Just because bands' previous albums have shown an upwards trend doesn't mean it will stay that way indefinitely. At some point all bands' sales start to slide, and it usually coincides with a decline in musical quality or a change of direction which the majority fanbase don't like.
For me, SC is the biggest change In Flames have ever made. Bigger than Whoracle to Colony, bigger than Clayman to Reroute, and bigger than Come Clarity to ASOP. It's the first album where you can make a genuine argument that they no longer fit in the metal genre. That could have a big impact on sales.
Of course, they're signed with a huge label in Sony and will probably get a ton of promotion. It's entirely possible this album will outsell SOAPF (which would be tragic) but there's also every chance it will be the beginning of a decline for the band. Their sales won't go up forever - they're at that age as a band where sales do tend to start going in a negative direction. Now more than ever the band are relying on fans enjoying listening to Anders sing - and that's not a bet I'd like to take. He admits himself he isn't much of a singer, and when the entire album is based on his vocal melodies, that's a big risk to take.
A decline in sales wouldn't necessarily be a negative thing. It could be a reality check for the band, or it may make them more determined to improve the quality of their offerings regardless of the direction they go in. Fact is, even the In Flames diehards on here have had to give the album multiple spins to discover parts they find really good or memorable. You certainly didn't need that with any of their best albums, and even ASOP had moments on first spin where you said "yeah, that sounds cool". There wasn't any point on SC where I thought this, only after listening 5/6 times did I find anything really worth commenting on.
Every In Flames release has its detractors, absolutely true. Reroute had some vicious attacks, as did STYE. Difference is those albums were aimed towards the American Metal market and were always likely to be a success due to In Flames making a good impression touring America all the time with the likes of Slipknot, Disturbed, etc. Those albums also had some merit and were definitely 'metal', even if it wasn't the type of metal most of their older fans wanted to hear.
I don't know what market they are aiming for with Siren Charms. Probably the alt-rock/metal crowd, but I'm not sure they'd be impressed by this album. I think the band are playing a dangerous game and are seriously risking alienating fans who have stayed loyal to them throughout their careers - and even those fans who have only been with them since R2R and STYE.
