IN FLAMES new album being released by the end of 2016
- Thread starter PlainVanilla
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Jester Slave
Narcissist
So who told you exactly what IF is? You read their wiki and it said melo-death? Holy shit, take a moment and read what you wrote there, you probably did not even realize how bigoted you sounded with that sentence.
Through My Eyes is less poppy than The Truth, but (FINALLY, and this is a critic to SC as well, not just SOAPF) it still breaks the cycle of "another IF song with basic rock production". Yes, The End was great, but after SOAPF and SC, the best part of The End was the child chorus part that broke the mold.
Yeah, I would've been much happier if TME was leaning towards basic metal more, than this American metal.
By the way, I kinda like the drumming during the solos. It sounds simple yet cool.
Yeah, it's kind of weird how the solo is suddenly completely front and centre. It's like they didn't even bother to mix it, just pasted it onto the top of everything else whilst turning the volume down
Slave, if you could see it, if you could see it through my eyes...why are we so diff-er-ent?
only4theweak187
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Through My Eyes is a decent pop-metal track. Nothing that stands out too much, nothing that drags it down to a bad level or anything.
- Like the energy and aggression, at least there is some, compared to previous record
- Screams are good, SOAPF style (Enter Tragedy-like [verses]) which is a good thing. Harsh.
- Seems the instruments get drowned out during the verses and sometimes in the chorus as screams maintain loudness
- Like the bridge more than the chorus. Don't care much for through my EYEEEEES, know what it was LIIIIIKKKEEEEE only because they stay a flat note and don't melodically change imo
- The particular style the chorus is sung in is kind of "meh" to me. I understand the 90's/Offspring reference haha. I feel like if they were going to do an effect-ridden chorus do it maybe more in Paralyzed's or The End's fashion. That's just me though
- Solo is as expected for the song, that almost nu-metal type aura and typical style for Bjorn at this point
I'm glad it's heavy.
I'm glad there was an effort one can hear was put in.
Just an acceptable, accessible track
- Like the energy and aggression, at least there is some, compared to previous record
- Screams are good, SOAPF style (Enter Tragedy-like [verses]) which is a good thing. Harsh.
- Seems the instruments get drowned out during the verses and sometimes in the chorus as screams maintain loudness
- Like the bridge more than the chorus. Don't care much for through my EYEEEEES, know what it was LIIIIIKKKEEEEE only because they stay a flat note and don't melodically change imo
- The particular style the chorus is sung in is kind of "meh" to me. I understand the 90's/Offspring reference haha. I feel like if they were going to do an effect-ridden chorus do it maybe more in Paralyzed's or The End's fashion. That's just me though
- Solo is as expected for the song, that almost nu-metal type aura and typical style for Bjorn at this point
I'm glad it's heavy.
I'm glad there was an effort one can hear was put in.
Just an acceptable, accessible track
Solo is really bad. He just plays the same stuff since SOAPF. Same rhythm guitar, same notes, same style, even same melodies cut in different places. Ugh.
only4theweak187
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Yeah he does that same hook after the first note in so many solos since then. Deliver Us, Darker Times solo break after the first chorus etc. etc. Can't lie I actually do like The End's solo as I feel that one in particular matches The End's overall theme.
I tried being as baseless and unbiased as possible with my little review there
Through My Eyes is better than anything on Siren Charms for me. I agree with DE4Life that it sounds like a proposed Sounds of a Playground track.
Yet I prefer the Chase and would listen to it vs. Through My Eyes every time because it's more catchy/memorable to my ears IMO
I personally was hoping for "The Chase" type songs on this album. The End was close enough for me when that's the only single I heard at the time
I tried being as baseless and unbiased as possible with my little review there
Through My Eyes is better than anything on Siren Charms for me. I agree with DE4Life that it sounds like a proposed Sounds of a Playground track.
Yet I prefer the Chase and would listen to it vs. Through My Eyes every time because it's more catchy/memorable to my ears IMO
I personally was hoping for "The Chase" type songs on this album. The End was close enough for me when that's the only single I heard at the time
only4theweak187
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This is the formula for a modern IF song that I personally find seems to work these days(for most) judging from comments/posts...
Anything that strays from this lately is usually something that the overall response deems weird or unnecessary;
- Good lead riff/melodic guitar play driving the song
- Aggressively screamed verses conveying the energy of the song
- Smooth/catchy bridge that builds up
- Big chorus sung powerfully or mix of screams/cleans, catchy or flat out aggressive
- Solo that matches the song's tempo & atmosphere
- *Electronics, guitar breaks, vocal refrains etc. etc. all welcome when done interestingly
The songs that lack this core structure seem to suffer from the most hate
Anything that strays from this lately is usually something that the overall response deems weird or unnecessary;
- Good lead riff/melodic guitar play driving the song
- Aggressively screamed verses conveying the energy of the song
- Smooth/catchy bridge that builds up
- Big chorus sung powerfully or mix of screams/cleans, catchy or flat out aggressive
- Solo that matches the song's tempo & atmosphere
- *Electronics, guitar breaks, vocal refrains etc. etc. all welcome when done interestingly
The songs that lack this core structure seem to suffer from the most hate
This is the most frustrating thing about IF now is that they make music that is just passable, it's just good enough. It's the minimum effort and is kind of insulting.
I think they suffer hate because In Flames don't do experimentation very well. They either stick to the formula and produce good music (see: 95% of SOAPF), stick to the formula and produce really uninspiring music (see: 95% of SC) or try to experiment and get it horribly wrong (see: The Truth, TCP). They also have "the ballads" which all basically fall into the same category - Metaphor, Come Clarity, Liberation, Through Oblivion... most of these are fine as one off tracks, in spite of Anders' vocals.
Even though SOAPF was pretty formulaic, it didn't matter because the album had a lot of energy and there was some nice creativity within the confines of the standard formula the band use these days.
SC was the opposite. No energy, no creativity, very bland and boring. The concrete formula of almost every song on the album just compounded that sense of boredom.
From what I hear so far, Battles is going to be something like 50% SOAPF, 30% ASOP and 20% SC. It'll be a passable album and, The Truth aside, largely inoffensive. Not memorable, but as good as can be expected from the band in its present state.
Even though SOAPF was pretty formulaic, it didn't matter because the album had a lot of energy and there was some nice creativity within the confines of the standard formula the band use these days.
SC was the opposite. No energy, no creativity, very bland and boring. The concrete formula of almost every song on the album just compounded that sense of boredom.
From what I hear so far, Battles is going to be something like 50% SOAPF, 30% ASOP and 20% SC. It'll be a passable album and, The Truth aside, largely inoffensive. Not memorable, but as good as can be expected from the band in its present state.
If what they do is real experimentation then I would respect them, but what they do is basically going, or trying to go, mainstream. Bjorn riffs sound repetitive, his solos sound as if he doesn't want to play them, and Anders is doing what he always wanted, metal influenced by pop music.
only4theweak187
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Yeah I find that's mostly due to Siren Charm's reception and affects how we approach the new material.
Through My Eyes to me, feels like a track in the middle of an album. Very reminiscent of a few Sounds of a Playground songs but with more effect on the vocals and a hit-or-miss(for who hears it) type of singing in the choruses
only4theweak187
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Correct about Sounds of a Playground.
Through My Eyes shows there is some aggression on this one which is a good sign. Albeit some choices made are recepted 50/50 here on this forum already, but all hearing this song did, was create more curiosity.
The Truth being some teenage-oriented drivel slowed down my anticipaton... Now raised a bit by Through My Eyes, but I'm still not thoroughly convinced of like a completely new, fresh or interesting album. Still in a confused state
Problem is that if the songs we heard so far are the 3 singles which is probably what the band and management interprets as the best songs in the album - then that tells you a lot about the rest of the album
On the other hand, this may not be true as In Flames have track record of making the wrong marketing choices (eg. the Chase being a bonus track)
On the other hand, this may not be true as In Flames have track record of making the wrong marketing choices (eg. the Chase being a bonus track)
Hey guys. Sorry just woke up and out the door. Can anyone tell me about the special bonus that was so supposed to happen today with the pre-orders now that the new single is out?
There is no way I would give this music more than one spin on yt if not for the In Flames name over it.
The End is ok song, and I can listen this new one without much joy or hate, but all this is so shallow and simple I really can't find a reason other than legacy for a grown up man to seriously like it.
I guess I'm out of their targeted audience.
To make things worse, as a guitar player, I can't listen a song without taking notice how bad guitar playing and songwriting is. Combined with that awful drum sound and pathetic, overprocesed excuse for singing, it really takes a lot of willpower for me to like new album(s).
The End is ok song, and I can listen this new one without much joy or hate, but all this is so shallow and simple I really can't find a reason other than legacy for a grown up man to seriously like it.
I guess I'm out of their targeted audience.
To make things worse, as a guitar player, I can't listen a song without taking notice how bad guitar playing and songwriting is. Combined with that awful drum sound and pathetic, overprocesed excuse for singing, it really takes a lot of willpower for me to like new album(s).
I'm wondering how many of us would give these songs a second listening if they weren't labeled under IF. I wouldn't.
I probably wouldn't either. I think my opinion of them might be the same, but I don't think I would ever put it on my iPod and actively seek it out.
