In Flames' roots in Lunar Strain/Subterranean.

[InFlames101]

Even though the songs from these two albums aren't as intense as the latter albums, I would still say the very noticeable melodic, folklore element makes these two albums very enjoyable. I feel that Lunar Strain, especially, epitomizes traditional Euorpean folklore music and with many accoustic parts, the root of later In Flames songs from TJR and Whoracle are shown. In Flames is probably not the first melodic death metal band in Europe but they're defintely one of the first to combine mellow European folklore music with harsh vocals and harmonized distorted guitars, a product that seems to have started many other European bands with a similar style of music.

Anyway, what are your thoughts about early In Flames?

 

[Scourge of Malice]

maybe we should make this the offical OLD IN FLAMES thread.. no r2r fuckers come in here and start arguments please ^_^

anyways, i love those two albums. Dreamscape, In Flames, Stand Ablaze.. some of of favorite In Flames songs

 

[asphyXy]

when i first heard hårgalåten, i shit myself. great song. old in flames is underrated

 

[Yetti]

hårgalåten threw me off w/ the ethnic instruments. i really like it, but id have to say wayfarer is my favorite instrumental.

 

[CONCLAVE OBSCURUM]

The first in flames albums are amazing... and as In Flames101 said... a great combination of folklore and hard metal. You just can't live whitout hårgalåten...

But still, i'm glad they moved forward.

 

[Erik]

I feel that Lunar Strain, especially, epitomizes traditional Euorpean folklore music

Conclusion: You haven't heard any traditional "European" (as a note to you Americans, Europe is comprised of around 50 separate countries, most of which will have wildly different "folklore music") folklore music. Ever.

It's a good album though. Tramples all over the other In Flames stuff.

 

[Erik]

when i first heard hårgalåten, i shit myself. great song. old in flames is underrated

It's not as if In Flames wrote it though. It is a traditional Swedish folk song.

 

[Steve]

IT's an interesting adaptation. I have heard native music from many places around the world. My brother actually had to take a 'Music Appreciation' class in college (odd because his major was Computer Science and Engineering), and I listened to a lot of the native music from many places he had.

It is interesting to see how In Flames blended Hargalaten into their album. I think the style with the folk influence was pretty much gone on The Jester Race, but it was subtle, so it wasn't a permanent part of the music. it was part of the evolution, and I think it would be different now if they hadn't had it, but it no longer shows up in it's own form.

Steve

 

[InFlames101]

Conclusion: You haven't heard any traditional "European" (as a note to you Americans, Europe is comprised of around 50 separate countries, most of which will have wildly different "folklore music") folklore music. Ever.

It's a good album though. Tramples all over the other In Flames stuff.

Let me rephrase it. I mean European in the context that it separates from American folklore music. Of course there are different types of European folk music, and In Flames' style is Swedish, but I was just making the distinction between American and European.

 

[Steve]

Conclusion: You haven't heard any traditional "European" (as a note to you Americans, Europe is comprised of around 50 separate countries, most of which will have wildly different "folklore music") folklore music. Ever.

He also doesn't know what 'epitomizes' means either.

Steve

 

[InFlames101]

He also doesn't know what 'epitomizes' means either.

Steve

At this point, I'll try to avoid as many semantic arguments as possible since I didn't think the nature of this thread would even produce any. Either way, "epitomize" means to serve as a representative or example of a certain class or type. So show me where the usage is wrong.

 

[Steve]

Lunar Strain is not an example of European folklore music. It may be an example of how it can be blended into modern music, like metal, but Lunar Strain is undenyably a different type of music, although it can have influences from this type.

Steve

 

[InFlames101]

Lunar Strain is not an example of European folklore music. It may be an example of how it can be blended into modern music, like metal, but Lunar Strain is undenyably a different type of music, although it can have influences from this type.

Steve

Keep in mind that I was writing this before phyre made his post so I took your post as suggesting that I used the word wrongly. Anyway, I was making the point that Lunar Strain contains many parts of Swedish folklore music that of course blends into the metal aspect of the album (obviously since In Flames is primarily a metal band). It is however representative of what Swedish folk music is like since it contains elements of the style, like in the songs Everlost II, Hargalaten, and the end of Behind Space.

 

[Erik]

Yeah, well.. You won't find many actual traditional Swedish folk songs that sound much like Everlost or Behind Space's acoustic bits... Sure, I call those "folk influences" as well but it's more like something that's derived from the gloomier aspects of traditional folk music blended with more modern music. Neo-folk, I dunno. I'm no expert really. You can hear those folk-ish influences all over early In Flames though, not just in the acoustic parts... The opening riff of "Biosphere" for example has a very folk-type feeling/rhythm to it. This is really a large part of what made early IF so great IMO.

 

[C-Taylor]

Starforsaken shows how it can break in to a metal song from a folk type song.. As said above Biosphere reminds me of a more medevil time when the folklore music would have actually been used.

But still, stand ablaze is the best old in flames song in my opinion.

 

[L0bster]

The first to albums are great. Subterranean might be my favorite IF realease.

And yeah, it's extremly folkinfluenced. Just listen to hårgalåten, which really is a traditional swedish song, and compare to melodies to other melodies on the album, not that different, right?

 

[HeadCrusher]

Well I think that the first two albums a really good too.

 

[Steve]

I think we all need to hear some real swedish folk music...

 

[InFlames101]

Well then suggest some.