In Flames

[fadetoblackdude7]

It really is the Anders + Björn show now Oh well, I'm curious about the project that Peter said he's got with Jesper.

I feel like IF hit the rock bottom with Battles: they resorted to outside songwriters, Anders sounds more autotuned than ever, the choruses are repetitive, the drums are robotic and Björn abuses wah more than Kirk Hammett FFS. I actually thought The End was a surprisingly good lead single, but there are only 2 or 3 decent songs besides that one. Well, at least Battles has made me revisit some of their previous albums and realize that they were not that bad in comparison - Come Clarity is actually pretty solid with just a few filler tracks (once you get past Anders' clean vocals ), and ASOP has got a bunch of pretty good moments.

Completely agree. If Jesper and Peter get Daniel to join them, all the old school IF fans are gonna migrate over to them, and I wouldn't blame them in the slightest.

I liked the new IF era, but like you said, Battles struck a nerve. It is rock bottom for sure!

[ErHaO]

I am typically a person that likes or even prefers the more modern material of bands that made some switches (Blind Guardian, Opeth, Muse, Sonata Arctica, Dream Theater, Nightwish etc. etc.). But by the gods does In Flames suck balls these days. I think the new album is really bad.

[fadetoblackdude7]

I am typically a person that likes or even prefers the more modern material of bands that made some switches (Blind Guardian, Opeth, Muse, Sonata Arctica, Dream Theater, Nightwish etc. etc.). But by the gods does In Flames suck balls these days. I think the new album is really bad.

All of this exactly.

[ariich]

I dig the new album, precisely because they're doing something a bit different. Far from one of my favourites, but I like it for what it is which is pretty unique.

[Polarbear]

Battles had it's moments, but there was just huge amounts of filler and forgettable songs. The album just crumbles under it's own weight. I like their post RtR material a lot, but it seems that creatively the have hit a concrete wall.

Iwers leaving could be a sign, that there is also some internal conflict within the band..

[wolfking]

Iwers leaving could be a sign, that there is also some internal conflict within the band..

I think this too.

[?]

Iwers leaving could be a sign, that there is also some internal conflict within the band..

His statement didn't say much and they're in the middle of a tour, so you might be onto something. But realistically thinking, there are probably a lot of reasons, like wanting to spend more time with his family, and he also joined Daniel's beer business recently: https://www.rockbladet.se/2016/09/in-flames-former-drummer-daniel-svensson-and-bass-player-peter-iwers-are-reunited-now-as-master-brewers/

I am typically a person that likes or even prefers the more modern material of bands that made some switches (Blind Guardian, Opeth, Muse, Sonata Arctica, Dream Theater, Nightwish etc. etc.). But by the gods does In Flames suck balls these days. I think the new album is really bad.

Agreed.

[Art]

They should just call it quits. Battles is awful. Now another classic member leaves. Take a hint.

[wolfking]

Would be interesting to know the sales of the new album compared to previous stuff.

[Christeen]

Battles was so frustrating because for like 2 seconds I'd hear something that would make me go "oh wow wait it really is In Flames!" and then it would turn into weak, sad alt metal. I really wanted to not hate it

[?]

Would be interesting to know the sales of the new album compared to previous stuff.

I could only find the US first week sales, but looks like they've been declining for the past 10 years:
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/in-flames-siren-charms-cracks-u-s-top-30/
https://www.metalinsider.net/columns/metal-by-numbers/metal-by-numbers-1123-animals-lead-the-madness

Come Clarity: 24,000
A Sense of Purpose: 20,000
SOAPF: 14,000
Siren Charms: 9,000
Battles: 8,650

I remember reading that both STYE and CC cracked the 100K mark in America, and in Sweden ASOP and SOAPF went gold. Apparently 2004-2011 was their commercial heyday, so I wouldn't be surprised if Daniel and Peter thought being in IF wasn't worth the sacrifice of going out on the road for most of the year anymore.

[wolfking]

Some big drops there, but times are changing.  Only 350 less than Siren Charms I don't think is too bad is it?  Saying that, I don't follow sales with any bands at all though.

[fadetoblackdude7]

Those numbers make sense, although Playground should've been higher than ASOP, cuz I think Deliver Us was a bigger hit than anything from ASOP

[wolfking]

Playground is just a better album than ASOP in every way.

[fadetoblackdude7]

Playground is just a better album than ASOP in every way.

Oh, definitely! Is that even a question? Lol

[wolfking]

Playground I hoped was the album that was turning their direction around a little, and then Siren Charms obviously crushed that, even though I quite liked that one.

[?]

Some big drops there, but times are changing.  Only 350 less than Siren Charms I don't think is too bad is it?  Saying that, I don't follow sales with any bands at all though.

I bet the more or less 9,000 American first-week buyers they've still got are the diehards who faithfully buy anything they put out, while others have been alienated by the changing sound or just lost their interest. Obviously albums aren't sold as much anymore, but on the other hand streaming is counted in the sales, and even a band like Opeth that has also gone through a polarizing change of sound hasn't lost as many album buyers. If we use Google Trends as a measure of interest in IF (like some have done in the DT side), it's pretty clear that Come Clarity was the peak of their visibility: https://www.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=%22in%20flames%22

Playground is just a better album than ASOP in every way.

Oh, definitely! Is that even a question? Lol

It's been ages since I listened to SOAPF, but I do remember there being a few more tracks that stood out positively than on ASOP and that the album sounded more inspired, probably because they had something to prove after Jesper's departure.

[wolfking]

That decline in that graph is sad.

[SchecterShredder]

Just listened to Battles for the first time. I actually like the album quite a bit. I understand it's not In Flames of old, but it's still a solid album. Still won't be enough to get me to pay to see them live again (they burned that bridge), but it's better than Siren Charms in my opinion.

[SchecterShredder]

After reading through this thread a little, I may get lambasted for my Battles comment lol

[wolfking]

After reading through this thread a little, I may get lambasted for my Battles comment lol

Nah, I don't mind it either.  I need to go back and spin it again though, it does have some good songs.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

CYHRA feat. Peter Iwers and Jesper Strömblad (Ex-In Flames)

0:12 sounds straight out of Colony, pretty good stuff. Sounds like old-school In Flames in some ways.

[?]

Cool song - not groundbreaking, but quality pop metal and I'm liking it IMO this is the direction IF should've gone in, with more synths and (in this case only) clean vocals while keeping those glorious Colony/Clayman guitars.

[Grappler]

Youtube link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=627ybk8Aql0

The official video will be coming in a month.  I love it - so much in common with the Colony and Clayman sound, but with clean melodic vocals. 

I stopped caring about In Flames after Reroute to Remain, so this is a very welcome sound!  I'm also happy to see Jesper writing again.  I really loved The Resistance, but they booted him due to his issues and then the band folded up.

[LCArenas]

Fuck, Jesper really was the key to In Flames' old sound. The Ex-Amaranthe singer sounds good but that song is begging for some sweet Clayman-like growls, man.

Like, I imagine it with 2000's Anders and it would pretty much would sound out of Colony/Clayman. I still love it tho

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Wouldn't mind no harsh vocals on the album, which I assume is the case but at the same time, this combined with harsh vocals is pretty much In Flames early 2000 edition. THAT, I wouldn't mind one bit. 

Jesper sure had a big part of the early In Flames sound both in terms of riffs and melodies.

[Art]

Liked the riffs (pure Jesper), but hated the vocals. Kinda ruined the song for me. The production is to clean, also.

[wolfking]

Liked the riffs (pure Jesper), but hated the vocals. Kinda ruined the song for me. The production is to clean, also.

I'm with you mate.  Great music, but needs growls, vocals are terrible and it sounds like pure pop.

[Grappler]

Liked the riffs (pure Jesper), but hated the vocals. Kinda ruined the song for me. The production is to clean, also.

I'm with you mate.  Great music, but needs growls, vocals are terrible and it sounds like pure pop.

That was the point of Amaranthe - taking pop vocals and melodies over melodic death metal.  Jake quit Amaranthe since they were getting away from that formula and moving towards more pop metal and more of Elyze's vocals.  So Jake started this band to go back to what he felt Amranthe should sound like - and he enlisted two big name melodic death metal musicians in Jesper and Peter to do it.

I wasn't expecting anything different than this.  I'd love some growls, since it would bring it closer to In Flames, but I'll take this over what Amranthe is doing now.

[LCArenas]

That was the point of Amaranthe - taking pop vocals and melodies over melodic death metal.  Jake quit Amaranthe since they were getting away from that formula and moving towards more pop metal and more of Elyze's vocals.  So Jake started this band to go back to what he felt Amranthe should sound like - and he enlisted two big name melodic death metal musicians in Jesper and Peter to do it.

I wasn't expecting anything different than this.  I'd love some growls, since it would bring it closer to In Flames, but I'll take this over what Amranthe is doing now.

Pretty much. The song would be miles better with Growls, but it's already better than what both Amaranthe and In Flames have released recently

[Grappler]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvBjQ543l84

Official video for Cyhra - Karma.   Love seeing Jesper again.   

[Art]

holy shit, that opening riff is awesome.

[twosuitsluke]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvBjQ543l84

Official video for Cyhra - Karma.   Love seeing Jesper again.   

What is this, I know nothing about this project at all?

[Polarbear]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvBjQ543l84

Official video for Cyhra - Karma.   Love seeing Jesper again.   

What is this, I know nothing about this project at all?

I know right!

Sounds like the kind of music, In Flames should be doing right now. And is that Jake E on vocals?

Good stuff!

[Grappler]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvBjQ543l84

Official video for Cyhra - Karma.   Love seeing Jesper again.   

What is this, I know nothing about this project at all?

I know right!

Sounds like the kind of music, In Flames should be doing right now. And is that Jake E on vocals?

Good stuff!

Jake quit Amaranthe - he was tired of being phased out in favor of Elize and the music moving towards a poppier sound.  So he went back to the original formula - melodic death metal styled music with clean/poppy vocals.  And he recruited Jesper and Peter Iwers, so he's got the talent and the real sound of that style of music backing him.