 "A bit dissapointing but good (3.5 stars)" | 2009-01-16 |
| - Reviewed By kaaldarkstar |
| This album disappointed a lot of people as it strayed greatly from the classic In Flames melodic death metal style though as for me, it wasn't the straying that disappointed me, it was more the lack of good overly good tracks. Immediately, the tracks System, Cloud Connected and Trigger can be identified as the albums best tracks. Personally, my favorite track from this album is System, starting off with a fast and classic-like sand then shred and then moving into a clean and harmonic passage before another verse of fast paced growls. Cloud Connected is a new approach taken by In Flames, with less aggressive growls and catchy guitar riffs. The album also bears 2 fully clean vocal songs which is new for In Flames as it is the first album to do so, being Metaphor and Dawn of a New Day. Though Dawn of a New Day is quite good, Metaphor clearly stands out as a very nice song, albeit the annoying drumming that overly uses cymbals, this song is excellent. No song on the album is bad, though only a few stand out, unlike every other In Flames album (past and future). Personally i believe this album was essential as it allowed In Flames to see where they wanted to go with their new direction, allowing for much better albums with this new musical approach such as Soundtrack To Your Escape (yes, i do think it is better than this album, as it is an excellent album despite what most think), Come Clarity and the newly released A Sense of Purpose. A lot of people bash this, and the post-RTR In Flames albums due to their different sound, i believe the sound is great and personally adore both the classic and new In Flames, but this album lacks what the other albums bolster, being that only a few of the tracks excellent and greatly outdo the other songs, though good but not quite up to snuff. Transparent, Free Fall and Dismiss the Cynics are also quite good, but again, my main argument against this album is that, though it is quite good, it lacks the overall feel of excellence that every other In Flames album bears. |
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| "Refreshing. But not Impressing" | 2008-05-30 |
| - Reviewed By User: A21W1E9BYKN7RH |
| In Flames is rather new to me, and its the only album by them that I own so, unlike other fans, I can't compare it to there old stuff. It's a strange blend of mainstream metal, progressive metal, and hardcore that is very cool to listen to and I'll get more of In Flame's stuff, but this album was not as solid as it could have been. The songs are all different, but they deffinatly started running out of ideas by the end. If your looking for singles; Trigger and Cloud Connected are the only reccomended ones. They are great songs. |
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| "Decent album" | 2008-04-04 |
| - Reviewed By User: AISD7WNNE6POG |
| I have listened to inflames since soundtrack to your escape came out and began buying the albums in reversoe order including clayman, black ash inheritance/jesterace, trigger. I like the variety best on this album, the guitars are strong and rhythmic and the choice of background sounds is more of a compliment than a drag. I like this whole album except for maybe some of the last songs in the line-up. I give it four stars since the album has good energy and lingers into atmospheres I can listen to. |
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 "Their best album." | 2008-01-11 |
| - Reviewed By User: A8S7VKJYBGBHW |
Personally, I think this suprasses Clayman, The Jester Race, Come Clarity, Whoracle, Soundtrack to Your Escape, Lunar Strain, Colony, Artifacts of In Flames...This is by far my favourite In Flames album.
The build up to the choruses are done so perfectly. The vocals, guitar work, drums, and bass come together so freaking well in this album.
I can't write this review without mentioning the choruses on this album. All of them are unbelievably epic, creating a wall of sound while Anders screams, yells, and sings in the background, making for a very powerful sound.
I can't recommend this album any more. Brilliant. 5 stars. |
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 "in flames rocks me" | 2007-11-23 |
| - Reviewed By User: AOUBB41T75BFC |
| Honestly, I dont enjoy this CD as much as "Come Clarity." Maybe thats because I havent listened to this 1 as much, but this is still a pretty good cd for what I've heard so far. The song "Trigger" is by far the best song on this cd (in my opinion). That song is the reason I bought this CD. I suggest "Come Clarity" first, and if you like that one, then go ahead and pick this up. |
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| "I Wrote This Back In 2002" | 2007-10-20 |
| - Reviewed By electrichustler |
| Well, it has finally arrived. Trepidation filled my being as I gave this disc a listen. Despite all of the talk of this being In Flames dip into the mainstream, I really wasn't sure what to expect. Were we going to hear a nu-metal record? Was I going to hear hip-hop beats and scratches? Was Anders Frieden going to rap over funk samples? Was the record going to be yet another hour-long mallcore rant on how terrible parents are? Were they going to be on TRL? Was Carson Daly down with them? AHHHHHH! The suspense was eating me alive. That was until the opener and title track blasted my fears away with the kind of deft riffery that you'll hardly hear on MTV. Yes, In Flames have edged ever so slightly into a more accessible sound, but they aren't rockin' the suburbs yet. The only thing I hear that might turn die-hards off would be the choruses and the clean vocals that often appear out of thin air. Anyone who thinks that this type of experimentation would poison In Flames' music should skip to tracks like "Drifter" and "Trigger" which are propelled into the stratosphere by it. Then croons come out of nowhere, yet find a way to belong, and the more you spin this disc, the more they grow on you until they usurp your expectations of everything In Flames can and should be. The thing I love about this record is despite the new manuevers that are displayed here, the exquisite manipulation of the harmonized guitar riff that In Flames is known for remains intact. In fact, aside from the final song, which is bit of a dumbed-down sell-out of a tune (One suspects that it was tacked on at the end as an afterthought),the songs (Even the quieter ones) all groove with an immense, frost-bitten majesty. As I listened to Reroute To Remain, I found myself getting lost in the band's dreamworld time and time again, only to be awakened by the alarm clock that is the last track. Just as they did with their four previous studio monoliths, In Flames keep finding ways to make their unique alloy work. Theirs is an elastic, malleable metal that always seems to weave its way into every type of composition without being cumbersome. I could go on and on about the bravery that is to be found here, but yet, like a good mystery, I don't want to give anything away. All I can say is that we haven't lost In Flames, at least not right now. They may have changed somewhat, and arguably even matured, but they haven't forgotten or disowned their roots. In Flames have shown me that they are still innovators, and if they become the next big thing at this point, I think the metal and rock scene at large would benefit from it. |
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