In Flames New Album being released in Q2 of 2014 thread

[DE4life]

Oh shit. Are we doing Antibottled 2014? Remember when we did that in 2011?

Joking aside, bottled grew on me. I'm too tired to explain all the details right now, but I liked the sound of the song, and I thought the solo sounded like something that could easily fit on TJR. Yuppp. Swoosh.

I respect your opinion though.

I'm going to be Antibottled until the day I die pal but no, in all seriousness the song just does nothing for me. The slow, plodding riffs and the lack of any real direction just kills it for me. Interestingly I actually thought it sounded much better on the Used & Abused Live DVD. Still bad, but not abysmal.

Speaking of opinions, I cannot fucking stand these comments on IF's facebook. Really awful comments. I understand people's frustration with not having the IF they loved, but again. those albums exist right now, and there's nothing holding you back from listenng to it. Making style copies of those records devalues those records. Whoracle would be less special if we had a whoracle part 2 3 4 5 6 7... whatever.

Change is good, but I understand when people don't like stuff.

Part of me likes the new songs. Part of me agrees that there are things lacking. I like the new elements brought on these new songs so far. I however don't like how weak some of the delivery is on it.

I'm with you on this point. I learned to appreciate the newer In Flames sound around the Come Clarity period. Before then I was ripping on R2R and STYE like a tr00 N'Flamez elitist, but now I like Reroute, and STYE isn't the shitheap I always panned it as in the past.

There are genuine gripes about the new sound, and in particular I've always thought Anders' vocals have been very hit and miss from 2002 onwards. On the other hand the uniqueness of the vocals make In Flames what they are, and one thing they aren't is boring (Shadows Fall anyone?) so in that sense I can appreciate the different approach even if I don't always agree with it. His vocals were, as far as I'm concerned, an unmitigated disaster on ASOP, but were conversely pretty good on SOAPF - which is right up there with my favourite albums of the "new" era.

I think for any In Flames fan who grew up listening to the 1996-2000 period, the top albums will always be a combination of the albums released during that time. But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy what they're producing now, as a lot of it is still really good metal and nice to listen to. It may not have the creative beauty of Moonshield, Jester Script Transfigured or Zombie Inc, or the sheer balls of Embody the Invisible, Bullet Ride or Dead Eternity, but it's not the absolute shit a lot of people claim. It's just good, solid music. In Flames made their masterpieces, they don't really have to create any more. Those albums from the 1996 - 2000 period are more than enough.

It's an interesting thought where IF would be, if they would even exist if they wouldn't have progressed at all around when they made TJR/Whoracle. Obviously they wouldn't have been as big. Personally I would maybe even have found them yet. They were my gateway into extreme metal when I first heard Cloud Connected back in 2005.

And lets be honest guys, I doubt you would not want Clayman.

I listened to Rusted Nail again two times for the first time in over a week, and now it's really settled in. I really like it.

Also just saw IF added some new merch, and FINALLY, there's an official fucking tank top, I've been waiting for years. Bought it immediately.

Probably the first and last time I'll ever see Cloud Connected and extreme metal used in the same sentence without a "not" in there... but OK

The more interesting question for me is, what would have happened to them if they'd stuck with the same formula as Colony/Clayman going forward? Stayed with Nordstrom, kept that production, continued with the guitars in the foreground and the vocals basically just on top of them. What if the lyrics had stayed highly metaphorical rather than becoming personalised and dumbed down? Would they still have had the same success? I'd say it's unlikely. I think they made the right decision, business wise, to progress to a model that suited the American market more. They appealed to the growing Alternative Metal scene and it worked out for them in a big way. If they'd continued the melodic Scandinavian metal route I don't think they''d be any bigger than Dark Tranquillity are now. At best they'd be on the same level as the likes of Soilwork.

 

[krofius]

Lol no, I didn't mean that Cloud Connected was extreme metal, I meant that the song was one of the songs that made me listen to extreme metal (mostly melodic death metal). Because Cloud Connected only had the few screams in the verses that didn't bother me that much even though I wasn't acquainted with screams/growls. Then Only For The Weak was probably the other big song that helped me get used to the screaming vocals. I remember hearing Resin when I first started listening to In Flames and I loved the song but I wasn't really used to the heavy vocals by then, so it was kind of a love/hate song but when I started getting used to the vocals it was awesome, obviously.

It's really weird when you've gotten totally used to growls and screams, now if I hear a metal song, it feels more natural if there are scream and growls rather than clean vocals, lol.

 

[DE4life]

Lol no, I didn't mean that Cloud Connected was extreme metal, I meant that the song was one of the songs that made me listen to extreme metal (mostly melodic death metal). Because Cloud Connected only had the few screams in the verses that didn't bother me that much even though I wasn't acquainted with screams/growls. Then Only For The Weak was probably the other big song that helped me get used to the screaming vocals. I remember hearing Resin when I first started listening to In Flames and I loved the song but I wasn't really used to the heavy vocals by then, so it was kind of a love/hate song but when I started getting used to the vocals it was awesome, obviously.

It's really weird when you've gotten totally used to growls and screams, now if I hear a metal song, it feels more natural if there are scream and growls rather than clean vocals, lol.

Strangely I had pretty much the exact same experience before I listened to In Flames I wasn't really into music at all. I enjoyed a few Linkin Park songs (I know, I know...) but otherwise wasn't really keen on anything. Then a friend sent me Only For The Weak one day. At first I was like "WTF", mainly due to the screams, and it actually used to give me a headache but for some reason the song really hooked me and I kept listening to it.

I got sent stuff like Moonshield and Gyroscope around the same time and actually thought it was fucking awful eventually after listening to Clayman and R2R for a while I went back to the older stuff again and realised I'd been a dick and that TJR. Whoracle and Colony were actually fucking amazing. I then went out and bought Damage Done by DT and Natural Born Chaos by Soilwork, and absolutely loved both of them... and so my musical preferences were pretty much born from that. In Flames didn't just get me into metal, but they got me into music as a whole. So, for me, they're the one band I'll pretty much forgive and tolerate no matter what they do.

I'll obviously still rip the shit out of them if they produce crap like ASOP or Bottled... but it won't stop me taking interest in pretty much everything they do until they retire

 

[A88]

First song I've heard from In Flames was TQP. And I was like, "WTF, this is shit!"

But, first time I heard Clayman... Bullet ride - press play - few seconds latter: hooked for life.

I was really into Carcass, Arch Enemy, Death, DT - DD at that time, but this was better. Perfect mix between melodeath and gay.

 

[DE4life]

First song I've heard from In Flames was TQP. And I was like, "WTF, this is shit!"

But, first time I heard Clayman... Bullet ride - press play - few seconds latter: hooked for life.

I was really into Carcass, Arch Enemy, Death, DT - DD at that time, but this was better. Perfect mix between melodeath and gay.

I'm with you on the gay... so to speak evidenced by my love of power metal, and that my second favourite band of all time behind N'Flaymz is Freedom Call

 

[Jester313]

My friend told me about them in '06 so I started with their MySpace page (ha, MySpace) which had Take This Life, Leeches, Episode 666, and Touch of Red. Then I found Metaphor on another MySpace page. I loved them all, but before then, I really only listened to Metallica, Megadeth, some Pantera. My friend bought me Come Clarity and then I worked my way backwards, I noticed some kid at school with a Dark Tranquillity shirt and did the MySpace thing again (Monochromatic Stains, The New Build, Endless Feed I think). That's really when I started searching out for more music by using Pandora pretty much. So yeah, In Flames also got me to listen to a lot more metal.

 

[DE4life]

Going back to talking about them playing old stuff real quick:



We've all seen this I know, but it's interesting to hear him in 2008 talk to a New York City crowd about, "When we do play old songs you all stand there like zombies. You need to prove to us why we should play the old stuff."

Anders calling people pussies... the fucking irony does he read his own lyrics?

 

[only4theweak187]

Anders calling people pussies... the fucking irony does he read his own lyrics?

Hahaha



http://themetalpigeon.com/2012/03/27/in-flames-what-was-new-is-now-old-again/

"in the classic era the guitars carried the song with primary melodies and hooks, in the new era Anders vocal melodies, for better or worse, carry the songs and the guitars are relegated to simply supporting them."

Can't lie I completely agree with this guy's view.

 

[DE4life]

Hahaha



http://themetalpigeon.com/2012/03/27/in-flames-what-was-new-is-now-old-again/

"in the classic era the guitars carried the song with primary melodies and hooks, in the new era Anders vocal melodies, for better or worse, carry the songs and the guitars are relegated to simply supporting them."

Can't lie I completely agree with this guy's view.

He lost me at this part:

The sounds and styles of Reroute to Remain, Soundtrack to Your Escape, Come Clarity, A Sense of Purpose, and Sounds of a Playground Fading are the same!

Total bullshit. None of these albums sound anything alike. The song structures in them are similar, but musically they are still very different. Anyone who thinks Come Clarity and ASOP are "the same" have either not listened to the albums or heard only what they want to hear.

 

[Jester313]

Just went through ASOP in my car and there is definitely good bass. Also, I still really like The Chosen Pessimist. When's this album come out again? We're running out of things to talk about here.

 

[krofius]

Well I doubt we're going to hear anything new in a couple weeks...They've only released one song officially, my guess is they will ''officially'' release Through Oblivion or Everything's Gone in the near future.

And I think about ASOP, it's an album best listened to on good speakers, not with in-ear headphones. At least that's what I think when I've listened to it in different ways.

 

[only4theweak187]

He lost me at this part:



Total bullshit. None of these albums sound anything alike. The song structures in them are similar, but musically they are still very different. Anyone who thinks Come Clarity and ASOP are "the same" have either not listened to the albums or heard only what they want to hear.

Wow, totally overlooked that.

STYE and Come Clarity were still rather unique as themes and sound goes. Both had plenty of good tracks. Even Come Clarity still, has great metalcoreish songs like Reflect the Storm, Vacuum, Versus Terminus etc. etc.


Anyways, are there any other topics we haven't covered? Ha.

 

[ciko_gfb]

Hey guys. I read most of your comments and I thought I could join the forum.

I just saw on ITunes, you can buy Through Oblivion, it's available. When first I heard it I hated it but now, i think it's actually very good song. But I wish I could change things at song. after the second chorus, there's a awesome lead guitar but you can barely hear it. It would be nice if they were using it as a solo.

By the way, I'm a fan of "Bottled". It has a awesome solo, why wouldn't someone like that song?! lol

 

[DE4life]

I can't think of a worse way to introduce yourself than coming here and calling yourself a fan of Bottled. Don't you know myself and A88 run this town, asshole?

That said, welcome...

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

Total bullshit. None of these albums sound anything alike. The song structures in them are similar, but musically they are still very different. Anyone who thinks Come Clarity and ASOP are "the same" have either not listened to the albums or heard only what they want to hear.

Actually, they are the same, as the original poster stated. All he is saying is that on those albums the musical style is more focused on the vocals than the guitars. And he is correct. An unavoidable conclusion.

 

[DE4life]

Actually, they are the same, as the original poster stated. All he is saying is that on those albums the musical style is more focused on the vocals than the guitars. And he is correct. An unavoidable conclusion.

Wow, what incredible insight. Did he have any other amazing wisdom to bestow upon us or did he exhaust himself by coming to that mind-blowing conclusion?

 

[ciko_gfb]

I can't think of a worse way to introduce yourself than coming here and calling yourself a fan of Bottled. Don't you know myself and A88 run this town, asshole?

That said, welcome...

Thank you sir

Well speaking of ASOP, In Flames made a song with Pendulum around the same time with ASOP tour (I guess). I think it's nicer than the most of the songs from ASOP.

What do you think?

 

[Jester313]

Wow, what incredible insight. Did he have any other amazing wisdom to bestow upon us or did he exhaust himself by coming to that mind-blowing conclusion?

Yeah, it was a nice article until all of that. But being driven by vocals doesn't make something sound the same. By that logic, all of rock/metal music that is guitar-driven sounds the same. He also said SOAPF was the least melodic of the past 5 albums...? I don't feel like talking about this article that much since it's not really good.

 

[DE4life]

Thank you sir

That's more like it

Well speaking of ASOP, In Flames made a song with Pendulum around the same time with ASOP tour (I guess). I think it's nicer than the most of the songs from ASOP.

What do you think?

I'm not really a fan of Pendulum, from memory the track wasn't bad, but it wasn't something that interested me either. Everything they did on SOAPF was superior to ASOP, as far as I'm concerned. I try to forget the years between CC and SOAPF, for my own good

Yeah, it was a nice article until all of that. But being driven by vocals doesn't make something sound the same. By that logic, all of rock/metal music that is guitar-driven sounds the same. He also said SOAPF was the least melodic of the past 5 albums...? I don't feel like talking about this article that much since it's not really good.

The beginning of the article was fine, some nice descriptions of the older albums and what made them special. The rest of it was utter shit, if all you can draw from it is "the albums after Clayman are vocal driven" then congratu-fucking-lations, you figured out something everybody else knew twelve years ago

 

[MidnightDistortions]

When a new album is near the old guard always return to throw down some wisdom

It's strange when I read Anders talking about how the old stuff doesn't work live. I was watching them at a show (I think it was 2008) where they played a TJR melody - and The Jester Race sounded absolutely epic. The intro gave me goosebumps and all the songs they played in that medley sounded incredible live.

Personally I think the reasons for them not playing the songs are twofold - firstly it takes too much out of them as the older songs are more demanding to play, and secondly Anders can't produce that type of vocal technique anymore over a sustained period. He can throw a great growl out every so often but I don't think he can do it for half or even a quarter of a show, whilst still utilising his (terrible) clean voice for the newer tracks.

It does make sense, but for fans of their older stuff it's also massively disappointing. I'm pretty sure the main reason they play The Hive is because the song ends with a huge solo and Anders gets a break as a result

Check out the crowd "not reacting" to Dead God In Me & The Jester Race here...



You were saying, Anders?

Love the 'Behind Space' part at the end.

I wonder if In Flames would do the older albums instrumentally. Not particularly making the music live sound much better but if Anders is complaining too much about having to use harsh vocals..

I never got to see In Flames live but hearing how the band plays mostly new stuff i'm not interested in seeing them. I like the newer IF material but i prefer the '90's IF material.

That Rusted Nail video is lol. I finally got used to the song though after hearing it a few times, i actually like it a little but it doesn't make it any better.