After several dozens of listens, here is (finally) my opinion about this album :
Sounds Of A Playground Fading is a great intro for this. It really shows that SOAPF has been written as a whole album, as one of the strongest part of the song (if not the strongest) is the intro. I like how Daniel breaks the rythm in the verses, the chorus is cool, solo is great. I will not give any mark to the songs, nor to the album. I think it's useless as it is new. You all know that, but you all gave a mark to each and every song. In less that one week, your opinion will have changed. Anyway, no marks for me.
Deliver Us is the hook which comes just after the intro song. I think that the key parts of this song are the chorus (which is really really good) and the solo. It's a short song and it was made this way, just to maintain the listener's attention after the title track. This song is a hit and will be a hit forever, but it is not gonna be a legend.
I thought All For Me was really really cool at first. It's definitely a hook. Now, I like it a little bit less than other songs like Fear is the Weakness, if you ask me. I love how Anders sings on the acoustic/solo part, it has a slight Irish punk touch to it. The chorus is cool, I like the keyboards. The overall song has a STYE touch to it, but if this song was on STYE, it would definitely be one of the coolest songs of this album.
The Puzzle didn't really catch my attention at first, except the outro which is - don't make me wrong - outstanding. But the song grew on me, the chorus is pretty cool, the solo too. Anyway, I still think that the key part of the song is the outro. This kind of refreshing things is what ASOP lacks of. It's a cool song, and I really think that it could become a killer hit on stage. Man...This chorus and this outro on stage would totally fit their setlist.
Fear is the Weakness didn't really hook me at first. I thought it was OK, that's all. After dozens and dozens of listens, I think it's one of the best songs of this album. This chorus is amazingly written and played. I love the way the entire album feels. You take a slap with The Puzzle, and then the outro of the song is refreshing, and then, refreshing song with Fear is the Weakness. Again, one of the best songs here.
Where the Dead Ships Dwell is their next single, obviously. I mean...EVERYTHING in this song is totally catchy. At first I really liked it, but hooks are what they are. Cool song anyway.
The Attic is one of the best songs of this album. From Anders voice to Björn's guitar and the accordion, everything is so smooth. It feels like this track is from another dimension. Lyrics are really cool too. It is a deep track, full of smooth details, almost magical. I love it.
I think that Darker Times is pretty much everything The Attic is not. And I don't mean it's not cool. It is a fast paced, groovy and extremely catchy track, I personnaly like it a lot. It has a STRONG Reroute To Remain feeling to it. It is only 7 seconds longer than The Attic, and this is the reason why I see it as an interlude too. I think that the interlude is more the couple "The Attic + Darker Times" than the first one alone, and I love the way it's done.
I will be straightforward, Ropes is one the the best tracks of this album. The intro/outro riff is awesome, the chorus is magical. The construction is the same as Fear is the Weakness (only two choruses parts, and not three), which sounds really good to me. Like Fear is the Weakness, I thought the song was OK at first, and then it grew to be one of the best out there.
Enter Tragedy is a mix between The Puzzle and Deliver Us. I mean, it's fast paced and straightforward like The Puzzle, but it has an extremely catchy chorus. At first I loved it, but now I prefer growers like Fear is The Weakness and Ropes. It's catchy, efficient, and it gives a slap to the listener, but I don't think it's one of the best songs here.
Jester's Door, or Jesper's Door, is a cool interlude. It's really refreshing and I like it a lot. It's just like IN FLAMES making a tribute to IN FLAMES. It does its job very well.
A New Dawn is, indeed, a really really strong one. All the riffs of this song are catchy, Anders voice is amazing. The chorus is cool, but the key part of the song is this awesome instrumental part. It's like an interlude in the song. One of the strongest parts of the album, along with The Puzzle outro and "The Attic/Darker Times" interlude. I love this song.
You are in a movie theater, the blockbuster just ends and Liberation pops up. This is just how it is. It's a really cool track, very refreshing. It plays exactly the same role as a song played after a movie. Welcome back to the real world. But it goes deeper in its role, as the outro is really immersive. Amazing job done on this track. I love it too.
This album is, indeed, better than A Sense Of Purpose. Maybe it's better than Soundtrack To Your Escape, or even Come Clarity, I still don't know and I won't before at least a year. STYE has strong songs which became IN FLAMES hit, like My Sweet Shadow or The Quiet Place (God, Evil In A Closet is amazing too). Come Clarity has a very cool ambiance and really strong tracks too. Now wait and see how this new album grows on us and how the songs feel on stage. One thing for sure, some songs here are going to become IN FLAMES legendary classics. Just wait to see how many of these, and which songs.
Cheers.
