In Flames: A Sense of Progress

I see it all too often, fans lashing out against In Flames for “selling out”, rather than praising them for a successful progression in their sound. This is directed at the former, as I am somewhat confused at your motivation: is it easier to write off a band for selling out, rather than admitting you do not like their new direction? Is it that you, as a fan who have placed trust in the band, feel–despite the band’s several attempts to explain their purpose–that you have been cheated? I’m not quite sure what the point is, calling In Flames sell-outs, when it’s clear that they’re not heading in the direction of fame and fortune. Their sound has changed, yes. But is it more of a crime to change your sound according to your own desire despite the fans, or to give the fans what they want regardless of that desire? Either way you’re making a sacrifice, but one of these paths seems more genuine.

I’ve heard close friends and complete strangers discredit In Flames for the past few albums they have released. They scoff at this talented group of musicians for releasing an album that isn’t at least very similar to their early material. Yet, we as fans have a responsibility to discern the good music from the bad, but to require a band to continually redesign the same sound–a sound that they never claimed was theirs to begin with–is to discredit ourselves as compelling voices in the world of fandom.

Cole, a fellow AMR writer put it well when he compared In Flames to Metallica: “[In Flames] remind me of Metallica when it comes to a career…While not nearly as popular or old, if you look into their work you can draw some interesting parallels” and went on to say “…the major difference between Metallica and In Flames are the quality of their latest releases.” It is clear that Metallica’s career has taken a turn for the worse. Their music is emotionless, purposeless, bland, and at times (most) just plain bad. For a band that took the rock scene by storm and created music with such influence as displayed on albums like “Kill ‘Em All”, “Master of Puppets”, “And Justice For All…” etc., it is most evident that Metallica became a sell-out band when they started (and continued) to make bad music despite their lack of conviction.

In Flames came on the scene in the early 1990s, to define a sound that would be prevalent for numerous bands for years to come. Bands like At the Gates, Dark Tranquility, and In Flames transformed Gothenburg from a region into a genre. With its distinct melody and groove factors tied into death metal, several bands adopted this highly appealing and effective sound simply because it was new and badass. When it became a practiced medium among bands outside of this region, Gothenburg translated somewhat into “melodic death metal”, which is more general and defines a wide array of styles incorporating both death and melodic musical arrangements. But despite the genre classifications (which can go on for pages), the sound was influential in the metal community, and it is no wonder that these three pioneers had a huge fan base. As icons of the metal community, and having had a label placed upon their music, I can only imagine the dilemma for a band like In Flames–to follow their heart or their fan base?

In 2002, it was clear for many fans that the In Flames sound wouldn’t always be what it started as. With the release of “Reroute to Remain”, the fan base of In Flames shifted as the sound did, alienating many fans of the Gothenburg style. Many hoped it was a single misstep of (for some) their favorite band. However, the downfall of many fans’ faith came with their very next release of “Soundtrack to Your Escape” two years later. Assuredly, many fans claimed sell-out then, as they still are with the release of “A Sense of Purpose”. However, that claim is absolutely ridiculous, even considering their fan base has grown. I’ve read and watched several interviews with In Flames members stating that the new sound is a product of their hard work and musical taste–not a conquest for more money, more fans, etc.

In a recent interview with Jason Macneil of TorontoSun.com (and referenced at Blabbermouth.net), In Flames vocalist Anders Fridén explains some of the process for recording “A Sense of Purpose”, and a response to fans’ and critics’ hints of a departure from the career In Flames built upon the Gothenburg style.

“We recorded it altogether, in a way, we have our own studio now and it was just a great creative process. The last three albums we’ve kind of divided into different studios and not all being there at the same time. This one was so much better,” says Fridén.

He goes on to say that their early material never fully translated well live, since production work on the album extended the range of the music beyond what the band could accomplish simply by recording as a band. Layering and effects were very prevalent–and while it made for great music, reproducing the music live was never as accurate or as genuine as the music on the album sounded. There was criticism for this comment, as fans of the early material and live performances seemed to feel Fridén implied that “the fans must be crazy for enjoying this”, when in reality he was reflecting on his experience past, and experience gained as a musician. The most important comment made in this interview was his response to those comparing new and old In Flames albums: “…we never claimed to own any genre or anything. We just wanted to create a good heavy metal album and just go with it.”

It is a cop-out as a fan to discredit the band’s new sound because it’s different. You may not like it, but calling it “mainstream”, “poppy”, or even “bad” music is just plain wrong. If you feel cheated, really take a look at what the band has to say, not what the new fans look like. Who cares if an “emo” or “mallcore” kid likes the music? Really ask yourself if you like the music for what it is, not for what you expect from a band.

As for Cole’s comparison to Metallica, and In Flames’ own comments, I ask you this: do you think, in all honesty, that In Flames has sold out for making an album that they themselves enjoy to play and hear? Or would they be sell-outs if, time and time again, they made an album that catered to the fans despite their lack of commitment to the style, sound, process…? Would you rather hear them make bad (read uninspired) music that sounds similar to their older material, or good music that you’re just not a fan of? Just because they defined a genre doesn’t mean they have to adhere to it year after year. Think, before you say sell-out. Don’t judge a band by their fan base–there are assholes in every fan base. Keep your eyes on the band on stage, and your ears trained on the music…maybe you’ll realize In Flames is still an amazing band, and that they never left their old sound behind, because it wasn’t theirs to begin with.

by Nate