Metal Reviews

I guess in that case the score is irrelevant. I don't know...

Anyway, I'm re-downloading this slut; we'll see how the second spin sounds.

Scores are not irrelevant. I think a 1 through 10 scale would suit the site better, as it's kind of hard to distinguish what difference there is between an 83 and an 85, but in the end it doesn't really make a difference. I just think every CD deserves it's own fair and objective amount of attention. Scores are based on that album, nothing more.

And don't listen to the album thinking you're going to dislike it.

Jason, you described the m-cycle portion of your first part vividly enough to make me think you own one... I own a Harley, myself, and I was wondering if you happened to be a rider. So, are you?

There's no such thing as a solid 90! 70 is solid, 90 is bordering on the spectacular.

thank you..

60-69 = not bad
70-79 = good
80-89 = very good
90-94 = something special
95-99 = masterpiece
(100 = larks' tongues in aspic)

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
Love Supreme
Abbey Road

and yeah, you're right, I rated this In Flames 65 as in not bad but not that good either

Ive only heard Take this life, and it was pretty crap. Like kathaarian said, the song was just catchy. Catchy music like this just plain sucks.

A very good piece of creative writing there, Jason.

When quoting this album i was quoting it for what it is on its own and not necessarily as a comparison to how the other albums are quoted on the site. I definitely took them into account and quoted it a little under, as i believe the others are better in their own way. But, for what this album IS and what it is trying to do, it is near perfect in my mind. Like we said a million times, the quotes should not be taken as an objective number, but merely as a guideline to supplement the review.

Thanks for the positive comments with regard to the writing of the review, guys. I'm really flattered and happy ya'll enjoyed even if you didn't necessarily dig this album like i did.

Yea, don't get me wrong. Even though I don't agree with almost anything you said in the review, I loved your way of saying it. I'll give this review a 98/100. Haha.

Yes i am actually, i've had my liscense for about a year now but i'm a rider without a bike which is extremely frustrating. My father won't let me touch his 2004 Suzuki V-Strom, which only bothers me because i haven't rode in months (not a fan of sport-touring bikes). Though i like Harleys and choppers very much, i'm more of a race bike kind of guy, i plan on getting an R-6 eventually.

If you're thinking crotch rockets, I have heard from the mouth of riders far older and experienced then I that the Buell Firebolt is godly. Harley's are great, cept that their best two bikes are their 1200cc Sportster and the V-rod series. The 883cc is too weak, and everything else is overly heavy, eye candy shit, that gets people killed in city scenarios. Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha all make powerful cruisers that have the force of Harley's biggest, but ride like the slick V-Rod's and Sportsters. It's sad, but true. So, if you ever think cruiser, there's some food for thought. And the Buells. Try the Buells!

Nothing like a throbbing man-machine between your legs to make you feel powerful, huh?

Yep. Nothing.

This is a definite improvement over their last release. Here are my thoughts--

The good:
- Clean vocals actually sound ok, better than they ever have.
- Virtually no mallcore elements or mallcore song writing
- There are a few songs that combine some old nostalgic In Flames with the newer sound very well (Vacuum as an example)
- Production is excellent
- Faster tempos, really good riffing at times

The bad:
- Not enough melody from the guitars... too much emphasis on vocal melody. I don't know about you, but one of my favorite songs from In Flames is Stand Ablaze... that had almost no vocal melodies, but it's probably their catchiest song. It's not that they completely got rid of the leads as there are still some good solos, but that's the only time there is any kind of lead guitar for the most part. Everything seems to be heavy, modern Metal riffing (which at times itself is melodic, though it's usually the exception rather than the rule). I admit, some times it sounds really good (Scream as an example), but it's not what I want to hear from In Flames.
- Some songs sound like re-mixes, with keyboard and synth elements not normally found in Metal... it does not fit here and is quite distracting.
- There a few songs that reak of other bands like Soilwork and The Haunted a bit too much, especially when In Flames had their own sound; seems they are just borrowing from other popular Swedish bands, where as previously they were innovators. This isn't necassarily a band thing when the music is really good though.

Overall it's actually a good CD, but 95/100, I disagree with (though I think the review is great). To me, certain bands should evolve and In Flames did (Jester Race is different than Colony in many regards), but I feel there are too many elements missing from the old In Flames to call this a return to the old style. As a stand alone CD, and if this was perhaps the first In Flames CD I ever listened to I'd like it a lot. It's perhaps more of a return to making quality music than anything, but whether you like it depends on your taste in Metal and with my tastes I prefer In Flames in their pre-Reroute To Remain days.

This review prompted me to actually get around to listening to it.

I'm only on track 3, but I'll be damned if listening to this album doesn't just make me feel good. I was a huge In Flames fan about 3 or 4 years ago, I even enjoyed RTR (GASP!), and it's nice to see them doing something that harkens back to that a little. It's not old In Flames, oh no, but at least this one does sound like In Flames, and so far it sounds pretty good.

Did the first track remind anyone else of Arsis? I mean, I know, wtf, but it's better than Korn isn't it?

I think this album is pretty decent. It's far from the best they've done, but it's definatly a step in the right direction.

Best track is probably the Lisa Miskovsky one, :oops:

.:crast:.

I felt pretty good about this album through track 3 as well. I got nothing out of it past that.

I think their best is Colony. "Oridinary Story" is my favorite In Flames song.

Which is your favorite?