Thing I miss the most in this whole melodeath-In Flames thing is Jesper and his sense of writing and playing those sweet harmonies. I know a lot of bands do dual harmonizing guitars... but Jesper just have that feeling that puts the right thing in the right place. Even in his side projects and guest appearances you can hear a few seconds of that. Like Iron Maiden, but harder and meaner, with a touch of early swed.death. And very unique also. I've heard a few band trying to copy that sound, but none were successful.
As for present day IF, they could not make a fine melodeath album even if they wanted. Even with deliberate effort, it would sound like watered down Colony-Clayman with half of the album composed from fillers and rehashed riffs. Really, I can't see anybody in this band capable of writing killer riffs.
Jesper on the other hand is obviously too fucked up to do anything right other then occasional little song or angsty metal-hc-whatever.
So, that's it, really. If we are lucky, we're get some nice, sweet, short modern IF, like the End in the future. If not - it's Siren charms and worse.