What's In Flames best era?

[Powers]

The way i see it there are three In Flames eras. These eras correspond to their albums. Disregarding live albums and EPs the three eras are as follows.

1 .Lunar Strain - The Jester Race - Subterranean

2. Whoracle - Colony - Clayman

3. Reroute to Remain - Soundtrack to Your Escape - Come Clarity.

It might just be me but i think that is just about right as the three albums in each band represent a different era for the band, in terms of song writing, production, instrumentation, atmosphere and the over all feeling of the songs on the albums. Basically what kind of band they were.

For me althought i love their older stuff and i'm quite fond of the newer stuff, the second era is my favourite. The first might well be their most aggresive material, but it was in the years between (and including) Whoracle and Clayamn that they really found themselves as band and defined their sound.

The production is better on those albums than on the first 3 as well, which is probably the reason why it's doesn't feel as aggresive as the first era but far more structured. However though it's better it doesn't feel, produced to the point that it can be called "over perfected", like the 3 newest albums.

Anyhow, your thoughts?

 

[AcademyBlack]

I agree with you in regards to the three eras. I personally favor the Whoracle/Colony/Clayman period. To me, those were the more memorable songs. The arrangements had it all! Its hard to read about the band's comments in regards to them not being able to or just not wanting to write another Jester's Race or what have you because they've 'grown as musicians' and so on, when in reality thats where they seemed to show all their musicianship! Don't get me wrong, I agree with the whole we grew up and moved on bit, I just dont think it makes sense to those that have followed them since their inception. I like their newer material and I will still go out and see them live this coming Tuesday as I've been doing since the Colony days...

 

[Powers]

I 've just noticed something weird. If you disregard EPs and such, each period features albums which have the same In Flames logo to one another but different to the albums in different periods. That is just a little spooky.

 

[Lithium]

spoooooooky..........

 

[Höðr]

Lunar Strain and Jester period. After that they headed for a downfall. Whoracle and Colony are decent though.

 

[The Bringer]

I like the 2nd era as well. It easily as their best material. Though there are maybe 2-3 songs during their new era that are not too bad.

(Trigger, Vanishing Light, F(r)iend)

 

[BlackenedDawn]

I went with the first era, that should also include Whoracle. Black Ash was the "single" that lead up to Whoracle (featuring Gyroscope and some outtakes). Colony and Clayman were both respectively great, but Jester Race and Whoracle are flawless. The reasons why most swedish (and now american) acts wanted to sound like In Flames.

 

[Powers]

Yea sorry about that I put "Black Ash" I meant Subterranean, that's not so much and EP as it is an album in itself.

I've changed it now, but i disagree on the placement of Whorachle. I've always thought, although it's still got that distinctive In Flames sound it felt a lot more like Colony and Clayman that the earlier albums.

I should turn this into a poll shouldn't i?

 

[Profanity]

The first era is true innovative Melodeath.

The second era they started to lack ideas and became stagnant but not quite as good.

The 3rd era is simply just typical Nu Metal.

So In Flames will never be better than their Lunar Strain and Jester Race era.

 

[Pethical]

i just love whoracle and jester race

 

[N*Flaymz]

1 .Lunar Strain - The Jester Race - Subterranean

Best period. They don't suck yet, but STYE was a close call.

 

[Monochrome]

First era is the best. Every era is a perfect example within it's borders...

But in first era In Flames did not have borders... :/

 

[charnee]

haha weird.
i can't say i love any of those eras fully..
..but second era it is.

 

[The.Jester.Race]

2nd era is clearly In Flames in its best.
Anyone who says 1st era is the best is just an elitist and is too gr1m and tr00 to admit .
And clearly no one thinks the 3rd era is the best right? ^^
TJR is great, but LS & Subterranean are not as good as the others.
so
Colony, Whoracle and Clayman > The Jester Race
=D

 

[N*Flaymz]

2nd era is clearly In Flames in its best.
Anyone who says 1st era is the best is just an elitist and is too gr1m and tr00 to admit .
And clearly no one thinks the 3rd era is the best right?

Perhaps some people just prefer the sound of those early releases. By the same token, perhaps no-one who has posted here actually does think the third era of IF is the best. Why the hell would people bother to misrepresent their musical tastes? In order to look cool to strangers on the 'net? Give me a fucking break.

 

[The Bringer]

Colony, Whoracle and Clayman > The Jester Race

Well atleast you know that it takes all three of those albums combined to beat TJR.

 

[JPhilGod]

2nd era the best we got from in flames!

Ok lunar-subterranean-jester race-whoah whoah whoah

but colony and whoracle must be set appart!

On clayman they took a different way . i.e. chorus etc......

 

[Monochrome]

No, no... it's really the "first" era...

 

[Sickman]

In Flames began a new sound or "era" with the Clayman album, so I don't think you can really group that in with Whoracle and Colony. I think with In Flames, you'd be better off grouping their albums in two's rather than three's. With the exception being the first grouping, which I will include Subterranean. Because to me, there really aren't any similarities in the music of Clayman compared to Whoracle or Colony. This is how I would group their different eras.

Lunar Strain / Subterranean / The Jester Race
Whoracle / Colony
Clayman / Reroute to Remain
Soundtrack to Your Escape / Come Clarity

The Whoracle / Colony era can't be beat here. The Jester Race is great, but the effect that this album once had on me has worn off a bit. But I still hold Whoracle and Colony up there as two of my favorite metal albums. It's easy for me to pick a favorite era, but it's actually very difficult to find my least favorite. I'd go with the 3rd one, but I go through periods where I think Clayman is the greatest thing I've ever heard. Same with Reroute to Remain. But other times, these albums bore me a little. Soundtrack to Your Escape, though simpler than previous albums, has a cool atmosphere to it that I don't think their previous two albums really had. And I really like Come Clarity. My least favorite would definitely be one of the last two eras, but I can't pick which. Maybe "least favorite" isn't the term here because I love all their albums, but they aren't quite as great as their first several albums.

 

[The Bringer]

I don't think there is any way you can classify Soundtrack and Come Clarity together. Soundtrack is almost completely void of any guitar leads like Come Clarity.

I think it might be true to put Clayman with R2R and STYE.

God I sure hope Come Clarity isn't the start of a 4th era!