In Flames
    
A Sense of Purpose
    
   

Release Date: April 01, 2008
Produced by: Daniel Bergstrand, Roberto Laghi, In Flames
Format: CD

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08/08/2008
John Dunphy
  

Perhaps I am just out of the loop, or have people stopped complaining that the In Flames of today doesn't sound like the In Flames of 10 years ago?

To get you up to speed, these melodic death metallers from Sweden are considered the grandpappies of the sound, along with the likes of Dark Tranquillity and, to a lesser extent, Soilwork. Known for their multi-layered guitar attack and screeching vocals, the band began to break into the mainstream with 2000's Clayman. However, it was with their 2002 release, Reroute to Remain, that In Flames began to tap into a more accessible sound. Some cried sellout, but that was back when Korn was still relevant.

Two albums (one pretty good, the other not so much) later, In Flames has returned with A Sense Of Purpose, which is as much a mentality as it is an album title. Bringing an accessibility not heard since Reroute... (Come Clarity, in 2006, sounded like the band was trying to win back old fans but wasn't a particularly spectacular work), A Sense of Purpose is a little more mid-paced in parts ("Disconnected"), dare I say, emo metalcore in others ("Alias"), even experimental ("The Chosen Pessimist" is a moving, eight-minute juggernaut that slowly churns through about 2/3 of the track before breaking into distorted guitars), all the while retaining a familiar but not stagnant In Flames sound. Vocalist Anders Friden favors clean vocals more often than in previous albums, some of which might be a little too whiny for some, but it's the style he has been moving toward for nearly a decade now so anyone surprised could be accused of just not paying attention. The guitars shred, the drums are some of the best in metal, and there is a welcome return of additional keyboards for atmosphere not heard since Reroute to Remain and its followup, Soundtrack to Your Escape.

Is A Sense of Purpose a kinder, gentler In Flames? Hardly. Is it far more mature songwriting, both in music and lyrics, than in much of metal? Absolutely. And it's a welcome entry into the canon.

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

  
     
     
     

 

 

    
 
     

 

Copyright 2002-2008 Matthew Rowe.
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212 Frech
FC1810

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