Metal Reviews

You know what Radagast? You are absolutely right.

So anyway, I've had both these albums for nearly a year now. I was glad the reviewer went ino the history of Dark Tranquillity and In Flames a bit, as I was very puzzled to see the name Andres Friden credited on Dark Tranquillity albums. Although I'd like to know why they switched places.

I agree it is a crying shame that In Flames no longer dabbles in female vocals. (and DT For that matter) I also really liked the classical instrumental pieces they had on these early works, in fact of all the songs they have done, those are the only ones I would consider to be emotionally provoking. I completely agree with the reviewer in his bewilderment over certain "hardcore fans" denouncing the female vocals, especially when these softer tracks end up being darker and more haunting than any growl or scream.

I discovered In Flames thanks to a Reroute to Remain song that was put at the end of the Freddy Vs. Jason soundtrack. (:shock: ) It was Trigger. I listened to that song over and over thinking "fuck who IS this??" I went out and gobbled up every In Flames album I could find, eventually finding Lunar Strain and Subterranean. Imagine some 17 year old American kid in the middle of the desert, stumbling across some Swedish death metal. I've been hooked ever since. I agree this band did not live up to the potential of their earlier works, but I wouldn't throw them to the wolves just yet. 90/100

Just headgear themed insults generally, I think it's safe to say.

I listened to these two albums for the firt time earlier today, and I was both surprised not only at how much of a journey In Flames have gone on since then, but also at how plain good the songs are. What I really appreciate about this type of Gothenberg is that the melody doesn't feel forced - its intertwined with the rest of the music rather tha just 'riff, riff, riff, sugary lead part, rinse, repeat'. Stanne is as impressive as ever, and its interesting hearing the blackened vocals in Subterannean.

Question, for any of you Swedes out there, what is Hårgalåten? I've heard the same melody used in the Morgana Lefay song Hårga - some type of fairytale monster or some such?

Hårga is a small town. "Hårgasägnen" (The fairytale of Hårga) tells a story about a group of young people who were possessed by the devil in the shape of a fiddler, and danced until they died.

:shock: Grim.

Thanks.

fucking great album, so much better than the bullshit new in flames puts out (or what theyre fucking label tells them to put out), goddamn its disgrace to albums like this and jesters race. by the way jesters race should be reviewed, that album is a classic in my book. have to say upon an oaken throne would be my favorite of off lunar strain though, the whole album is very solid though.

You know, they could very well be writing honest music! A disgrace would be to continue writing a style of music not true to your heart. But this has been discussed a million times here.

Next week or the week after I will be reviewing a band that all you old school In Flames fans should check out.

IMO, their only bad album is STYE. The others are all all good to very good.

I think STYE is a very good album, not really all that different from Come Clarity and Reroute To Remain.

STYE is the worst album ever made by a once good band period that album is shit

I liked Whoracle and the Jester Race back when I was into melodeath. This album is better than their other stuff because imo Stanne is a way better vocalist than Anders.

Dude, you need to shut it. All you do is talk shit, you're grating on my nerves real quick lately. Stop talking shit.

Neither Stanne nor Anders sings on the EP. Not that it matters, but in case you didn't know.

It's hard to tell. My suspicion has always been that it's Anders' fault, just because he seems like the right guy to blame for all of this with his silly hair and accessible precursor side project.

I still would like to know, of the changes they made on R2R and STYE, and the changes they made on Come Clarity in seeming retaliation, which of those was genuine and which was calculated in order to make other people happy. Or were they both just an attempt to please different possible and existing fanbases?

Not that this question keeps me up at night or anything, it's just the kind of thing I think about when in a thread about In Flames.

someone told me that the Dark Tranquillity vocalist sang on this record...

And they told you the truth. Stanne does do vocals on Lunar Strain, just not on the Subterranean EP.

I'd say its even simpler than that. When they recorded STYE chugga-chugga nu metal was selling. When they reocrded Come Clarity, lead parts and solos were cool again thanks to bands like Trivium. Its just trend hopping.

Like R2R was an attempt to cash in on the electronic alt. metal/rock of linkin park or incubus.

You cynical bastard...yeah you're probably right.

If you don't like it, get the fuck out of here or don't read what I write.

Just in case you missed it Ken I THINK SOUNDTRACK TO YOUR ESCAPE IS THE WORST ALBUM EVER MADE BY A ONCE GOOD BAND, NOW YOU FUCKING SHUT IT.

That said, I quite like Reroute to Remain and play it all the time .

That is true, Stanne did. Frieden did the vocals on Skydancer for Dark Tranquility also, the Chaos EP Stanne did them.....