In Flames is back again with their seventh full-length, and in many ways I think it's a bit of a reverse progression. My initial reaction was that I'm not quite as into it as I was with "Reroute to Remain", but then, on some obscure level, I sort of like it better than their last record because it's more consistent, and it's closer to the In Flames that most of their older fans know and love. Now, that's not to say that this sounds like "Whoracle" or "The Jester Race" or anything earlier than that, but it leans closer towards that direction than the last record did, while keeping some of the band's newer experiments such as the singing vocals, sparse uses of electronics, some groovier rhythms, etc. The bottom line is that these guys still write incredible songs, though. I've had the main chorus riff from "The Quiet Place" stuck in my head ever since I first heard it, and even songs like "Touch of Red" that start out with way too much groove for me, and tend to base themselves around simpler rhythms, still pick up with awesome choruses that really hit home. There are a couple of songs that are sort of mediocre, and in a small way the consistent approach that I enjoy about this record does lack the dynamics offered by tracks like "Dawn of a New Day" from "Reroute...", but overall it's a strong record that rarely lets up. The speedy and energetic tempos of songs like "Superhero of the Computer Rage" make up for the slightly lackluster clean passages and slower/quieter likes of "Evil in a Closet". I really love the recording as well. The drums are really dry, which is interesting to me, and it gives them a hell of a good snap, the guitar tone is massive but not muddy or overproduced, the vocals are well placed, the bass adds density without really being a central texture, and the electronics are expertly placed in the mix so as not to distract when they're applied. I've never been that big on In Flames' lyrics, but I fucking love the layout on this record. It's definitely their slickest looking release to date. It's got a thick booklet full of cool artwork that utilizes interesting colors and textures, clean text arrangements, and a few different styles of visual composition. I don't know, I just enjoy flipping through it. The first few times I spun this disc only a few tracks jumped out at me, but now I'm liking it more and more with time. The latter half of the disc is definitely not as strong as the first chunk, but I'm still a fan of the band. As I've stated before, they're never going to top "Whoracle" in my mind, but they still deserve a listen. I think this record would've been more accepted by longtime fans had it followed "Clayman", because a lot of people scoffed at "Reroute to Remain", but maybe this will win back a few naysayers?
[Nuclear Blast]
Running time - 46:56, Tracks: 12
[Notable tracks: The Quiet Place, Dead Alone, My Sweet Shadow, Dial 595-ESCAPE]
In Flames - http://www.inflames.com
