New album Foregone out February 2023

[Sister Of Destruction]

Probably something with it being fake and gay

Friden use auto since Come Clarity you idiot

 

[Jester Slave]

Friden use auto since Come Clarity you idiot

There are different types and levels of autotune, just like there is a difference between certain photo manipulations. Correcting some mistakes, smoothing out things here and there is fine. I personally couldn't care less if his vocals on CC or even SC are autotuned or not, because they sound natural (= believable), unless you desperately want to find out whether they are real or not.

But the shit he did on Battles and did here and on Foregone 2 as well is just ridiculous. It sounds plastic. CC autotune is when you fix up some small wrinkles on your face for Instagram, while Battles autotune is when you just straight up use a Snapchat filter to look like a different person.

 

[DE4life]

Exactly. I don't think anyone cares about autotune smoothing out some rough edges. When it's literally changing Anders' voice to produce something he's incapable of, though, that's too far.

Listen to the chorus of Where the Dead Ships Dwell, for example, versus Meet Your Maker. The singing on Dead Ships may technically be worse, but to my ears at least it sounds 100% better because there's no artificial edge dulling the impact.

 

[Ilias7]

I was about to write that the reason I don't like so much the chorus is not the autotune, but the tempo change that makes it feel misplaced and Anders' lyrics that don't fill the melody properly. But I have to say that watching the video with Anders performing doesn't feel natural with all this autotune.

 

[Jester Slave]

The melody part is more annoying to me to be honest. Feels wrong, feels disjointed, doesn't even work within itself as it loses even the same shitty melody it initially introduced. It's insult to injury that the song is supposed to be dark and judgemental, so you would expect a chorus which banishes its audience, but if it was gibberish and you could only interpret the meaning from Anders' cadence, you'd think it's something motivational.

 

[miniroch]

This new track doesn't work for me at all. Super dull, reminds me of Through My Eyes. I'm not even saying it's autotune ruining the track, since there's not much to be ruined. Could have been 5/10 with different clean vocals, but Chris solo aside there's nothing interesting at all.

Makes me worried about the album, since I don't believe it's the worst track out there. I just hope Insomnium doesn't disappoint tomorrow.

 

[GraemeSinclair]

Problem with SC is that even though Anders probably did put a lot of effort into his vocal lines and melodies, he didn't seem to communicate any of this with the rest of the band. So you have vocal melodies that may be somewhat creative at times, but don't align with any of the instrumentation and creates this frustrating, fragmented effect with makes almost every track on that album feel disjointed.

The other major issue, of course, is that Anders can't sing and production on SC rarely helps him there either.

I really appreciate it whenever I see this point articulated by other posters. It's one of the things that bothers me most about Siren Charms. It felt like Anders decided "I want to say -this-" and it was going to be thrown in there regardless of what was happening with the music. It feels like a poetry recital with music playing in the background rather than a song... which would still be annoying, but perhaps less so if the lyrics were really profound or creative in their message, imagery or expression. Generally speaking, though, they felt like a series of basic statements...

Which leads quite neatly to Meet Your Maker. As a death metal band, you'd expect mortality to feature on the list of topics covered by IF, and I think they probably have more song titles that start with the word "Dead" than any other, but Dead Eternity is a far more eloquent and intriguing ode to the end of our time on this mortal coil... and it was written nearly three decades of experience of both life and the English language ago. MYM's lyrics feel like a series of fairly simple and uninspired variations on the statement "You are going to die".

That said, I don't think this song (or anything I've heard from Foregone) belongs in the pit of despair with ASOP, Siren Charms, Battles and the bad half of I, The Mask.

I think there are reasonable criticisms that can be levelled at it, but I quite like it. I really like the melodic guitar line behind the chorus, it feels like proper In Flames to me (reminds me a bit of Reflect the Storm). I enjoy the solo, especially the latter half where it really locks step with the chords behind it. It doesn't have the timbre of a Bjorn solo, but it reminds me of occasions on the older albums where a guest guitarist would step in and play (like Suburban Me) and it feels like it has a bit of substance to it. Also, I've mentioned it after every Foregone song, but I think Anders' harsh vocals right now are the best they've been since Clayman. I'm glad he's decided to use them more.

If the other seven tracks on Foregone are of similar quality to those released so far, this will comfortably be the best IF album since SOAPF. If they're a little bit better, then I might consider it the best since Clayman. I'm cautious with my optimism, though, I really wasn't expecting most of the album tracks on I, The Mask to be as bad as they were. I'll be a bit fucked off if that shit happens twice.

 

[ThePhobiac]

Agree with a lot of those thoughts about MYM, @GraemeSinclair. I don't really understand the comparisons to Battles/ITM songs here, aside from the chorus. The least charitable interpretation of this song I can think of is that it sounds like a Come Clarity b-side. I hear a lot of resemblance to Scream and no resemblance to, say, Through My Eyes.

I listened to the chorus with the vocals isolated and to be honest I'm not hearing a lot of egregious autotune -- Anders' voice sounds similar to how it does on I Die Slowly on the Passenger album. To me the issue is the heavy layering, which creates a weird inhuman and artificial effect. Tony Kakko can pull that off and make it sound good -- Anders, not so much. You don't even really need it. Mikael Stanne only very rarely uses vocal layering (Day To End, for example). I think the chorus would work better if they brought his main vocal line a bit forward and both reduced the number of harmonized vocals and lowered their volume.

 

[Vjeshta]

Trying to see both perspectives here, I myself am totally ok with the Battles/ITM/Foregone choruses being auto-tuned as long as it sounds nice but I completely understand why people hate it in the sense that Anders cannot perform those sections without auto tune.

Tbh, I really liked MYM's chorus but I re-listened to the song a couple times after reading some of the comments on the melody and the execution of the lyrics/auto-tune, and I do like it less than I did before, thats for sure . The "HeeeeReee" part truly is annoying, I think Anders could've definitely improved on that front, or at least used different words in the chorus but the electronics in the background still carry the chorus for me, so I totally don't mind.

It's a bit tough to rate the songs so far, but I'll give it a shot:

1. The Great Deceiver - I'm not a huge fan of the main riff and especially not of the chorus, but that intro verse and the breakdown at 2:15 just give me too much of an adrenaline rush not to rank the song first. The whole section just feels like an accurate representation of your typical In Flames melody.

2. Foregone Pt1 - Love the main riff, insane intro growl, fast-paced track, favorite solo out of all the songs, decent chorus after listening to it a bunch of time, super aggressive all throughout

3. Meet Your Maker - Favorite chorus from all the songs so far, huge fan of the electronics, much improved version of F(r)iend, great verses, great intro growl, weird but interesting solo.

4. Foregone pt2 - Favorite verses out of all the songs, love the gloomy atmosphere, chorus is ok, gets cachy after multiple plays, least favorite of all the solos, have a general tendency to skip the song after the 2nd chorus cause I feel its a bit repetitive

5. State of Slow Decay - Somewhat forgettable, idk.

Also, I know I'm going to get absolutely butchered for saying this, but imo, "Through My Eyes" is one of the most underrated songs in IF's discography, (Dawn of a New Day & Dark Signs taking spots #1 & 2)

The pre-chorus/chorus is top notch, and the way the guitars enter a sort of crescendo (for lack of a better word) in the chorus between the "want you to feel it", "want you to know what it was like" and "maybe you'll understand" lyrics feels so audibly satisfying, it just ticks all the right boxes for me, especially the change in drum sequence the last time the chorus is played. Tbf, the solo is quite poor, and generally the production is awful like all songs on Battles, but I would definitely rank this song quite high in my top 10 IF song list.

 

[TheJestersDoor]

Rating the new songs eh? This will be tough but I'll give it a go

1: The Great Deceiver - This is my favorite by far, it's exactly what I want from In Flames at this point. I'll concede that the main guitar lead melody isn't the strongest they've ever written, and yes the chorus could be a little bit bigger, but the way the song just keeps rolling, the energy and the riffs are just brilliant.

2: Foregone pt.2 - man I really didn't think it'd be here after the first listen. The song just keeps growing on me every time I listen, the guitar work is classic 90s through and through and the way the song builds is brilliant. The chorus again is the weak point here but it does just enough by the end of the song to stick in my head. Love the vocal melodies in the verses.

3: Meet Your Maker - it's just got a filthy, filthy riff, and I love the guitar work in the chorus. Chorus is actually the highlight of the song for me, along with the solo. Great work but the verses are just too paint-by-numbers for it to be any higher.

4: Foregone pt. 1 - props to the band for the sheer brutality of the intro but the riff isn't actually as strong as it seems, it's the drumming that shines here. Verse and chorus are very mid but the synth and riff bridge is incredibly atmospheric and the dual guitar solo is my favorite thing In Flames have done on any song in a very very long time.

5: State of Slow Decay - was a good way to introduce the new album although leading with TGD would have been even stronger in my opinion. It's alright, the pre-chorus is still heavy as hell. The rest of the song just isn't as memorable and is quite chaotic, I prefer my In Flames songs (even heavy ones) to retain melody. If I want chaos I'll just listen to At The Gates.

To be honest all 5 songs are pretty great in my opinion, there are criticisms I have with them all such as very similar structures bar SOSD, overproduced singing, some questionable lyrics (but by Anders' standards honestly still better than anything off the last 2 records) and some slightly anti-climatic moments. On the whole the songwriting, production, and individual performances are all a step above anything since SOAPF and the sound of a band that feels like it needs to make a statement.
I'm very excited to hear the whole album as i think it will have a lot to offer, and more variety to offer than what's on show already - we've not had any real acoustic passages yet and we know they feature quite a bit across the record.

 

[The Grayfox]

Surprised the full album hasn't leaked yet since people already have physical copies.

 

[drawntoblack]

Regarding the auto-tune discussion, there isn't a song recorded in the past 25 years regardless of genre without *some* level of pitch correction be it on vocals or instruments. I am not talking about the principle of things, I'm not even talking about the ethics of whether Anders can pull it off live - because he doesn't need to. They will have 15 layers of vocals on tape that will cover his actual voice and average listener won't even notice it.
Most music, and melodic death metal falls there too due to musical scales commonly associated with it, needs to feel pleasant and natural. No odd notes, no dissonance, no intentional wandering off key like in some other subgenres. As a listener you want to not be taken out of experience. When you push the autotune hard, when the degree of correction is so radical it creates these robotic digital artifacts which you can't unhear once you notice them.

"At the end of the masqueeeeeraaaade"
...
"It’s only down from heeeeeere"

Those are the worst offenders. It's akin to watching a movie and then suddenly there is a commercial mid-scene while someone is simultaneously tapping a finger on your forehead. It's impossible to ignore it.

Song itself is so-so, I don't have anything really bad or really good to say about it. I feel like I've heard the same guitar chugging in the verse on at least 5 different songs between R2R to ASOP already, it's just lazy and derivative. Chorus melody on the guitar/keys works but the singing takes away from the overall impression. Solo feels refreshing, Bjorn should take a hint and go back to natural minor melodies over pentatonic wah-wah abuse, it fits so much better.

Lyrics are genuinely pathetic for a 50 year old man, how many times can you write "this is the end of the world" in different variations? There is nothing about this track that indicates that even the tiniest amount of effort was put into it. Might as well go on fiverr or some other commission-based website and pay some kid $50 to write you something that isn't utter garbage.
I bet even those new AI websites can randomly generate a less generic bunch of words.

 

[Jester Slave]

All right, pick a side now. When he writes about geopolitical stuff you boo, because it's boring. When he writes about personal issues you boo, because he is not 15 anymore. What can he write about exactly? At least these kind of things are "true to his roots", because his original lyrics were about similar topics. Not to mention all the shit that has been happening in the world since ITM.

The lyrics could and should be more eloquent, but no one would care if the music clicked - and for those who did, I'm sure they don't mind it. First and foremost they should compose a song with a vibe, and then think about whether they want to "upgrade" it. I think they nailed the vibe: end of the world, standing in front of your Maker, literally or figuratively, it's up to your interpretation, but in the end he fucks you up. It's a cool picture. You won't ponder about it in the shower, but it's not like you'd ponder about any other lyrics.

That being said, I am really hoping for a mainstream band to throw out all the conventional themes for just one record, and write about something new, because not everything about love, death and war. Renewing your car insurance, stepping on a lego, letting out a very satisfying fart, waving back at someone because you thought they waved at you, but it was for another guy behind you, etc. These are the joys and tragedies of our everyday life. Bonus points if they write in old English or some shit.

 

[DE4life]

I mean, the lyrics are shit, but it's more the lack of effort than the topic chosen.

 

[drawntoblack]

The difference is this dude is 50 years old and has been doing this for a living for literally more than half of his life. You would expect that a certain level of proficiency would be achieved even involuntarily at this point. Plus you had a few years off to reset yourself, to read a book or two, to watch a movie, to find some external inspiration, to learn some new words, to switch things up.

To me lyrics don't matter much, but if I do go out of my way to pay attention to them and read them, and they are really bad, it takes away from the overall impression whether I want it or not.

I mean, the lyrics are shit, but it's more the lack of effort than the topic chosen.

Exactly. The lack of effort is palpable.

 

[miniroch]

That being said, I am really hoping for a mainstream band to throw out all the conventional themes for just one record, and write about something new, because not everything about love, death and war. Renewing your car insurance, stepping on a lego, letting out a very satisfying fart, waving back at someone because you thought they waved at you, but it was for another guy behind you, etc. These are the joys and tragedies of our everyday life. Bonus points if they write in old English or some shit.

Not really mainstream, but you just have to appreciate thunder tits:

 

[eochaid]

At last, an almost negative review. It's from a Spanish magazine so I'll use google translate to quote it.

In a first listen it is difficult to appreciate all the details, but before talking about each song, what stands out the most, unfortunately, about this album is that it is very linear, it does not have points that capture attention as in their mythical albums from the end of the century or with a single that gets into your head and you can't stop chanting it.

1- The Beginning Of All Things That Will End
The acoustic guitar and the cello are the protagonists of the opening of this work in a very Swedish folkloric way. An appetizer for what will happen later in 'Foregone'.

2- State Of Slow Decay
The "first song" of the album beyond the intro is one of the singles that had already been publicly presented before the trip, "State Of Slow Decay". A very strong start with that Gothenburg sound where speed and frenzy predominate over the melodies and riffs in this case. That "before tomorrow comes" of the lyrics is one of the few passages of the album that remains recorded, and for this reason and its strength it was rightly chosen as a single.

3- Meet Your Maker
A riding battery starts this song that then slows down like those typical Slayer passages when the revs drop. In it you can see how in the verses they increase the reed to go more calm in the chorus. The same thing happens later in his solo, which goes from faster to slower for a bridge that ends again in the chorus. A sound structure and composition that, later on, is repeated over and over again.

4- Bleeding Out
Their most electronic entry travels to the timpani of the drums for one of those classic Swedish death metal songs with a calmer and more melody prominence. That slow chorus structure with clean voices occurs again in another song that doesn't quite convince.

5- Foregone Pt. 1
The eponymous track on the album has two parts, which have also been brought forward, and this one has a frenetic rhythm full of blast beats and that particular type of death metal that In Flames has already practiced so many times that makes this work more power in your overall computation.

6- Foregone Pt. 2
Also featured previously, this other half of the album's title track is less up-tempo and therefore contrasts with the previous half to show the two sides that In Flames shows on this work. It even has effects more typical of the mainstream on the voice, which suggests that not everything is aggressive on the instruments for the Swedes.

7- Pure Light Of Mind
That pop touch of the voice continues in "Pure Light Of Mind", which begins with baladesque airs thanks to the acoustic guitar. They print a modern touch on this song, but with their particular sound as their signature. After all, it is a ballad whose melody is more important than the rest of the elements but which is well supported by the rhythmic section (and, again, with that slow chorus characteristic of the album).

8- The Great Deceiver
The great song, without a doubt, of this album. It came out after this listening session as a single, and the intelligence in it was obvious by having the best of 'Foregone' on “The Great Deceiver”. Her death and even thrasher vibes give her power, but she is not exempt from that classic Gothenburg and In Flames melody in her great hymns. A composition of what made the Swedes great and the most modern grooves that make this cut the best on the LP.

9- In The Dark
The setback of “In The Dark” at its beginning is not something that gives it an identity once the whole song is heard. In fact, it is very repetitive and takes a long time. The acoustic part gives it a different touch and the guitar is the one that enjoys a greater role since it expands on this topic, but, as indicated, it becomes too equal in general.

10- A Dialogue In B Flat Minor
The drums and the bass, on the other hand, gain integers and presence in this song. The chorus is not one of those slow and almost tiring along the record and has more speed, which gives “A Dialogue In B Flat Minor” a more attractive touch. Forcefulness is his hallmark, but at the same time the ending with his voice accentuating his treble and the acoustic guitar allows for that duality of styles within his music.

11- Cynosure
One of those songs similar to the rest where the clean voice is the one that takes command despite a rather forceful start. The drums find their most lucid moment in this song in the bridge before the solo and it has a breakdown that is quite powerful but, unfortunately, it doesn't engage as it might in a more modern band than the Swedish ones.

12- End The Transmission
This end of the transmission shows a more guttural and deep voice of Anders where the pounding double bass drum causes his start to be promising for reed. A “mirage” because later on those slow choruses return and to that is added a change of dynamics in the voice with notorious choruses that put an end to this 'Foregone'.

 

[Jester Slave]

Not really mainstream, but you just have to appreciate thunder tits:

The first minute or so is actually pretty good. Reminded me of Hammerfall.

 

[DE4life]

So basically all of the remaining songs have Benson-infested choruses. Great.

 

[ThePhobiac]

Based on that review, I think B Flat Minor is the one I'm most interested in.