Review: In Flames - A Sense Of Purpose (2008)
In Flames has had quite the run. They’ve been going for almost 15 years and have had a really interesting progression when it comes to their sound. While I know I may get crucified for this, they remind me of Metallica when it comes to a career (musically). While not nearly as popular or old, if you look into their work you can draw some interesting parallels. Their first groups of albums (Lunar Strain-Clayman) were more of the pure Gothenberg/Melodic Death style and helped them build a large following. Then, with Reroute To Remain they made it into the mainstream metal scene. After they had established themselves they changed their sound a bit and released three more albums that some fans found to be straying from their original style. (The Metallica comparison seems a bit more obvious now, right?) However the major difference between Metallica and In Flames are the quality of their latest releases. In Flames’ ninth studio release, A Sense Of Purpose, is not their St. Anger. In fact, it’s the best of the recent crop of their albums. While not as hard as Come Clarity, A Sense Of Purpose expands on the style of Soundtrack To Your Escape, and offers a great crop of tracks that do not fail to please.
As I mentioned above, A Sense Of Purpose is just another step in the progression of In Flames’ sound. From Anders’ more whiney vocals to the slower, more melodic tracks like “Alias,” In Flames has changed greatly from the days of Colony and Reroute To Remain. The talent is all still there and it shows in the song writing. While I am sure some will want me to jump in front of a train for saying this but simply, this is NOT Melodic Death Metal anymore. While it may be categorized as that because of In Flames’ prior catalog of work, this new album does not fit that genre. At times you definitely get the blast beats and the growls that the define the Melodic Death genre, those aren’t the sounds that define this album. So of course that leaves the question of “what is it?” I can’t really say. Maybe it’s time that someone throws the “Post” prefix on the genre. With releases like Sworn To A Great Divide by Soilwork, the Melodic Death genre has managed to gain a more mature sound that may merit the “Post Melodic Death” label. In Flames and Soilwork have both done great things with this change in the overall sound of the genre. Some may call it a straying towards Pop; I see it as a maturity of a very soon to be tired genre that these bands pioneered
Tragically, this album will most likely be panned by purists saying that its too “Poppy” and has strayed too far from the true Gothenberg style. That’s fine. Anyone can think what they want to think but if you approach this album with an open mind (which you should do with any album), I think you will find that In Flames has done a fantastic job with the style they have made for themselves. It may not have the punch of The Jester Race or the massive appeal of Reroute To Remain but what it does have is a sound of its own and the balls to run with it.
AMAZING
Top Tracks: The Mirror’s Truth, Disconnected, Alias
Similar Bands: Soilwork, Dark Tranquility, Nightrage
- “The Mirror’s Truth” – 3:01
- “Disconnected” – 3:36
- “Sleepless Again” – 4:09
- “Alias” – 4:49
- “I am the Highway” – 3:41*
- “Delight and Angers” – 3:38
- “Move Through Me” – 3:05
- “The Chosen Pessimist” – 8:16
- “Sober and Irrelevant” – 3:21
- “Condemned” – 3:34
- “Drenched in Fear” – 3:29
- “March to the Shore” – 3:26
Anders Fridén – vocals
Jesper Strömblad – guitar
Björn Gelotte – guitar
Peter Iwers – bass guitar
Daniel Svensson – drums
Koch Records (2008)
Official Site
MySpace
Reviewed by COLE
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Comments
Comment from Carter
Time: April 8, 2008, 2:14 pm
They definitely have diverged from the melodic death sound - which some call “selilng out” but typically when you sell out you get rich and famous.. They aren’t exactly like linkin park over here. I like what they’ve done, they have a good catalogue of melodic death (that did evolve from album to album, just listen to subterranean and then whoracle, theyve been getting more and more “listenable” since the beginning) that has changed to like cole said - it’s own kind of sound. I like it, and you can definitely still hear the old style coming through in a lot of the songs. Peter Iwers (the bassist) said a while back “we could make another Jester Race if we wanted to, but we like to do other things and experiment”…
I personally loved STYE myself, it was reaaaally well written and well put together, its almost like a concept album to me. It’s kind of it’s own entity, almost out of the context of in flames, and i like that one a lot.
Comment from Rhodeislandrock
Time: April 9, 2008, 4:30 am
I admit, when I bought REROUTE TO REMAIN I was a little confused with the direction. Like every other band, In Flames would get stale if they kept doing the same old style and then fans would crucify them for being unoriginal. A vicious circle I guess.
I passed on this album last week, I figured I’d wait, read some reviews and hear some samples. I’ll probably pick it up soon but I just need more of a preview.
Steve
Heavy Metal Addiction
http://hardrockheavymetal.wordpress.com/
Comment from Shaun
Time: April 25, 2008, 7:35 pm
Oh man, Cody. Dude this album would have been a huge disappointment to me had i not figured it would be the way it is. After Soundtrack i knew there was no saving the In Flames I had grown to love. I grew up on their melodic riffs, hell i base most of my guitar playing on that style. Dammit if they didn’t go and throw it away. This album is as you said, poppy as hell. You can feel the equation to making each song, fast heavy verse, slow poppy sing-along, jump up and down along, chorus’. I picked up the japan release which got me 3 extra tracks. I enjoy the extra track “Tilt” more than any other track on the disk. I keep listening over and over, which pains me, but to find little things i CAN like about the album.
Being a producer, I love what they’ve done with the backing guitars and how everything is painted into the picture of each song. It all just comes down to them not being the band I loved. I’ll listen to their albums up to reroute all the way through, enjoying almost every track. The latest albums have fallen off for me. I get disgusted and angry when listening to it. The mallcore kids can now take my beloved In Flames and have their way with them. *tear
Comment from Nate
Time: April 8, 2008, 2:00 pm
Great review…I couldn’t agree more. I used to think STYE was a bad album, but after hearing this one and liking it, I re-visited STYE and now I think they’re both great albums. My favorites, beside “The Mirror’s Truth” as you mentioned, are “Drenched in Fear” and “March to the Shore”. And probably the most interesting would be “The Chosen Pessimist”.
Solid.