In Flames -- 'A Sense of Purpose' [review]

In Flames - A Sense of Purpose
Koch Records (4/1/08)
Metal

Sure, the die-hard In Flames fans and metal elite will continue to bitch and moan that the band is creating the same album time and again (at least since the release of Reroute to Remain). The fact of the matter is that no band even comes close to In Flames when it comes to powerful, melodic death metal.

On A Sense of Purpose In Flames manages to ratchet up the melodies to amazing degrees, from Anders Friden’s vocal work (much less strained than previous outings) to the striking guitar play from Bjorn Gelotte and Jesper Stromblad.

And unlike, say, Soundtrack to Your Escape, which sounded very repetitive over time, A Sense of Purpose is constantly shifting direction. There’s the electronic bliss of “Sleepless Again” (chock-full of impressive solos), the urgent riffing on “I’m the Highway” (with some frantic drum work from Daniel Svensson and nice, intricate guitar back-and-forths mid-way through the song), and the one-two punch of “Sober and Irrelevant” (showcasing maniacal guitar riffs aplenty) and “Condemned” (featuring some of the best metal drumming of the year).

Even when they really slows things down (on the eight-minute plus “The Chosen Pessimist”), it’s like some sort of controlled explosion that showcases a very different side of the band. And the irresistible catchiness of “Disconnected” immediately gets under your skin and aches for repeated listens.

Working within the confines of melodic metal, the band takes more than enough chances and manages to craft such hook-laden tracks that it's almost impossible to resist. If there’s one thing you can count on with In Flames, it’s consistency. What you don’t expect is an out-of-left-field contender for album of the year. The band finally has a handle on its “new direction” and the results are astonishing.

Firewind -- 'The Premonition' [review]

Firewind - The Premonition
Century Media (4/8/08)
Metal

Just when you thought power metal was dead and gone...

Led by guitarist Gus G. (Nightrage, Arch Enemy, Dream Evil)—who is slowly proving himself a worthy addition to the shortlist of guitar gods—Firewind offers up a heaping helping of power metal in all its epic glory.

Hailing from Greece, the band's method of attack focuses around the driving force of Gus G.'s guitar work, offering up classic power metal with a European twist (there's plenty of keyboard work to accompany the solos). The band offers a nice change of pace in a scene where the lines between subgenres—death metal, industrial and hardcore, most notably—are becoming increasingly blurred, it sticks to its guns and shines as a result. While a bulk of the attention goes to U.S.-based outfits for the most part, at least stateside, there's this huge metal scene in Europe with exceptional bands cranking out album after album of killer material. Add Firewind to that list... and probably place the group somewhere near the top.

In Flames -- 'Soundtrack to Your Escape' [review]

In Flames
"Soundtrack to Your Escape"
Nuclear Blast Records


It feels like Sweden's In Flames is one of the metal scene's best-kept secrets. The band cranks out album after album of solid material that could appeal to a broad range of listeners, yet they seem to have nothing more than a cult status in the U.S.

The band has been cranking out albums since 1994, but it was the release of 2000's "Clayman" that seemed to establish In Flames in the U.S. (the band had been a big hit in Europe and Japan for longer).

While the band has featured a revolving door of members over the years, the band's current lineup -- guitarists Bjorn Gelotte and Jesper Stromblad, bassist Peter Iwers, drummer Daniel Svensson and vocalist Anders Friden -- have crafted a solid, if not entirely inspired, follow-up to 2002's "Reroute to Remain."

"Escape" opens up with the hard-hitting "F(r)iend," with Iwers and Svensson laying down a thick beat that the guitarists paint over with melodic riffing. "F(r)iend" is a little more abrasive than most of the album's other tracks, with Friden growling and snarling through the verses.

Overall, "Soundtrack" has an almost ethereal feel to it, showcased in tracks like "The Quiet Place," which opens with synth-tinged guitar riffing, or "Evil in the Closet," one of the disc's more intriguing tracks (a ballad at that!). Friden creates an interesting atmosphere with his voice and the band's musical arrangements sound interesting and layered.

Really, it's the instrumentation that makes In Flames stand out in this day and age. Even tight three or four minute tracks sound epic in nature, due in part to the layered sound the band creates. That, included with the vocal arrangements, gives the band a fuller sound than most other metal bands in the scene today.

That said, "Escape" isn't necessarily a bad album. It stands good on it's own. Taken as a piece of the band's catalogue, "Escape" just seems a rehash of "Reroute" without the outstanding tracks like "Trigger" or "Reroute to Remain." Most of the band's fans are turned off with this, in addition to the fact that In Flames essentially started out as a death metal band and have matured over time adding more melody and keyboards.

"Soundtrack to Your Escape" is a strong release that has suffered the fate of those waiting for it having higher hopes. It's a good album to introduce a new fan to the band, but not the best it has to offer. The disc's stronger tracks come towards the end of the release, so if you check "Escape" out, make sure to give the later tracks a chance to sink in.