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Thursday, September 30, 2004
n Flames ignites metal scene
'jg.RoKKM RoU. IHUMdER
SHAWN
MILLENDER
Reviewer
RUN - The
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deeply emta
In the early 1990s, In Flames had a
novel idea.
“Gee,” they thought collectively, “we
think more people would listen to death
metal if it had some sort of recognizable
melody, and maybe, if our calculations
are correct, our music will appeal to more
people if our singer doesn’t sound like he’s
giving birth to livestock.”
Truly, the members of In Flames are
visionaries. They produced death metal
songs with catchy melodies and a sound
it could be best described as “Iron Maiden on steroids.” So
icessful were they, in fact, that they set off a powder keg in
hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden. So many bands in the
:aemulated them (Dark Tranquility, Soilwork and Arch Enemy
[emost among them) that melodic death metal is now generally
'erred to as “Gothenburg Metal.”
its seventh full-length album, “The Soundtrack to Your Es-
the group violates several fundamental rules of metal while
llproducinga solid album.
Do not use any sort of play on words in song titles,
ttalbands take themselves way too seriously to do this. This album’s
igtrack, however, is a song called “F(r)iend” (They also have a
igcalled “In Search for I” and an album entitled “Whoracle.” Clev-
)You quickly forgive this heinous violation though, as the song is
heavy mat it may have prompted me to soil myself.
. 2: Under no circumstances will the first single off your
walbum be a soft rock, radio-friendly elevator hit. Metallica made
smistake (twice) and its career has never been the same. In Flames’
leQuiet Place” turns the comer from “career-destroying” to “not
icing” about halfway through, so it’s OK.
tile No. 3: Guitars will be the main musical focus. A lot of Scandi-
iianbands have taken the keyboard out of its role as an accent piece
imoved it to the forefront. Bands such as Children of Bodom and
ittjt oataArcticaare using concert-grade pianists and even (gasp!) giving
h. Police k ® s °l os ' guitars are still there, though, so have no fear. They’re
,1 investigate
seminary, whs
ographs ofd
church rolls,
sign or be firs
it the seminar
ank.”
?ra
es
going to evolve into Manheim Steamroller any time soon,
in “My Sweet Shadow,” the keyboardistry is not very ambitious;
just one riff played over and over. However, In Flames found some
other and Ac n °f ma g> ca l mystery riff that you can listen to for hours at a stretch,
the photos % not 8 et 0 ^-
church official O net b |n g t ‘ iat was gratifying to hear was drummer Daniel Erlands-
inanv as jo| a’sheavy use of the wood block as a percussion instrument. If there
rcone lasting imprint that 1980s progressive rock band Rush need-
tobestowon the realm of rock and metal, it was that. Well, also
racterizingl "® a ' X)Utt h e F renc h Revolution and the dynamics among the trees
a given forest.
Singer Anders Friden turns in another solid performance, once again
my completely normal, non-creepy and heterosexual man-
usbonhim.
,this album represents a continuation in the evolution of In
mes’sound. It sounds slick and polished; some would posit that it
ineswiththe veneer of selling out. Audiences will be divided over
is a good thing.
‘ ☆☆
In Flames
The Soundtrack to Your Escape
Nuclear Blast Records
IN FLAMES
aFv*
IMAGE COURTESY OF NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS
'The Soundtrack To Your Escape" features piano solos and wood blocks.
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