' performance. Just listen the chorus of Before I Fall. No fucking way it is only one vocal layer, and it's also spiced up with that choir, so in the end it sounds pretty amazing, extremely catchy, but it's not really because of Anders. Put any half-decent pop-rock singer there with the same effects and the choir and it will sound the same, Anders and his trademark "flaws" ("s might not even necessary) are pretty much gone.
Yeah, SC is sadly plagued by the rockiness of SOAPF as well, that one is true, but SC (and SOAPF, for that matter) has much more variety between its songs than Battles. Battles is extremely bland, the only songs that stick out are the bonus ones. SC, once again, is much more varied.
The only reason Battles is a solid 6.5 in my books and not a 3 or 4, because it is fucking catchy. It's like when you hear Gangnam Style, or if you remember, the Ketchup Song or that Romanian stuff, Dragosta din teit or sth like that. they are fucking retarded songs, but what can you do, if your ears are hooked in, then you are going to like it.
I'm sorry, but Siren Charms is much more interesting musically, vocally and thematically as well.
Ps.: In My Room's acoustic debut was a great example of songs from Battles failing big time if you strip them down - yeah, he sounded shitty on TO too, but that song has been proven to be okay in an acoustic setting. I don't even know how any of you could praise that performance. It was humiliating, weak, gay, unrehearsed, everything. It sucked big time, I am honest to God felt sorry for Anders, I wanted them to just "plug the chords" on the camera, or fake a fire alarm, anything.
While overall quality of his vocals might be - probably - better on Battles, it's a fine example what I mean every time I say it is pointless to rate someone's voice in a vacuum, because you could replace many many bands singers with talents from American Idol and such.
I love that he did something new with his voice on Battles, I love that it sounds nothing we've heard before, great stuff. But his singing on SC is still better. I'm not gonna get into "well, objectively..." argument about this, fuck everyone who wants to rate a vocal performance from an objective, music teacher's viewpoint. But listen:
Battles - despite revolving around personal struggles in our lives - sounds much weaker in terms of vocal depth than SC. Anders sounds crisper than ever, but also deconstructed. DE4life (what kind of fucking name is that btw?) said it well that Anders' flaws in his singing gave it a certain kind of (SIREN) charm. Yes, he was talking about R2R, but my point is that principle alone.
Anders sounds more exciting on Through Oblivion or Filtered Truth alone than in any of the songs on Battles. The only reason it's concealed is because Howard seems to be a fucking pro on how to sell vocals, and the way he tuned them up plus used choirs almost perfectly on songs he used them on is a massive boost to Anders' performance. Just listen the chorus of Before I Fall. No fucking way it is only one vocal layer, and it's also spiced up with that choir, so in the end it sounds pretty amazing, extremely catchy, but it's not really because of Anders. Put any half-decent pop-rock singer there with the same effects and the choir and it will sound the same, Anders and his trademark "flaws" ("s might not even necessary) are pretty much gone.
Yeah, SC is sadly plagued by the rockiness of SOAPF as well, that one is true, but SC (and SOAPF, for that matter) has much more variety between its songs than Battles. Battles is extremely bland, the only songs that stick out are the bonus ones. SC, once again, is much more varied.
The only reason Battles is a solid 6.5 in my books and not a 3 or 4, because it is fucking catchy. It's like when you hear Gangnam Style, or if you remember, the Ketchup Song or that Romanian stuff, Dragosta din teit or sth like that. they are fucking retarded songs, but what can you do, if your ears are hooked in, then you are going to like it.
I'm sorry, but Siren Charms is much more interesting musically, vocally and thematically as well.
Ps.: In My Room's acoustic debut was a great example of songs from Battles failing big time if you strip them down - yeah, he sounded shitty on TO too, but that song has been proven to be okay in an acoustic setting. I don't even know how any of you could praise that performance. It was humiliating, weak, gay, unrehearsed, everything. It sucked big time, I am honest to God felt sorry for Anders, I wanted them to just "plug the chords" on the camera, or fake a fire alarm, anything.
Last edited:
Well if you're talking about Dota 2, I'm playing at both of them, sometimes Russia if I'm feeling angry
I know League of Legends a bit, just played 10 matches or something.
Jester Slave
Narcissist
Me too, thanks.
Ah, I meant LoL. Dota always repelled me, the graphics and effects are so strange.Well if you're talking about Dota 2, I'm playing at both of them, sometimes Russia if I'm feeling angry
