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

[krofius]

Speaking of production, I don't think there's any In Flames album with *excellent* production. Across all 12 albums there's always something that's unsatisfying or bad. I always thought Come Clarity had the best overall production but even that album bugs me these days (the crash cymbals drown everything out).

Come Clarity is one of the best ones indeed, the production is very clean and crisp. Also really dig the bass production, probably the album with most audible bass of IF's catalogue. I think Clayman is also with few faults. Snare sound is something to get annoyed by if it stands out in a bad way but I've never really felt it on any IF album really, maybe on Whoracle it's a bit clunky sounding but doesn't bother me.
One of my absolute favorite bands Gojira probably has my favorite productions ever, especially when it comes to drums and guitars on their albums From Mars to Sirius and The Way of All Flesh. The double bass drums in perticular. Maybe it has to do with their drummer being one of the best drummers in Metal at the moment as well.

 

[Ilias7]

I don't mean they are like Metallica or Iron Maiden big, of course...by no means. However, I think they are one of the biggest bands in Europe, top-25 or something, considering album sales ( over 3 million ), chart positions ( especially in Sweden and Germany ), 4 Grammis awards, having a reckognizable unique sound ( or used to have, at least ) that influenced many other bands and filling Europe's greatest arenas. They are certainly an appreciable force.

If I remember correctly, Battles was released two weeks after Korn's Sereniry Of Suffering and one week before Metallica's Hardwired to Self-destruct. That seems to me more risky than releasing an album on November 30 or December 7, for instance.

Anyway, I didn't think of christmas sales, black friday, movies and non metal releases. You are right about these. But again, the fact that the label didn't take these things into consideration in the first place and they let an invalid information loose (late 2018 release) indicates poor planning.

 

[DE4life]

In Flames still have a solid reputation in the metal scene, although they definitely aren't as big now as they were during the Come Clarity era, which was really their peak in terms of mainstream metal appeal. Even my friends knew who they were during that time, whereas when I first got into them in the late 90s nobody had heard of them. I'm not sure their popularity ever really led to huge albums sales but their tours always did and continue to do well. I stopped having any interest in seeing them live some time ago though. Firstly it's not the true In Flames at this point due to all the member changes, and secondly there's too much new material which Anders in particular can't perform properly live. I understand why they do it, but it's not something I'm interested in and wouldn't be even if Jesper, Peter and Daniel were still in the band.

As for production, Clayman is stellar and has received plenty of praise for how it sounds so I don't know how anybody could listen to that and not think it was spot on. Colony is fine too, and I like the production on SOAPF. The rest of the albums have their issues - particularly Reroute, STYE and Siren Charms, which is the absolute worst and sounds like it was mixed by a five year old - but SC aside none of the other albums have bad production, just some questionable elements.

 

[eochaid]

Their album sales have been dropping down since asop. I know that's something common to the music industry. But sc selling half than asop did on the first weekend seems to be a symptom.

A top metal band should not be a supporting act. And I'm not talking about the USA. I'm talking about the UK were they don't reach the status of lead act.

I also want to remember that there are, at least, two different record labels involved. I say two because I don't know if they have a different label for the USA.

 

[eochaid]

Clayman is, to me, their best in terms of production. Being the perfect album the number of the beast.

And talking about production. In the asop docummentary jesper talks about adding layers of guitars to create a massive sound. But that does not happen in the final release. So, maybe, it is a mixing problem.

 

[Sister Of Destruction]

In Flames is much better than all this bands but people dont understand their music, they prefer bands like 5fdp, shitknot or metallica. I know that all this bands have different style its hard to compare them but cmon all of them are nothing compare to In Flames :d

 

[eochaid]

I don't think that if are better than metallica or slipknot.

 

[Riamu]

So while were waiting for updates regarding the new album, how about a discussion on what we expect to hear vs what we would like to see on this new record?

I’m happy to hear it’s more up tempo, so maybe we’ll hear more thrash elements instrumentally.
I get a feeling it will be more synth heavy, but that’s just a guess. It would be cool to hear Anders use his death growls more as I’m sure most of us would, but we know he uses that more in a live setting than on records these days.

I’m pretty sure Joe did the drums for this album and not Tanner if we have any knowledge of that? I think I saw a post by Joe earlier in the year about being in the studio again, so assume that he was behind the kit.

 

[eochaid]

I spect an improve in the guitar work. Last two albums were dissapointing.

 

[galvanized]

Late 90s In Flames was far more metal than Metallica but that has changed. I was never a big fan of Metallica before except for Master of Puppets (album). I recently got Hardwired to Self Destruct and it is awesome. They kick In Flames’ ass. Metallica has done a great job staying powerful and relevant while still being metal.

 

[galvanized]

In Flames is much better than all this bands but people dont understand their music, they prefer bands like 5fdp, shitknot or metallica. I know that all this bands have different style its hard to compare them but cmon all of them are nothing compare to In Flames :d

Slipknot is also more metal than IF these days. Sad but true. Hell even 5FDP has more aggressive songs than IF.

 

[galvanized]

Come Clarity is one of the best ones indeed, the production is very clean and crisp. Also really dig the bass production, probably the album with most audible bass of IF's catalogue.

You are right about the bass but there is something about the production on Come Clarity that gives me serious listening fatigue. It has a “clipped” or “compressed” sound that just makes my ears literally tired with headphones or a headset. Agree CC is one of their best overall but the production could have been improved in my opinion.

 

[DE4life]

In Flames is much better than all this bands but people dont understand their music, they prefer bands like 5fdp, shitknot or metallica. I know that all this bands have different style its hard to compare them but cmon all of them are nothing compare to In Flames :d

I can understand thinking that about Slipknot or 5FDP, but Metallica? Much more influential than In Flames ever have or ever will be. In terms of music I find Metallica a little overrated, although I still like their stuff up until and including the Black Album. I'm not interested in anything they've produced since then, but to call Metallica "nothing" compared to In Flames is laughable. The others might not be everyone's cup of tea, but whilst Slipknot and 5FDP have never put out anything that touches TJR, Whoracle, Colony or Clayman, I'd argue that in terms of consistency and maturity both bands are way ahead of In Flames. At least those bands know what direction they're going in. In Flames is like a rudderless ship with no direction whatsoever.

You are right about the bass but there is something about the production on Come Clarity that gives me serious listening fatigue. It has a “clipped” or “compressed” sound that just makes my ears literally tired with headphones or a headset. Agree CC is one of their best overall but the production could have been improved in my opinion.

CC's production is very "in your face". I think that's how it was intended but there's definitely something tiring about it. I love listening to songs off that album in isolation, but listening to the entire album is tougher. I personally prefer the production on SOAPF.

 

[Pallbearer]

Not sure if I really expect it, but I at least hope Anders was right when he talked about the new album sounding more like SOAPF.

I don't care much about whether Joe or Tanner did the drums. In Flames never had that technical drums so any professional drummer should do well enough.

 

[JesterSlaveSucks]

last album was a drum machine aka "joe" but nobody cares about drums n bass in this band its all about anders shit vocals and baldjorn pretending hes in a 70s rock band but he should remember those bands had vocalists that could sing

 

[Buz]

last album was a drum machine aka "joe" but nobody cares about drums n bass in this band its all about anders shit vocals and baldjorn pretending hes in a 70s rock band but he should remember those bands had vocalists that could sing

I don't know man! I feel like Daniel has a very unique style and groove to his playing! I feel he is kind of like Tommy Lee in a sense. He is not a flashy drummer and does easy fills for the most part, yet has just this unmistakable groove and solid meter to what he did in the Crue! Daniel in my opinion is the same. Some more complex fills yes, nonetheless, a personality-trademark-styled player. I can also validate your point though. I felt like Joe was right in the pocket and super solid. Daniel's absence did not take away from my experience of "Battles," yet I still wish he was in the band. And I agree whether Joe or Tanner or whoever, the drumming job can be filled and executed for all intensive purpose.

 

[DE4life]

Anders and Bjorn proved with SOAPF that they can produce a great album. That's what makes Siren Charms and Battles so frustrating. If all three albums post-Jesper had been awful then you'd say, okay, they've clearly lost something big and the two of them aren't enough of a creative force by themselves. SOAPF was fucking awesome though. Great riffs and melodies, overflowing energy, powerful drumming, good screams and cleans, well-placed synths and a unique set of songs which all have their own identity. You can sense the inspiration, confidence and motivation flowing through the entire album. It still baffles me that we ended up with Siren Charms just three years later.

I know Anders said the new one will sound more like SOAPF, but I'm pretty skeptical. This is the same person who said before ASOP was released that it was comparable to Clayman. The band members have often evoked past albums when talking about upcoming material and rarely do they actually speak the truth Considering they're staying in the States with their new best pal Howard Benson I'm expecting Battles Part 2.

 

[Pallbearer]

R2R was supposed to have "many TJR elements".

I don't remember whether it was a band member or someone else who said it, though.

 

[krofius]

I would never put to much weight on a band members description of the album really, it's always from another perspective than we have. I know Anders also said something along the lines that Sleepless Again could be off of Whoracle or something like that.

 

[eochaid]

Not only the band members. I read a review of asop saying that Alias was like oftw.