Stop bitching the New In flames !

[krofius]

I am indeed the man to ask. I asked Niklas many years ago how it really was. Checking from my PM's to see what he said again:
TJR = All lyrics and vocal melodies/rhythms
Whoracle = All lyrics except for Episode 666 where a few verses was a "rendition/interpretation" from a text Anders wrote in Swedish + some vocal melodies
Colony = Translation of 4-5 songs Anders wrote in Swedish, doesn't remember which songs it was.

If I remember correctly Anders wrote all Colony lyrics in Swedish at first and then translated them himself with help on a couple songs from Niklas. So basically it's all Niklas on TJR and Whoracle.

 

[eochaid]

Thanks.

 

[Clay-Man]

Musically there's a lot to like about ASOP. The weak production, vocals and lyrics totally ruin an otherwise decent effort.

What if I told you...








...I actually like The Chosen Pessimist now.

 

[DE4life]

Well, there are people who enjoy having big hairy dudes shit on their face. People like what they like.

 

[Clay-Man]

Well, there are people who enjoy having big hairy dudes shit on their face. People like what they like.

I get why you don't like it. It sounds simplistic to you, it sounds drawn out.

To me, I finally got that you don't focus on what you normally focus for on a normal In Flames song. The song is about atmosphere. The layering and the character of the instruments is what makes the song. It builds up on itself.
It's not about, why aren't they having roaring melodies on guitars, but more on the tone and atmosphere.

It might be personal preference. I listen to music for different reasons now than I did before. A lot wider musical taste.

It's more of a question of whether or not it was executed well or badly.
For instance, I thought the concept of having more prominent industrial and electronic sounds in Siren Charms could have been a great idea, but I think it was executed poorly as shit. The elements of said thing wasn't bad, but the known In Flames elements were presented incredibly weak. It's why Siren Charms failed for me.

 

[DE4life]

TCP is simplistic and drawn out. If the goal of that is layering, atmosphere and whatever else then fine, but it isn't for me. I listen to music to enjoy it, and I don't enjoy stuff like TCP. To be blunt it's one of the most boring songs I've ever listened to. Obviously that's just my opinion, though. If you hear something else and you dig it then that's cool.

As far as Siren Charms goes, it is what it is. I re-listened to it a few months back and I was surprised to find I didn't absolutely hate it. It's still, to me, the worst album they've released... but it isn't terrible. For example even though I hated it when it was first released, I actually really dig Through Oblivion now. I like what they did there. It's not really an In Flames song, but in isolation it's an interesting track. With Eyes Wide Open is another one off SC they did well, and I like Dead Eyes and Become the Sky too. Everything else is a bit of a mess though.

 

[krofius]

I really like Paralyzed & In Plain View still. Monsters In the Ballroom is also pretty good. About TCP, still one of my favorites on ASOP. Very non-In Flames type of song. Long and progressive. Last minute outro is my favorite part of the song easily.

 

[DE4life]

In Plain View is fucked by the verses, mixing on the vocals especially is awful. It sounds better live.

Monsters is a track that just never clicked with me. I haven't really got anything bad to say about it, I just have no interest in the song.

Paralyzed is OK. Let down by the verses, as most songs on Siren Charms are.

As for liking the last minute of TCP, well, yeah, that's the only part of the song where anything interesting happens

 

[Clay-Man]

I really like Paralyzed & In Plain View still. Monsters In the Ballroom is also pretty good. About TCP, still one of my favorites on ASOP. Very non-In Flames type of song. Long and progressive. Last minute outro is my favorite part of the song easily.

I just like the atmosphere and the mood. It's really different for In Flames. I like all the layered synths and I love the bridge where the cleanish guitars take over, and then it explodes into distorted guitars. Goes quiet for a few bars again and then the ending hits and kills.

 

[Midas]

I see this as they've quit being In Flames. They just use the label to stay relevant. They are not In Flames anymore.

 

[galvanized]

Cyhra is the new In Flames, can’t believe it took Jesper so long to do it though.

 

[Clay-Man]

Cyhra is the new In Flames, can’t believe it took Jesper so long to do it though.

He LITERALLY said it is NOT In Flames

I see this as they've quit being In Flames. They just use the label to stay relevant. They are not In Flames anymore.

There is absolutely NO rules to have to make the same music forever in a band.
Radiohead is still Radiohead, even though they changed their music over and over again.

It's called changing musical direction, because as a person your influences change and so does your output.

 

[eochaid]

Cyhra is the new In Flames, can’t believe it took Jesper so long to do it though.

After reading the reviews I strongly doubt it.

 

[eochaid]

There is absolutely NO rules to have to make the same music forever in a band.
Radiohead is still Radiohead, even though they changed their music over and over again.

It's called changing musical direction, because as a person your influences change and so does your output.

And still people can think as Yagami. If not only has changed its musical direction, they have also changed their musical essence and style.

Radiohed might have changed, but they're still Radiohead and nobody will mistake them for another band.

 

[Clay-Man]

And still people can think as Yagami. If not only has changed its musical direction, they have also changed their musical essence and style.

Radiohed might have changed, but they're still Radiohead and nobody will mistake them for another band.

That can be said about many bands. Bands change over time, more drastically than people give them credit for, and unless you're paying close attention to them, it's not easy to tell that a band's old catalog is the same band as the new catalog.

I'm sure all the idiots who only knew Creep would not be able to really tell new Radiohead was Radiohead, because Creep is grunge, while new Radiohead is art/electronic/ambient.

Yagami is entitled to think what he wants, but you can't shun them for doing what they do if it's honestly what they want to make. You can hate them, but you can't force them to make shit for you or to stay on a certain track.

A musician creates music for theirself first.

 

[eochaid]

That can be said about many bands. Bands change over time, more drastically than people give them credit for, and unless you're paying close attention to them, it's not easy to tell that a band's old catalog is the same band as the new catalog

Some bands yes. Others, no. Even bands like Judas priest, with a wide spectrum, is still Judas priest and you can understand it just by listening to their songs. In flames has become something totally different, not because they're not melodeatg anymore, but because they have left behind everything that made them recognizable as a band.

Yagami is entitled to think what he wants, but you can't shun them for doing what they do if it's honestly what they want to make. You can hate them, but you can't force them to make shit for you or to stay on a certain track.

The problem is that you can. They can do whatever they want and people can loathe them or bash them for this. That's part of the business and anyone not liking it should simply quit being public.

 

[DE4life]

I think SC/Battles is where In Flames really lost their identity completely. It had been happening anyway, but with Anders and Bjorn being the only original members (if we take TJR as being the first original, stable line up), it's more like their own alt-rock side project at this point. They're just using the In Flames name for its brand value, which you can't really blame them for.

I'm happy enough with SOAPF being the band's last genuine album. After that I consider this more Anders & Bjorn feat. Niklas & Others. Still fun to critique but I honestly never expect them to release anything remotely decent under the "In Flames" label again.

As for their musical style, it is what it is. They're older and frankly more boring than they were when they were younger. Happens to most people, and their music reflects that.

 

[eochaid]

but with Anders and Bjorn being the only original members (if we take TJR as being the first original, stable line up), it's more like their own alt-rock side project at this point.

What I don't understand is that Bjorn is a fan of classic heavy metal and 70 bands, but it doesn't reflect on his music.

 

[krofius]

I see this as they've quit being In Flames. They just use the label to stay relevant. They are not In Flames anymore.

Very stupid way of thinking imo. That goes for any band in the world, why should they have to start another new project/band just because they want to progress/change musically?

I mean a Black Metal band could just totally change and write a Pop album, should they have to start from scratch with a new name just because the music doesnt sound the same as the last record and some people will not like the music? That sounds stupid. If anyone writes music they like they shouldn't have to form a new band just because it sounds different lol. I know many musicians do create side-projects though for their other musical visions, but it all depends on what artist it is. Some already have a progressive sound from the start like Devin Townsend and just jumps genre's without a problem whatsoever. I guess it depends on intent also, if it's just some music they want to write and release but don't plan on performing it live or anything, then obviously it should be a side project. That isn't the case with In Flames though. Regardless of how bad or good people think it is, the reality is that this is what In Flames wants to do at the moment. I would also love for them to write a more aggressive album but if they don't want to do it, why should they force it just because?

 

[DE4life]

In Flames never really wrote aggressive albums so I wouldn't want that out of them, but it would have been nice to hear another SOAPF before Daniel and Peter left. I don't really consider it In Flames with Niklas, Bryce Paul and Christian Joe in the band. Sorry. I understand why they're using the name, but, nah. Not for me. It might be In Flames in name but it's a hollow shell and we all know it.