IN FLAMES new album being released on 1st March, 2019

I just love how energetic and powerful SOAPF feels, and the production is a massive part of that. I love how the solo just bursts into the title track just below the 3 minute mark. It sounds great. Even Anders' cleans sound good. Sure, they're protooled up, but it's nothing like the T-Pain autotune bullshit we've been getting on the last two albums. I guess that's a Howard Benson special.
 
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Mmm, I don’t know about Anders’ cleans on SOAPF. They make my throat hurt just listening to ‘em. Hate that half-scream half-sing he does and I’m glad he (mostly) ditched it on SC. YMMV. I don’t like the autotune on the newer albums but at least it doesn’t hurt to listen to for me.

The cleans on The Attic, Ropes, and Liberation sound good, though. Might be forgetting something else.
 
Two notes on "Burn" whilst I'm here.

1. The lyrics are actually quite good, improvement from Anders' usual woe-is-me routine.

2. Chorus really derails the song. Seems our good friends in the YouTube comments section agree:

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I'm pretty much with these guys. It's like the verses for most of these songs are taking inspiration from the ASOP/SOAPF period, but the choruses are stuck on this Howard Benson Battles sound which got old about three songs into Battles.
 
Mmm, I don’t know about Anders’ cleans on SOAPF. They make my throat hurt just listening to ‘em. Hate that half-scream half-sing he does and I’m glad he (mostly) ditched it on SC. YMMV. I don’t like the autotune on the newer albums but at least it doesn’t hurt to listen to for me.

The cleans on The Attic, Ropes, and Liberation sound good, though. Might be forgetting something else.

His vocals sound much worse on ASOP imo. There's a vocal only version of Disconnected drifting around on YouTube and it's absolutely brutal without instruments. I mean, the vocals genuinely sound terrible. Bad mix and just a bad sound in general.
 
I’m really enjoying Burn lyrically, especially during when Anders sings the lines

“Drop the bombs, build the new
Purge our thoughts for different views
Different mantra, different beat
Still heading for eternal sleep

Devoured by constant pressure
Always for some else's pleasure”

Really cool lyrics imo, sounds really fast and hard hitting, still so much to discuss for the rest of the album.. I actually welcome a bit more experimentation across some other tracks since we’ve heard quite a few heavy ones, I do hope there’s still plenty more growls and harsh vocals though.

Anyone going to the London show in April?
Haven’t listened to the other bands, any albums worth checking out?
 
What do you think Burn is about? I remember the very first interview where Anders said he is troubled about the world his kids are growing up to, with a lot of tension and the political climate ready to explode...that could be it, he is describing this kind of world.

The lyrics are good, it takes some time to digest them and analyze them. Also, I 've noticed that many of their last songs are lyrically simplified during the chorus...maybe on purpose, so it can be easily memorable and people can sing it along live.
 
I've seen some people suggesting House and Burn are about Swedish nationalism, but from what I've read Anders & Bjorn lean to the left rather than the right so it seems unlikely.
 
http://ramzine.co.uk/featured/ander...-this-band-and-be-part-of-every-step-we-take/

Another interview, nothing much interesting. Good to know there will be more upcoming European dates.

Also, Architects and Witchcraft were announced for Borgholm Brinner.
Architects were simply ok for me, but their latest album was a real masterpiece.





Their new guitarist Josh Middleton is a beast. You should check his other band Sylosis, where he also sings.





Architects are amazing, seen tnhem twice, and their new album is a Master price! Also yeah, Sylosis are amazing, Mercy is such a good song, and Quiescent is my correct favorite off of Dormant Heart, which is an album you all should check out as its amazing
 
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I’m really enjoying Burn lyrically, especially during when Anders sings the lines

“Drop the bombs, build the new
Purge our thoughts for different views
Different mantra, different beat
Still heading for eternal sleep

Devoured by constant pressure
Always for some else's pleasure”

Really cool lyrics imo, sounds really fast and hard hitting, still so much to discuss for the rest of the album.. I actually welcome a bit more experimentation across some other tracks since we’ve heard quite a few heavy ones, I do hope there’s still plenty more growls and harsh vocals though.

Anyone going to the London show in April?
Haven’t listened to the other bands, any albums worth checking out?

Light The Torch are awesome, they have Killswitch Engage's old vocalist Howard Jones. They used to be Called Devil You Know so I'll lump their songs together. Check out Seven Years Alone, Master of None, Search for the Sun, Raise The Dead, Virus, Die Alone
 
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His vocals sound much worse on ASOP imo. There's a vocal only version of Disconnected drifting around on YouTube and it's absolutely brutal without instruments. I mean, the vocals genuinely sound terrible. Bad mix and just a bad sound in general.

Yeah, I gave that a listen. It's pretty rough. I consider ASOP and SOAPF to be his nadir as a vocalist, ASOP being the worse of the two. Not counting his early days with Dark Tranquillity pre-Skydancer. That's even worse, imo.
 
From what I recall, Anders said "(This is Our) House" is about climate change, House meaning Planet. From its chorus, "Burn" sounds like a protest song, but I have to dig into the rest of the lyrics more.
 
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Light The Torch are awesome, they have Killswitch Engage's old vocalist Howard Jones. They used to be Called Devil You Know so I'll lump their songs together. Check out Seven Years Alone, Master of None, Search for the Sun, Raise The Dead, Virus, Die Alone


Thanks, I’ll check them out!
 
How can you praise SOAPF production without mentioning how it killed the metal sound of IF? I take a fucked up ASOP production any day over SOAPF, because at least it's still metal.

I wouldn't be proud if facebook or especially youtube comments overlapped with my opinion. Youtube comments are the biggest cesspool on the entire commercial side of the internet, so if people agree with you on a platform where they can be racist, homophobic and whatnot, then it's really nothing to talk home about. I may as well compile some comments which state that jews should be burned, and post it here to "prove" I am right.

We get it Laverna, you are hot. Sadly, I know that feeling all too well. It really is a cruel word, and no one is looking out for us. Everyone talks about those losers over there in Africa, who are literally withering away from hunger (lol, just eat something motherfuckers), and no one cares about us being so good looking that we are bombarded with hookup messages. Imagine being ugly AND poor lolololol.
 
Sylosis are amazing, Mercy is such a good song, and Quiescent is my correct favorite off of Dormant Heart, which is an album you all should check out as its amazing

Dormant Heart is the definition of an excellent album. Tracks such as Victims and Pawns, title track, To Build A Tomb, Leech, Harm, Mercy, Quiescent are exceptional and very atmospheric. Sylosis have a very unique sound ( modern thrash metal they call it ) and I've never seen a band playing in standard tuning and still sounding heavy af.
They are set to return with a new album in 2019 after a 5 year hiatus.
 
How can you praise SOAPF production without mentioning how it killed the metal sound of IF? I take a fucked up ASOP production any day over SOAPF, because at least it's still metal.

I disagree that it "killed the metal sound of IF" (seriously, wtf :rofl:) but even if I did agree it's still an incredibly idiotic way of thinking :D If it sounds good to me then it sounds good. How retarded would it be to say "well I really loved how the music sounds, but unfortunately because it's not 'metal' I can't like it". You'd have to be a special kind of elitist bellend to take metal that seriously.
 
How can you praise SOAPF production without mentioning how it killed the metal sound of IF? I take a fucked up ASOP production any day over SOAPF, because at least it's still metal.

I wouldn't be proud if facebook or especially youtube comments overlapped with my opinion. Youtube comments are the biggest cesspool on the entire commercial side of the internet, so if people agree with you on a platform where they can be racist, homophobic and whatnot, then it's really nothing to talk home about. I may as well compile some comments which state that jews should be burned, and post it here to "prove" I am right.

We get it Laverna, you are hot. Sadly, I know that feeling all too well. It really is a cruel word, and no one is looking out for us. Everyone talks about those losers over there in Africa, who are literally withering away from hunger (lol, just eat something motherfuckers), and no one cares about us being so good looking that we are bombarded with hookup messages. Imagine being ugly AND poor lolololol.
Finally normal, rude Jester Slave is back
 
I disagree that it "killed the metal sound of IF" (seriously, wtf :rofl:) but even if I did agree it's still an incredibly idiotic way of thinking :D If it sounds good to me then it sounds good. How retarded would it be to say "well I really loved how the music sounds, but unfortunately because it's not 'metal' I can't like it". You'd have to be a special kind of elitist bellend to take metal that seriously.
I do like most of the songs, but it's just not the same. Throughout their evolution, they kept two things: melodies and metal. With SOAPF, they got rid of the latter, and it was an awful decision. As I always say, I am fine with one-offs, but it has been 3 fucking rock albums from IF, and the only reason that I will always have a soft spot for ITM, even if I will fucking detest the rest of the songs is that it marks the return to metal sound.

It's like drinking a glass of icy cold water after you'd been walking through the desert. Maybe the water tastes funny, maybe it has interesting colors in it, but man, it is refreshing and you have been craving for it.

This is why ASOP >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> SOAPF forever. I do appreciate SOAPF for what it is, and while I don't think it deserves all the praise it gets, ibut t does many of it for sure.
 
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If you hate rock music then that's your problem tbf. Most people who are into metal also like some rock music, so this wouldn't be a big deal to them.
 
I do hate it, so it is many steps backwards for me. But sure, I understand how it may be a personal issue, but it still has to be mentioned when it comes to post-ASOP production era. IF has became much less of a fun band, because rock music is just not fun. It may be rich, it may sound great, but it is painfully boring and predictable.

The best and most interesting songs post-ASOP are all ballads or slower songs, like TO, WEWO, SC, Wallflower, Liberation, All For Me, The Attic. The only interesting songs which don't fit this criteria are New Dawn and The Truth.

All the other good songs (Fear is the weakness, Ropes, Deliver Us, Paralyzed, The Chase, any catchy shit on Battles) are carried by Anders. Give those songs another singer and IF wouldn't be releasing their next record in a month.

I'm not happy that returning to the metal sound has a heavy price (burn buuurn buuUuuuUuurnnnNnnNN), but such are the deals with the Devil.