IN FLAMES new album being released by the end of 2016

[eochaid]

Battles is just like shitty SOAPF b-sides. It's recognisable as modern In Flames even if it has no substance. I can't say the same for SC.

While I think the other way I find more IF elements in SC, being a not IF album, than in Battles. I find Battles to be a mediocre album full of (bad) influences and worthy of a bunch of newcomers. Sure you can say, these guys have been influenced by In Flames among many others. But it doesn't look like an album made by a well stablished band with it's own sound and personality.

 

[DE4life]

I find Battles to be a mediocre album full of (bad) influences and worthy of a bunch of newcomers. Sure you can say, these guys have been influenced by In Flames among many others. But it doesn't look like an album made by a well stablished band with it's own sound and personality.

You can say exactly the same of SC though, except it's worse because it sounds like it was produced and mixed by a teenager with no experience. At least Battles is produced decently and the songs are mixed properly. SC has problems with vocal volume, instrument volume, song volumes (some are for some reason louder than others), verse/chorus transitions, and so on. Say what you want about Battles but it doesn't have any of these issues. It sounds professional even if it isn't to your taste. SC is not only a poor effort creativity but they couldn't even mix it professionally. To me, that's just unforgivable for a band of In Flames' stature and experience.

 

[Jester Slave]

Maybe no one would have bought SC if it wasn't under IF's brand, but on the other hand, In Flames would have been just as - commercially - successful today if their very first record was R2R. Also, if someone bought SC after hearing Rusted Nail and Through Oblivion then I really hope said person did not act surprised that the record was different than Clayman. Like, no shit, no one even promoted it as such.

SC sounds heavier, not just because of EG. First of all, when a record's most hardcore song is IF YOU COULD SEEEE IT THROUGH ME EEEEYEEEEEEES, then that record is not exactly heavy. Battles highlights choruses so much that the music barely feels important, it's just there, but SC and it's "bad" production at least made it sound heavy. In Plain View's chorus? The second part of Rusted Nail? When The World Explodes? Filtered Truth? I fucking hate that song, but still: Monsters?

On the other side we have "the scaaaaars i feeeel" and "I hear them from the other siideeeee", "you ripped the heart ooouuuuut" and let's not talk about SAAAAVEEEE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Everything on that record is to make the baby clean vocals sound good. It is a long fucking way from "wtf, how dares he sing clean sometimes on R2R???". The most "Battles" song on SC is actually Paralyzed which follows the same "fuck the music, just get to the beautiful clean vocals somehow!" structure, and it is among my least favorite tracks on SC for that reason. It's cheap, but at least it is a one off and not the entire record is built around that.

Also, with SC you can pinpoint stuff and say this and that could make these songs fucking awesome, but Battles is your boring pre-packed lunch, which you have to eat within 30 minutes of opening the seal, because it starts to rot rapidly.

And as a closing thought, they were making vastly different records before, so don't start with this shit again. If they should not have made SC then they should not have made Come Clarity either, because ASOP is 10 times more "in flames" than CC, yet the latter is regarded as one of their best records and for good reason. Okay, SC might be regarded as one of their fucking worst, but don't act like they never strayed away.

It's like Come Clarity is the scenario where the guy boldly walks up to a pretty girl, asks her out, she accepts, and you start praising him that he is a god, a genious, the bravest man on earth and an inspiration. But when he fails then you always knew it will fail, he should not have done that, it was stupid, should have sticked with what worked before, etc.

I'm pretty triggered by it, because it reminds me of reddit hive mind, and gives me PTSD. Whenever a champion/hero/whatever suddenly gets picked a lot, the biggest fucking silver noobs come up with explanations like "well, yes, a 2 second stun on a 12 sec cool down was bound to make this happen!" - BITCH, he had that ability unchanged for 2 years, stop bullshitting.

 

[DE4life]

SC sounds heavier, not just because of EG. First of all, when a record's most hardcore song is IF YOU COULD SEEEE IT THROUGH ME EEEEYEEEEEEES, then that record is not exactly heavy. Battles highlights choruses so much that the music barely feels important, it's just there, but SC and it's "bad" production at least made it sound heavy. In Plain View's chorus? The second part of Rusted Nail? When The World Explodes? Filtered Truth? I fucking hate that song, but still: Monsters?

On the other side we have "the scaaaaars i feeeel" and "I hear them from the other siideeeee", "you ripped the heart ooouuuuut" and let's not talk about SAAAAVEEEE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Everything on that record is to make the baby clean vocals sound good. It is a long fucking way from "wtf, how dares he sing clean sometimes on R2R???". The most "Battles" song on SC is actually Paralyzed which follows the same "fuck the music, just get to the beautiful clean vocals somehow!" structure, and it is among my least favorite tracks on SC for that reason. It's cheap, but at least it is a one off and not the entire record is built around that.

Ultimately who cares though? You can point out differences in the albums and that's fine, but for most of us we think they both sound awful so it doesn't matter. It's like showing us a piece of dog shit followed by cow dung and telling us why the cow dung is better. Even if we for some reason prefer the dog shit, they still both stink.

I'm pretty triggered by it, because it reminds me of reddit hive mind, and gives me PTSD. Whenever a champion/hero/whatever suddenly gets picked a lot, the biggest fucking silver noobs come up with explanations like "well, yes, a 2 second stun on a 12 sec cool down was bound to make this happen!" - BITCH, he had that ability unchanged for 2 years, stop bullshitting.

People who use the term "hive mind" generally just struggle to accept that they have a minority opinion, and the simple reason for that is because they enjoy something that most others don't. Nothing to do with "hive mind" or any nonsense like that. We've all explained in pretty solid detail why we don't like SC. If you don't like our opinion then that sucks for you, but sweeping it under the carpet as "hive mind, hur hurr" is just failing to face reality.

 

[eochaid]

At least Battles is produced decently and the songs are mixed properly. SC has problems with vocal volume, instrument volume, song volumes (some are for some reason louder than others), verse/chorus transitions, and so on.

This also happens with some solos on battles.

And I think that even most people "abandoned" them with this album. Of course SC has also anything to do with it. Two disappointments that lead una direction that many people simply do not like. As I said, my main issue is the lack of personality, for both albums but specially for battles.

 

[eochaid]

Battles is your boring pre-packed lunch, which you have to eat within 30 minutes of opening the seal, because it starts to rot rapidly.

Agreed.

 

[DE4life]

This also happens with some solos on battles.

And I think that even most people "abandoned" them with this album. Of course SC has also anything to do with it. Two disappointments that lead una direction that many people simply do not like. As I said, my main issue is the lack of personality, for both albums but specially for battles.

There's never been a time when IF have been less inspiring, imo. They've always bounced back from an average or poor album with a really good effort. After STYE we got CC, after ASOP we got SOAPF. Now we've had two steaming turds in a row and I dread to think what's next.

 

[eochaid]

More like The Truth. Probably a couple of albums with more and more electronics and less guitar riffs. Then something nearer to soapf. That's my opinion based on the behaviour of other bands.

 

[Jester Slave]

The Truth for Battles is like Through Oblivion for SC. These songs dared to be something different and we could go back in IF's discography for others, like TCP or Metaphor. Regardless of their outcome, these songs were one offs on their respective record and you could love them or hate them, it did not really make or break any of those records. You won't necessarily like R2R just because you like Metaphor, and you won't necessarily hate ASOP just because you hate TCP:

The Truth is as pop-metal as you can get and whether it's good or not, whether we like it or not has been discussed to death. The problem is with the rest of the record being so fucking cheesy and simple, while being less innovative - within IF's body of work - than The Truth. Again, with bonus tracks and Underneath My Skin (who listens to that shit? a million times worse than Bottled) aside, Battles is either The Truth with a bit more metal and less electronics, while Save Me tries to imitate the "wtf"-factor of TT's, but Save Me is pure shit combined with good verses and nothing more.

I can totally get why someone would like Battles more than SC, I probably listen to it more nowadays than SC, but that doesn't mean much. When I travel, I like to listen to a lot of upbeat, poppy shit, and degenerate songs like In My Room and Before I Fall are perfect for that. Can't hear the instruments perfectly because you are walking by the highway? Who cares, save a few nice solos here and there, it's all about that chorus, so just pump up the volume and sing. That is the only thing Battles are good for. And karaoke. It's probably great for karaoke.

You can make valid arguments against SC - production, some songs being repetitive, copies from older songs, mixing, Anders' voice on it. But you can't be serious if you think more effort and heart went into Battles than SC. And by effort I don't mean net time on sitting in a room and coming up with the gayest possible choruses, or the time spent on making Anders sound like the guy who gets sent home from early auditions in The Voice, but he makes a metal band out of spite. No, I refer to the time and effort spent on trying to make a record that has a meaning and will be remembered as "the record that...". Yes, easy joke on saying "... was shit", but whatever, Battles is the record that was nothing. Battles should have been an EP of 4 or 5 songs before a tour cycle and nothing more, though it would have looked even worse if we were to compare it to Subterranean and ASOP B-sides.

After SC I stood by my opinion that In Flames should keep going, because - for all the reasons I've talked about before - SC is a worthy record to be labeled as In Flames, and that is not a statement about it being good or bad. But after Battles, I have serious second thoughts as time rusts that record.

Here's my dream of two possibilitis:
1. The boring one: they stop making more records and they will only tour. Maybe yeaaaars, yeaaaars later they move on to number 2.
2. They make one last record where they try to include as many contributors as they can get, but mainly ex-IF guys. Okay, Jesper don't want to tour anymore or listen to Anders, but IF is still his legacy, so it could be possible that he would agree to contribute on some songs for the last ever record. They can then keep touring after that ofc with whatever line-up.

No, I don't have hopes in going back to the road they just left with Battles, because Jesus has not showed me anything promising about his drumming capabilities (well, I heard he was okay live, but little good it does for a record) and they have no bass player. Also, knowing that Niclas contributed to the music this time does not get my hopes up either. I never listened to a single Engel song, but if this is all he can contribute, then just don't. I can't even stand how the guitar (or anything, besides the vocals+choirs) is mixed and tuned on that record. I thought the rocky style presented on SOAPF and SC is what I have to endure for the rest of their career, and then they came up with the watery shit that is Battles.

Ah, I'm a sad panda now. Jesper returns with a bang average record (where the best thing is the vocals, to add insult to injury) and I'm starting to slowly realize that within a year IF might drop something even more bland than Battles. I can't even imagine what could be less boring and unimaginative than that. If Battles is a glass of tap water, how lower can you go exactly? I mean, bottled water at least have a style, even if it tastes the same.

 

[DE4life]

Can't hear the instruments perfectly because you are walking by the highway? Who cares

What if you are the highway?

You can make valid arguments against SC - production, some songs being repetitive, copies from older songs, mixing, Anders' voice on it. But you can't be serious if you think more effort and heart went into Battles than SC.

I don't think much effort went into either of them to be honest. Song structures on both records are as basic as you can get outside of a couple of songs on each. Riffs are uninspiring and/or flat out boring on both records. Not even going to comment on drums or bass because they are the definition of background instrument. Solos are the same stupid wahhh shit we've had to deal with since ASOP.

Only person who seemed to be making an effort on SC or Battles was Anders - and he's very limited in what he can do with his voice, so, it is what it is.

Here's my dream of two possibilitis:
1. The boring one: they stop making more records and they will only tour. Maybe yeaaaars, yeaaaars later they move on to number 2.
2. They make one last record where they try to include as many contributors as they can get, but mainly ex-IF guys. Okay, Jesper don't want to tour anymore or listen to Anders, but IF is still his legacy, so it could be possible that he would agree to contribute on some songs for the last ever record. They can then keep touring after that ofc with whatever line-up.

I think they need to take a very long break. Let Anders go off and do his electronica projects. Let Bjorn go and do 70s cover bands or maybe go join Jesper in Cyhra. Let Niclas go back to doing Engelin and other uninspired modern metal. Christian Joe can go back to church and Bryce Paul can go hang ten at a beach or whatever.

Give it a few years, then see who wants to come back refreshed and ready to produce something worthwhile under the In Flames name. At this point they're just pumping out terrible music and they need to stop.

Ah, I'm a sad panda now. Jesper returns with a bang average record (where the best thing is the vocals, to add insult to injury) and I'm starting to slowly realize that within a year IF might drop something even more bland than Battles. I can't even imagine what could be less boring and unimaginative than that. If Battles is a glass of tap water, how lower can you go exactly? I mean, bottled water at least have a style, even if it tastes the same.

Well, general consensus on LtM seems to be that it's a pretty good record so maybe you need to give it a few more spins. Maybe it's just not for you which is a shame, but I've been listening to it non-stop since release.

As for In Flames next record, yeah, it'll probably suck again. I have no faith in the Anders/Bjorn/Niclas creative trio and what are Bryce Paul and Christian Joe going to add beyond giving the band Jackass DVDs to watch and teaching them the word of God/American national anthem? Maybe they'll do a cover of "America, Fuck Yeah".

 

[eochaid]

The Truth for Battles is like Through Oblivion for SC.

You mean The Truth and Save Me? Because they're both very similar. And there are other bits here and there that suggest that IF will be more and more an electronic band.

 

[eochaid]

Jesper returns with a bang average record (where the best thing is the vocals, to add insult to injury) and I'm starting to slowly realize that within a year IF might drop something even more bland than Battles.

I would say more than average. It's strange coming from a guy who cares more about the vocals than the music.
Yes, the music needs to have more presence. In other words, Jesper needs to have more presence on the album. But it's not an average record in any way. It is not also great, or very good. It's an ok or good album to start.

 

[eochaid]

I think they need to take a very long break. Let Anders go off and do his electronica projects. Let Bjorn go and do 70s cover bands or maybe go join Jesper in Cyhra. Let Niclas go back to doing Engelin and other uninspired modern metal. Christian Joe can go back to church and Bryce Paul can go hang ten at a beach or whatever.

Give it a few years, then see who wants to come back refreshed and ready to produce something worthwhile under the In Flames name. At this point they're just pumping out terrible music and they need to stop.

This won't happen. It should have happened after SC, but now Anders is in full mode, taking control of the path of the band, and he won't stop until the whole world recognizes his vocal abilities.

 

[DE4life]

This won't happen. It should have happened after SC, but now Anders is in full mode, taking control of the path of the band, and he won't stop until the whole world recognizes his vocal abilities.

Unfortunately I think you're right, but most bands who get to this point will take a break. In Flames are pretty rare in that they've been releasing albums uninterrupted with no hiatuses since 1994. There probably aren't many bands who have been consistently releasing records with the same vocalist for over 20 years.

In terms of overall album releases you've got new stuff released in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2016. That's incredibly consistent, but at the same time it's left them with major headaches for their setlists as you're now looking at upwards of 130 songs and likely to grow in the next couple of years.

 

[Jester Slave]

What if you are the highway?

Not even going to comment on drums or bass because they are the definition of background instrument.

I think the drumming on SC is at least decent and it sounds like actual drums.

Well, general consensus on LtM seems to be that it's a pretty good record so maybe you need to give it a few more spins. Maybe it's just not for you which is a shame, but I've been listening to it non-stop since release.

It is average if you expect a "Jesper" record. A few In Flames-ish melodies aside, the guitar work is quite generic. No, I did not expect a TJR 2, but I was hoping for either something melodic, or some head-chopping like on CC or STYE for example. You know, like Move Through Me, Like You Better Dead or Reflect The Storm for example.

If you did not know it's Jesper, I don't think your reaction after listening to L2M would be to look up their guitarist and check out his body of work. Cyhra is labeled as a 2-men project, but it's closer to 1.

You mean The Truth and Save Me? Because they're both very similar. And there are other bits here and there that suggest that IF will be more and more an electronic band.

Yeah, I tried to say that TT and SM are the "???" songs on Battles, but SM is just a much weaker TT, so that doesn't really count. If a record would have Through Oblivion than TCP, that's okay, two strange songs. But this time, it's one strange song, and another one that tries to copy it but fails.

 

[eochaid]

Unfortunately I think you're right, but most bands who get to this point will take a break. In Flames are pretty rare in that they've been releasing albums uninterrupted with no hiatuses since 1994. There probably aren't many bands who have been consistently releasing records with the same vocalist for over 20 years.

And they've been touring almost all that time, or at studio. Leaving them with little time to rest. Yep, I also think that they should stop. Spend some time with their families and come back when they really have something that they want to do.

 

[eochaid]

Yeah, I tried to say that TT and SM are the "???" songs on Battles, but SM is just a much weaker TT, so that doesn't really count. If a record would have Through Oblivion than TCP, that's okay, two strange songs. But this time, it's one strange song, and another one that tries to copy it but fails.

Well, Save Me was released as a single. So I don't see how it is weak. And, seriously, I don't think that's anything weaker than The Truth. It's such a bad song, it's so out of place... And still I think that's the path that they will walk in the next years. That's, of course, my opinion.

 

[eochaid]

It is average if you expect a "Jesper" record. A few In Flames-ish melodies aside, the guitar work is quite generic. No, I did not expect a TJR 2, but I was hoping for either something melodic, or some head-chopping like on CC or STYE for example. You know, like Move Through Me, Like You Better Dead or Reflect The Storm for example.

You should understand that this was a two people project. I think that if it was only Jesper the album ould be definitely different, in a lot of ways. But that's not the case.

 

[Jester Slave]

You should understand that this was a two people project. I think that if it was only Jesper the album ould be definitely different, in a lot of ways. But that's not the case.

I understand, but what does Jesper do on that record which could not be done by any semi-talented musician? Or to be more precise: what separates him from one no name guitarist on that record? Yes, he plays some medleys and IF-sounding stuff in the intros, but that's really nothing much but a cute little thing.

While I couldn't say what is made by Björn and what is made by Jesper (I'm not even sure if Björn was responsible for any guitar stuff pre-Colony), but it is damn apparent on SOAPF that they are missing a key member.

You remember this?


Still the worst fucking growls I've ever heard, but man, tell me that guitar is anything but mesmerizing! Now, tell me: couldn't this be a CyHra song with the same exact instrumentals, but with a different vocal take? Yes, it could be.

There is really no excuse for Jesper to be as conservative as he is on L2M. He is pretty much more of an advertisement for that record than a critical asset.

 

[Jester Slave]

Something else: Are you guys aware that Cloud Connected is not a staple on this tour????? When was the last time it happened? Also, it's pretty funny reading the setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/in-flames/2017/via-marques-sao-paulo-brazil-2be32cbe.html I'd like to know the story behind it. Did they just kept chanting CC, knowing that it's probably not included on the setlist?

And why the FUCK are they playing Jester's Dance???? Even if it's just a transition from Moonshield, that is the weakest instrumental song they have. Play a better one, a medley, or a 3-minutes long older track. Like, if they think TJD does not bore anyone, then they could play anything from their older stuff and have a better result.