IN FLAMES new album being released on 1st March, 2019
- Thread starter Pallbearer
- Start date
I really like Liberation and feel it ends the album well.I'm in the minority who really likes Liberation, so I can't agree with point A! It is a bit of a strange end to the album though
I like darker times. Enter tragedy is worse. I don't like the rythm on that song.
Liberation is a nice song. It looks more like a cover than an IF song but it's ok. The ending guitar is relaxing.
Jester Slave
Narcissist
New record: out. Setlist: unchanged. North America: get fucked.
Haha, no, but really, this is pretty annoying. Like, are you fucking serious that you are not going to debut at least a couple of new songs?? Holy shit, when you have The Truth and House in the same setlist and you are not willing to rotate any of them like give me a break.
I know that these are small setlists, but at least ONE new song.
Haha, no, but really, this is pretty annoying. Like, are you fucking serious that you are not going to debut at least a couple of new songs?? Holy shit, when you have The Truth and House in the same setlist and you are not willing to rotate any of them like give me a break.
I know that these are small setlists, but at least ONE new song.
Personally I don't mind the album ending that way, but I do find it quite funny that the album ends with such a soft ballad considering the album as a whole is so up tempo and energetic.
Enter Tragedy does have a really weird structure. I think it's fine and I like the song, but it's a bit jarring. The opening riffs are really good though.
I don't think that it's that energetic considering the quantity of mid tempo songs.
Imagine a setlist with:
Soapf
Deliver us
All for me
Wtdsd
Fitw
I've seen that setlist live.
It's too midtempo. Fitw and wtdsd have the same pace. The rest of thr songs played from soapf were not that different in rythm. It was, to be fair, a little boring. Alias, come clarity, cloud connected, delight and angers, the mirror's truth. But they played swim and the hive.
Still, too many midtempo for a 16 songs setlist.
Still, too many midtempo for a 16 songs setlist.
Jester Slave
Narcissist
It's cool when they ask him about older songs. Not so cool that we only got Wallflower and Pinball Map, rather obvious ones, but oh well. It's funny when Anders says he's been writing the same stuff basically
There’s a difference between balladish mid pace and songs like WTDSD. If I can headbang to it I’ll give it a pass.
Yes. But, when the setlist is mostly about midtempo songs then it becomes boring.
It's like the difference between soapf and asop. Though I prefer the first one, asop is more varied when talking about pacing and song structures.
It's like the difference between soapf and asop. Though I prefer the first one, asop is more varied when talking about pacing and song structures.
Ilias7
Member
- Aug 24, 2016
- 345
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- 43
Hi, everyone! I had lots of things to do the last couple of days, so I had no time to share my thoughts on the new album with you. Thankfully, I had time to listen to it when I was on the road. I have processed all the songs very thoroughly and here's my review on the the album I, The Mask:
First of all, I believe it is important to tell what my ratings for the songs mean:
1,2: hate it
3,4: I don't like it
5: average
6,7: I like it
8,9: love it
10: masterpiece
My three favourite IF albums are Clayman, CC and SOAPF, the latter is my most favourite one. Now you have an idea of what kind of IF sound I like.
Voices: Intro with some electronics until the heavy guitar riff kicks in and sets the tone. Anders is growling aggressively in the verses, leading to a clean but a bit weird chorus. Generic solo in the middle, while the ending of the last chorus feels much better. 7/10
I, The Mask: A song that grabs you from the throat from the very start and doesn't let go until the end. Fast paced, "dirty" riffing and lots of screaming with a good chorus. The guitar lead at 0.20 is awesome and there's some good work on the drums ( something rare on this album ). The solo is interesting. Shame that some parts of the song are very similar to older tracks. 8/10
Call My Name: Pretty sick riff, decent verses and a chorus that eventually got stuck in my head, despite the weird autotuned high pitched vocals. The solo gets cut before it even begins...it seems like they are trying to get to the chorus as fast as possible. 7/10
I Am Above: Perfect song for me. Exactly how I want IF to sound like in 2019. Cool riffs, agressive verses, growls, nice melodies, catchy chorus ( "This is the feeling that I have been waiting for " ), great bridge and solo. Kind of weird outro, but it's ok. Well done! 9/10
Follow Me: What a power ballad! Warm acoustic guitar and a very emotional performance by Anders. A cool groove is leading to a very big chorus. I didn't like that much the solo, but I did enjoy the small solo during the final chorus. I have to say that the last two choruses feel much stronger than the first two. 8/10
(This Is Our) House: This where the downfall begins. The children choir is of a bad taste. Solid intro riff, verses are confusing and pre-chorus has a nice lead, but Anders' high singing ruins it. Chorus is ok, while solo is nothing special. The lyrics are cringy af. This song is not for me. 3/10
We Will Remember: Is it a nice melodic intro riff, which repeats later in the chorus, enough for a song? The answer is no. Verses are indifferent, chorus is decent. The bridge is somewhat interesting. Sorry, but I don't like the lyrics. I get the idea of writing a song for the fans, but writing lyrics that refer to older songs or albums and trying to make sense with those is not that smart...is not pioneering either. Hammerfall did it in the song Hector's Hymn some years ago. 5/10
In This Life: Is it a nice melodic intro lead, which repeats later in the chorus, enough for a song? The answer is still no. Although this song has a better build-up than the previous one ( I like the pre-chorus ), the flat chorus is a letdown. Anders lacks energy in his delivery and feels like he is bored to utter his words. Also the lyrics: " who am I and what and why, in liiiIIIiiiIIIiiife..." can't be taken seriously. If there was a solo, then I don't remember it. 5/10
Burn: Fortunately, the album recovers. Super fast verses with single notes riffing. The song escalates until it explodes into a catchy as hell chorus. I know it's kind of pop metal, but I love it. Björn offers two beautiful guitar solos ( actually is one solo repeated two times, but with a slightly different ending ). The breakdown feels a bit out of place, but if I listen to it seperately I think it's cool. 9/10
Deep Inside: The main riff is straight from the Middle East. It's very cool and it gives a mysterious tone to the song. Heavy mid-tempo screaming verses and then a groovy pre-chorus. The chorus feels misplaced, but I like the way it ends and the song returns back to the main riff. Then we have a heavy bridge with some more screaming and a very good solo. The song calms down, before it returns with the last chorus, which actually feels quite better with the screaming. I have to mention that the guitar work remains phenomenal throughout the whole song. 8/10
All The Pain: I really like it when they try new things. The song starts with just Anders and a piano, but there's more to it. It slowly turns into a progressive metal song. Great leads all the way and the pre-chorus ( " I can't be, I can't be alive..." ) is simply amazing. Anders sounds very emotional and I think this is the song he wrote based on a fan's letter, where he was expressing all his suffering. I was expecting a more massive chorus...it's a pity when the pre-chorus is catchier than the actual chorus. Good solo and a different song structure. It works well for me. 8/10
Stay With Me: Exceptional acoustic guitar! It gives me a beautiful feeling. Some parts are a bit mediocre, but the chorus brings tons of emotion. The ending is epic and the melody is beautiful, despite Anders asking us 35 times to stay with him. I would love to listen to an instrumental version of this song as well. 7/10
Not Alone: Yes, it's a rock song. So what? It's brilliant! Low singing verses, up-lifting melodic chorus. I appreciate this radio-friendly effort much more than the House. Not bad at all. 7/10.
Overall: It's a respectable album. Better than Battles and a step to the right direction. Björn did a solid guitar work...the album is clearly guitar-driven ( it's no matter of mixing as they said, but a matter of choice...he simply wrote more and better guitar riffs and leads). Anders sounds excellent both screaming/growling and singing. His vocal lessons are paying off and the majority of the lyrics are improved. Both of them have their good and bad moments on this album, but I am pleased with the overall result. The Howard effect still exists ( weird electronic sounds, autotune, repetitive structures, commercial sound, etc ), but at least is less intense or not so annoying. It's no masterpiece, but it's certainly a worth listening experience ( I will only skip the songs 6,7 and 8 in my car ). 7/10
PS: I know I rated Battles with 7.5 back in 2016, but I was too generous because of my excitement. If I rethink the songs and rate them again, I will probably give Battles a 6.5. I was more careful with ITM, which is a firm 7/10.
First of all, I believe it is important to tell what my ratings for the songs mean:
1,2: hate it
3,4: I don't like it
5: average
6,7: I like it
8,9: love it
10: masterpiece
My three favourite IF albums are Clayman, CC and SOAPF, the latter is my most favourite one. Now you have an idea of what kind of IF sound I like.
Voices: Intro with some electronics until the heavy guitar riff kicks in and sets the tone. Anders is growling aggressively in the verses, leading to a clean but a bit weird chorus. Generic solo in the middle, while the ending of the last chorus feels much better. 7/10
I, The Mask: A song that grabs you from the throat from the very start and doesn't let go until the end. Fast paced, "dirty" riffing and lots of screaming with a good chorus. The guitar lead at 0.20 is awesome and there's some good work on the drums ( something rare on this album ). The solo is interesting. Shame that some parts of the song are very similar to older tracks. 8/10
Call My Name: Pretty sick riff, decent verses and a chorus that eventually got stuck in my head, despite the weird autotuned high pitched vocals. The solo gets cut before it even begins...it seems like they are trying to get to the chorus as fast as possible. 7/10
I Am Above: Perfect song for me. Exactly how I want IF to sound like in 2019. Cool riffs, agressive verses, growls, nice melodies, catchy chorus ( "This is the feeling that I have been waiting for " ), great bridge and solo. Kind of weird outro, but it's ok. Well done! 9/10
Follow Me: What a power ballad! Warm acoustic guitar and a very emotional performance by Anders. A cool groove is leading to a very big chorus. I didn't like that much the solo, but I did enjoy the small solo during the final chorus. I have to say that the last two choruses feel much stronger than the first two. 8/10
(This Is Our) House: This where the downfall begins. The children choir is of a bad taste. Solid intro riff, verses are confusing and pre-chorus has a nice lead, but Anders' high singing ruins it. Chorus is ok, while solo is nothing special. The lyrics are cringy af. This song is not for me. 3/10
We Will Remember: Is it a nice melodic intro riff, which repeats later in the chorus, enough for a song? The answer is no. Verses are indifferent, chorus is decent. The bridge is somewhat interesting. Sorry, but I don't like the lyrics. I get the idea of writing a song for the fans, but writing lyrics that refer to older songs or albums and trying to make sense with those is not that smart...is not pioneering either. Hammerfall did it in the song Hector's Hymn some years ago. 5/10
In This Life: Is it a nice melodic intro lead, which repeats later in the chorus, enough for a song? The answer is still no. Although this song has a better build-up than the previous one ( I like the pre-chorus ), the flat chorus is a letdown. Anders lacks energy in his delivery and feels like he is bored to utter his words. Also the lyrics: " who am I and what and why, in liiiIIIiiiIIIiiife..." can't be taken seriously. If there was a solo, then I don't remember it. 5/10
Burn: Fortunately, the album recovers. Super fast verses with single notes riffing. The song escalates until it explodes into a catchy as hell chorus. I know it's kind of pop metal, but I love it. Björn offers two beautiful guitar solos ( actually is one solo repeated two times, but with a slightly different ending ). The breakdown feels a bit out of place, but if I listen to it seperately I think it's cool. 9/10
Deep Inside: The main riff is straight from the Middle East. It's very cool and it gives a mysterious tone to the song. Heavy mid-tempo screaming verses and then a groovy pre-chorus. The chorus feels misplaced, but I like the way it ends and the song returns back to the main riff. Then we have a heavy bridge with some more screaming and a very good solo. The song calms down, before it returns with the last chorus, which actually feels quite better with the screaming. I have to mention that the guitar work remains phenomenal throughout the whole song. 8/10
All The Pain: I really like it when they try new things. The song starts with just Anders and a piano, but there's more to it. It slowly turns into a progressive metal song. Great leads all the way and the pre-chorus ( " I can't be, I can't be alive..." ) is simply amazing. Anders sounds very emotional and I think this is the song he wrote based on a fan's letter, where he was expressing all his suffering. I was expecting a more massive chorus...it's a pity when the pre-chorus is catchier than the actual chorus. Good solo and a different song structure. It works well for me. 8/10
Stay With Me: Exceptional acoustic guitar! It gives me a beautiful feeling. Some parts are a bit mediocre, but the chorus brings tons of emotion. The ending is epic and the melody is beautiful, despite Anders asking us 35 times to stay with him. I would love to listen to an instrumental version of this song as well. 7/10
Not Alone: Yes, it's a rock song. So what? It's brilliant! Low singing verses, up-lifting melodic chorus. I appreciate this radio-friendly effort much more than the House. Not bad at all. 7/10.
Overall: It's a respectable album. Better than Battles and a step to the right direction. Björn did a solid guitar work...the album is clearly guitar-driven ( it's no matter of mixing as they said, but a matter of choice...he simply wrote more and better guitar riffs and leads). Anders sounds excellent both screaming/growling and singing. His vocal lessons are paying off and the majority of the lyrics are improved. Both of them have their good and bad moments on this album, but I am pleased with the overall result. The Howard effect still exists ( weird electronic sounds, autotune, repetitive structures, commercial sound, etc ), but at least is less intense or not so annoying. It's no masterpiece, but it's certainly a worth listening experience ( I will only skip the songs 6,7 and 8 in my car ). 7/10
PS: I know I rated Battles with 7.5 back in 2016, but I was too generous because of my excitement. If I rethink the songs and rate them again, I will probably give Battles a 6.5. I was more careful with ITM, which is a firm 7/10.
Last edited:
Midas
Offended? Nobody cares.
- Jun 15, 2013
- 226
- 82
- 28
Been listening through the album a few times and yeah, it isn't growing on me at all. Cymbals are washy as fuck, and I find Anders' vocals in some of the songs such as Burn to be annoying as fuck. The fade on the last track still pisses me the fuck off. Whomever did that should stop mixing/mastering.
It isn't all bad though, but yeah, safe to say that to ME, this is yet another disappointment.
It isn't all bad though, but yeah, safe to say that to ME, this is yet another disappointment.
ThePhobiac
be at ease
Checking back in due to popular demand.
"In This Life" has grown on me. I like it. So eight good songs. That's 2/3 of the album. House, Remember, Burn, and Deep Inside all have me apoplectic with the plague (though House and Burn aren't bad, imo, just weak).
I gave Deep Inside several spins and I like it less each time. The band Ra does desert music better.
Again, there's really, really awesome stuff on this album. I just wish it was all awesome.
"In This Life" has grown on me. I like it. So eight good songs. That's 2/3 of the album. House, Remember, Burn, and Deep Inside all have me apoplectic with the plague (though House and Burn aren't bad, imo, just weak).
I gave Deep Inside several spins and I like it less each time. The band Ra does desert music better.
Again, there's really, really awesome stuff on this album. I just wish it was all awesome.
No idea how you could like In This Life and then call Burn and Deep Inside poor tracks. ITL has shitty, sludgy riffs and an awful chorus. Literally the only redeeming factor in the song is the short solo, which is actually quite nice.
That said, I guess if you're a fan of Siren Charms I can understand why you'd like ITL. It sounds like it was ripped from Siren Charms and given the Benson treatment.
That said, I guess if you're a fan of Siren Charms I can understand why you'd like ITL. It sounds like it was ripped from Siren Charms and given the Benson treatment.
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