I mostly agree. I like Liberation and I think I like it more because it's the last song, and it comes after A New Dawn. I love the sound of those two songs right next to each other because A New Dawn sounds like the last song to an album, but then Liberation comes in and it's like an epilogue. It's great. I also like how the lyrics are similar to the title track, so it kinda ties it all together.
In Flames -Sounds of A Playground Fading (Upcoming 10th album)
- Thread starter krofius
- Start date
I mostly agree. I like Liberation and I think I like it more because it's the last song, and it comes after A New Dawn. I love the sound of those two songs right next to each other because A New Dawn sounds like the last song to an album, but then Liberation comes in and it's like an epilogue. It's great. I also like how the lyrics are similar to the title track, so it kinda ties it all together.
PlainVanilla
Dickhead Jester
ThePhobiac
be at ease
In the process of listening...currently up to Enter Tragedy.
Overall, I'm extremely impressed by what I'm hearing. I haven't enjoyed an IF album this much since I heard The Jester Race, so for me it's probably up there with that. I'm getting a very old-school vibe from this, not merely Colony-era In Flames, but sort of an 80's grunge metal feel, especially in the vocals (I keep thinking back to Anders saying Layne Staley is one of his influences, and it's definitely apparent on this album).
The first four songs kick ass, especially All For Me. I wasn't feeling The Puzzle at first but the outro definitely convinced me. The musicianship has improved tenfold here, and the solos are outstanding. Anders sounds amazing, as well.
Enter Tragedy just finished, and yeah, I must say everything has been killer so far, except for "Fear Is The Weakness" and especially "Where The Dead Ships Dwell." IMO, those are the only two "filler-esque" tracks on the album, WTDSD being surprisingly weak to me. That's probably the only song I actually dislike so far.
Two songs to go, and I must say, The Jester's Door is a hit with me. Fantastic stuff!
(Yeah, overall, this could easily be in my top three IF albums, despite Where the Dead Ships Dwell being, in my opinion, a stumbling point.)
Overall, I'm extremely impressed by what I'm hearing. I haven't enjoyed an IF album this much since I heard The Jester Race, so for me it's probably up there with that. I'm getting a very old-school vibe from this, not merely Colony-era In Flames, but sort of an 80's grunge metal feel, especially in the vocals (I keep thinking back to Anders saying Layne Staley is one of his influences, and it's definitely apparent on this album).
The first four songs kick ass, especially All For Me. I wasn't feeling The Puzzle at first but the outro definitely convinced me. The musicianship has improved tenfold here, and the solos are outstanding. Anders sounds amazing, as well.
Enter Tragedy just finished, and yeah, I must say everything has been killer so far, except for "Fear Is The Weakness" and especially "Where The Dead Ships Dwell." IMO, those are the only two "filler-esque" tracks on the album, WTDSD being surprisingly weak to me. That's probably the only song I actually dislike so far.
Two songs to go, and I must say, The Jester's Door is a hit with me. Fantastic stuff!
(Yeah, overall, this could easily be in my top three IF albums, despite Where the Dead Ships Dwell being, in my opinion, a stumbling point.)
I'm currently at "Where The Dead Ships Dwell" and so far I absolutely love "All For Me"
I'm actually tempted to listen to it several more times before the rest of the album, it's that great.
I'm actually tempted to listen to it several more times before the rest of the album, it's that great.
I think it's funny how people are saying this sounds like "old" In Flames, just because it has a few acoustic-ish parts.
My review of the album is this: Aside from a few very standout tracks, this album is very thin, shallow, and takes In Flames back a thousand steps in terms of being an outstanding band. The leaked tracks - Deliver Us, Sounds, A New Dawn - each of these tracks spell out classic In Flames that we've come to expect; catchy choruses, layered songwriting, energy, dedication.
But the other tracks? Almost every single one of them falls way too short of these above tracks (which will most likely be the singles). The Puzzle and Darker Times are messy "nu-metal" tracks that hark back more to the songwriting style of Coal Chamber or Korn, without being as catchy - you'd at least expect In Flames to throw a charming chorus in there, or some layered keys, but it just doesn't happen.
Moving on to the two experimental songs, The Attic and Jesper's Door, these tracks are nothing, absolutely nothing, but a few spoken words by Anders (no "surprise energy" like the end of Bedtime Story or Evil In A Closet) and tweaks and toots. Not really even any melody, though the guitars on The Attic are very soothing.
Next, to Dead Ships and Fear Is The Weakness, these two tracks try to emulate the formula and mood that Deliver Us, New Dawn, and Sounds had set up - an energetic verse-chorus with keys and a few guitar experiments. However, the level falls extremely short of "singles", lacking originality and attention. Although many songs on Sense Of Purpose sounded alike, the "less good than the other" was not once a problem on that particular release. Opposite to Sounds, every song on Purpose had it's own merit and energy.
Now, to Ropes and Enter Tragedy - Ropes is a surprising return to a slightly complex Gothenburg style a bit more nodding to Soilwork, with some blazing guitars to be found, and you really ride on this track until the chorus hits - the chorus just, like most of the tracks on this release, is completely uninteresting, no hooks or things to grasp onto. It's almost like Anders gave up on writing a good chorus as so many people bag on his very good talents. (And no, the catchy chorus was not replaced with brutality here - just replaced with a bad chorus.) Enter Tragedy is also a nu-metalish track that drones along and does nothing interesting.
Lastly, Liberation is probably the best song on the album next to the three kings. This song shows the experimentation, layered music, catchy songwriting, and depth that In Flames are capable of, and the only sad thing is that the song is not very long and still does not pack the energy I'd expect.
Overall, the album sucks IMO, and most of the songs drone on and on. While I hold no band to a certain sound, I've said before that I 100% expect good, interesting songwriting, and this release has almost none of that. Experimentation should evoke emotion. Energy should evoke hooks. This album does not do that, nor does it really any more experiments than Sense or Come Clarity, and actually has less - I personally miss the acoustic songs to be honest, like Pessimist, Come Clarity, ect etc and I was really hoping for one!
My review of the album is this: Aside from a few very standout tracks, this album is very thin, shallow, and takes In Flames back a thousand steps in terms of being an outstanding band. The leaked tracks - Deliver Us, Sounds, A New Dawn - each of these tracks spell out classic In Flames that we've come to expect; catchy choruses, layered songwriting, energy, dedication.
But the other tracks? Almost every single one of them falls way too short of these above tracks (which will most likely be the singles). The Puzzle and Darker Times are messy "nu-metal" tracks that hark back more to the songwriting style of Coal Chamber or Korn, without being as catchy - you'd at least expect In Flames to throw a charming chorus in there, or some layered keys, but it just doesn't happen.
Moving on to the two experimental songs, The Attic and Jesper's Door, these tracks are nothing, absolutely nothing, but a few spoken words by Anders (no "surprise energy" like the end of Bedtime Story or Evil In A Closet) and tweaks and toots. Not really even any melody, though the guitars on The Attic are very soothing.
Next, to Dead Ships and Fear Is The Weakness, these two tracks try to emulate the formula and mood that Deliver Us, New Dawn, and Sounds had set up - an energetic verse-chorus with keys and a few guitar experiments. However, the level falls extremely short of "singles", lacking originality and attention. Although many songs on Sense Of Purpose sounded alike, the "less good than the other" was not once a problem on that particular release. Opposite to Sounds, every song on Purpose had it's own merit and energy.
Now, to Ropes and Enter Tragedy - Ropes is a surprising return to a slightly complex Gothenburg style a bit more nodding to Soilwork, with some blazing guitars to be found, and you really ride on this track until the chorus hits - the chorus just, like most of the tracks on this release, is completely uninteresting, no hooks or things to grasp onto. It's almost like Anders gave up on writing a good chorus as so many people bag on his very good talents. (And no, the catchy chorus was not replaced with brutality here - just replaced with a bad chorus.) Enter Tragedy is also a nu-metalish track that drones along and does nothing interesting.
Lastly, Liberation is probably the best song on the album next to the three kings. This song shows the experimentation, layered music, catchy songwriting, and depth that In Flames are capable of, and the only sad thing is that the song is not very long and still does not pack the energy I'd expect.
Overall, the album sucks IMO, and most of the songs drone on and on. While I hold no band to a certain sound, I've said before that I 100% expect good, interesting songwriting, and this release has almost none of that. Experimentation should evoke emotion. Energy should evoke hooks. This album does not do that, nor does it really any more experiments than Sense or Come Clarity, and actually has less - I personally miss the acoustic songs to be honest, like Pessimist, Come Clarity, ect etc and I was really hoping for one!
21-only-son
Member
So you like the last few albums I guess, you really misled me with "I think it's funny how people are saying this sounds like "old" In Flames".
I'm sorry but liberation is boring and enter tragedy sounds nothing like nu metal. This is actually a pretty decent album, nowhere near as good as the real old stuff, but probably one of the better new ones.
You know, I think if the last In Flames album was Clayman, and Reroute To Remain began under a different band name, there would be a lot of different opinions on the album.
I guess bands get backed into a corner, much like directors do in film making. People always refer to their first masterpiece as a scale to rate the newer stuff on.
I guess bands get backed into a corner, much like directors do in film making. People always refer to their first masterpiece as a scale to rate the newer stuff on.
Well, after 8 hours of listening SOAPF...I'm back to getting my daily dose of TJR... And it's still the best stuff! 
Gay is OK?
Graveland! Hard to believe it's the same guy on vocals.
it's a bit gay, but meh... who cares
Gay is OK?
Graveland! Hard to believe it's the same guy on vocals.
Just finished my first listen through. Really Really loved it. Only Song I'm not a big fan of is "Enter Tragedy" though I can't pinpoint why. I guess it just didn't grab me like the rest of the album did.
Also, I officially LOVE "The Jester's Door" to death now. That last part was god damned beautiful, 'nuff said. BRB, gonna give it a second listen IMMEDIATELY!
Also, I officially LOVE "The Jester's Door" to death now. That last part was god damned beautiful, 'nuff said. BRB, gonna give it a second listen IMMEDIATELY!
You're probably right.
In Flames kind of cursed themselves by creating 4 epic albums in such a short space of time.
They'll never write anything that comes close to their golden era albums IMO, but they still write good music and judging from RTR - SOAPF gives better perspective than trying to compare to Jester Race or Clayman.
I don't think its so much backing themselves into a corner, its more of a fact that lets say Jester Race and R2R are light years away from each other. They're both heavy melodic, have the hooks and the catches, but on the meat of the matter they are vastly different sub genres. So even try to compare them almost seems unfair. Like trying to compare...I don't know, Stratovarius to Immortal. While at their absolute best, you can't match them up against each other.
But with In Flames being the same band, the comparison almost is a given, while not entirely fair.
Well, you can't erase the past! I find it annoying they are trying to distance themselves from "old" (and better) stuff.
SOAPF is a excellent album if you just look at RTR-SOAPF era. If this was first In Flames album, it would also be hailed as excellent. But TJR-Clayman created new genre and influenced thousands of musicians. How many people do you know who started writing music because of Bottled or Scream? How many will start doing stuff because they heard Deliver Us?
SOAPF is a excellent album if you just look at RTR-SOAPF era. If this was first In Flames album, it would also be hailed as excellent. But TJR-Clayman created new genre and influenced thousands of musicians. How many people do you know who started writing music because of Bottled or Scream? How many will start doing stuff because they heard Deliver Us?
too many pointless solos. Enter tragedy and fear is the weakness gets interrupted by such solos.
Brokencyde mixed with Lady gaga or something
STOP IT! Your bedtime story is scaring everyone!
(insert picture of whiny Anders here)
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