New album Foregone out February 2023

[The Grayfox]

Looking through those old posts reminded me of so many people who used to be here who were also over at Everdying, Jesterhead and also the original IF forum here. How many of them still lurk around? Who knows?

 

[DE4life]

It's noticeable how many people stopped posting here after 2014 - I think Siren Charms killed what was left of most old schoolers hopes.

 

[DE4life]

The SOAPF thread is a trip. A chance to see Krofius in his prime, and me and A88 when we were young and full of hopes and dreams for IF. Then SC came along like a fucking plague and spread disease through all of us.

 

[Gums]

Jeez, I think you guys have been reading too many of the early forum topics on here Clayman is fantastic. Practically any legendary song would sound like shit if put through the Clayman 2020 filter. There's not a single song on Clayman I'd rate lower than 8 and most are 9 or 10. If good production mattered that much I'd be giving Foregone the same marks, rather than mostly 5 and 6's, so I think some of these takes are pretty exaggerated.

IF major dip in quality is from SC onwards. Pretty much everything before that is solid in terms of ideas, even if the execution is sometimes off (ASOP).

I don't know what the first part means. I don't need to read old posts, I was involved in the forum in those days and earlier.
I love Clayman and hate Foregone, so your point about production isn't in line with what I was trying to say. I guess I meant that it felt like their trend toward a more commercially oriented structure showed hints in Clayman, but it kept its edge and struck the perfect balance that made it a masterpiece in my mind. Whereas RTR lost some of the elements that appealed to me about In Flames as it went too far into the pop structure with singalong chorus realm. And I still agree about SC and beyond. Both can be true.

 

[DE4life]

Well, unfortunately I have to report that my post wasn't aimed at you it was based on comments about Clayman being "saved" by production, which is ridiculous to me. As if the music can't stand on its own merits.

 

[A88]

The SOAPF thread is a trip. A chance to see Krofius in his prime, and me and A88 when we were young and full of hopes and dreams for IF. Then SC came along like a fucking plague and spread disease through all of us.

And now, our youthful optimism is finally vindicated as Forgone marks a true return to the form and rootz for IF.

 

[Gums]

Well, unfortunately I have to report that my post wasn't aimed at you it was based on comments about Clayman being "saved" by production, which is ridiculous to me. As if the music can't stand on its own merits.

Let us get back to the original point which was rudely deflected earlier: Foregone is vomit inducing. I just vomited again when I remembered listening to it.

 

[DE4life]

Let us get back to the original point which was rudely deflected earlier: Foregone is vomit inducing. I just vomited again when I remembered listening to it.

I think the problem is, as A88 noted, it's so utterly soaked in da rootz that it's a bit overpowering, like an intensely strong perfume. La Roots from In Flames.

 

[Gums]

I want to take the time to reiterate how dissatisfied I am with this album. A truly terrible record.
My overall score is 2/10. Without the choruses and awkward vocals on every non-growl, maybe it would be a 4 or 5 for competent yet boring musicianship.
Cathy choruses. What the actual fuck. I felt so uncomfortable listening to this.

 

[Gums]

This album is like the audio equivalent of being forced to watch incest pedophilia. It needs a warning before listening. It may disturb some listeners, you are about to hear a 50 year old man make sounds that you can't un-hear.
Everyone who likes this must somehow be hardened to this sort of thing. I don't know what kind of weird stuff these people are into.

 

[DE4life]

Eochaid has some competition here I don't really find Foregone offensive or gross (some of Anders' vocals aside), just boring.

 

[Gums]

Why do you choose to put the vocals aside? They are part of the music. You aren't being honest with yourself. You're shelving these parts, like a trauma survivor. I understand. It's not easy. I felt the same way. I tried to pretend that didn't just happen.
But these vocals do exist. You are allowed to admit your disgust. Don't hold back mate. Let it out.

 

[DE4life]

Well yeah, I've been listening to Anders and autotune machine doing the deed for a decade plus now, so it's not that gross to me anymore. I just roll my eyes at it.

 

[Gums]

Exactly. You guys choose to listen to this stuff repeatedly and get hardened to how abominable it is. For some reason you choose to harm yourselves.

 

[eochaid]

Well yeah, I've been listening to Anders and autotune machine doing the deed for a decade plus now, so it's not that gross to me anymore. I just roll my eyes at it.

In my opinion, here has more presence than ever. I'm at a point where I'm not sure if the metallic overprocessed effect is something else or just autotunes used throughout the whole album, to a point where they have even used it for the growls. Then, I will say, and I'm probably not wrong, that most of the vocal melodies have been written by Benson. There's no way that Anders is suddenly so "creative". For anyone who has been listening to the guy for the past decades, we all know that he's more "limited" than that.

But yes, for me, taking aside the music, that I don't really recognize anymore, the vocals are the lost annoying part of this album. Like, I could maybe, enjoy this kind of music coming from a different band, but the vocals, never!

 

[Moonshield_]

@Gums @DE4life @eochaid Please try and rank the new songs from best to worst

 

[DE4life]

I've already done my rankings a few pages back, haven't listened to the album since so nothing's changed.

 

[DE4life]

In my opinion, here has more presence than ever. I'm at a point where I'm not sure if the metallic overprocessed effect is something else or just autotunes used throughout the whole album, to a point where they have even used it for the growls. Then, I will say, and I'm probably not wrong, that most of the vocal melodies have been written by Benson. There's no way that Anders is suddenly so "creative". For anyone who has been listening to the guy for the past decades, we all know that he's more "limited" than that.

But yes, for me, taking aside the music, that I don't really recognize anymore, the vocals are the lost annoying part of this album. Like, I could maybe, enjoy this kind of music coming from a different band, but the vocals, never!

Cleans are definitely the worst they've ever been in terms of being fake and stupid. If I want to listen to somebody sing properly I have a ton of bands in my playlist who have genuinely talented singers. I'm more than happy for Anders to do his amateur sounding cleans, as they're endearing enough in their own way as long as the music is also good. I don't want this overprocessed, autotuned shit attempting to fool people into thinking Anders can sing with any degree of proficiency.

 

[Gums]

In Flames Foregone -

The Beginning of All things that will end:
That title is humiliating. It's hard to take it seriously already. For at least attempting to do something outside of the plastic metal mold with a few acoustics, I can give it a few points. But I would never listen to this again by choice.
Feels like something he wrote in 15 minutes.
3/10

State of Slow Decay
Vocals are terrible. Why doesn't he growl more. I can't stand the scream thing.
I can't even concentrate. The part with growls is better. The solo sucks
Sung chorus thing is an embarrassment
2/10

Meet your maker
Cool drumming and ok intro. Singing is terrible. Chorus = wtf. No song would be above 3/10 with that chorus.
Solo has an interesting few moments. Irrelevant due to singing ruining the experience.
3/10

Bleeding out
Singing, christ. Can't finish it. 0/10

Foregone 1
Some effort in the music. Terrible vocals, I hate how he keeps holding the vowels. At least there isn't much singing
Some interesting musical moments. By the end the vocals were really frustrating me. 5/10

Foregone 2
Boring. Wtf is this singing. Can't finish it. 0/10

Pure Light of Mind
What kind of song is this. 1/10

Great Deceiver
A little better and less game breaking singing 4/10

In the dark
Good god. 0/10

A dialogue in b flat minor
0/10 can't finish it

Cynosure
0/10 can't finish it

End the transmission
I hate these vocals. 1/10

Overall = 1.5/10

 

[Gums]

@Gums @DE4life @eochaid Please try and rank the new songs from best to worst

I tried. Mainly because I felt bad for calling you out earlier and your reply was endearing.
I hated it just as much as the first time. Just painful.