IN FLAMES

WHAT KIND OF BAND ARE THEY ?

In flames are a heavy metal band from sweden playing. There playing styles mixes elements from bands such as Iron maiden and carcass with traditional swedish folk elements.

BAND HISTORY

In flames were formed in 1990 when Jesper Stromblad left his then band ceremonial oath Along whith Anders Friden. Then after getting a few more frends in they set about recording a short demo. This was passed on to wrong again records who instantly took the band on. This meant the band needed some more material and proceeded to write lunar strain the following day. The band were an instant hit in the underground scene. Unfortunatley they band consisted of no permanent members at this point. But fortunatley they were once again able to borrow band members from fellow bands. This enabled them to record the subterraen mini album. Which moved them to the attention of the german record lable Nuclearblast. Whith a now stable line up of Jesper Stormblad, Anders Friden, Johan Larsson, Glenn Ljunstrom ,and Bjorn gelotte. The band then recored The jester race album. The line unfortunatley only lasted until the end of the next album. This saw Johan and glenn leave and be replaced by Peter Iwes and Niklas Engelin. Niklas left after the Whoracle tour to devote more time to his own band Gerdinian. This saw In flames make there final change to the band by adding Daniel Svensson. This final line up change has stood them well as they have become successful worldwide.

THE ALBUMS

LUNARSTRAIN

The first of IN FLAMES albums is a very complicated album when first heard. The dark depressing and violent death metal is repaetedly couted acted by acoustic parts. Which are mostly classical style guitar parts. There is one almost totaly acoustic song on the album whith subtle female vocals. all these parts go together to give the album a very dark mood. And even when the fster songs kick in it continues to give a very hopeless bleak view untill the end of the album. Where after a classcial break you are launched into an all out assult. This album stands out due to the great mixture it provides. The band took a lot of risks whith this album and defined there own style whith it.

SUBTERRAINEAN

The sceond release from IN FLAMES is this mini cd. It slighly diffrent. It still contains all all the aggression and power of the first release. But whith out the accoustic elements that made the firstalbum stand out. A very straight forward effortfrom this band The overall feel of this release is faster and more aggressive but really lacks the reflective accoustic parts. Very good but also very simple probabley there easist release to get into. Not much to sayhere very short very solid album that jjust keeps going

THE JESTER RACE

There first release for a maour lable sees the band return to some thing closer tothere first album. The accoustic parts return on this album to add that reflective element to the aggressive and powerful songs. The overall feeling of and an unstopable end is present through the album. Which matches the lyrics nicely.Not quite as brave as the first album. But also more evolved than subterrain.This is were I would recomend starting to listen to the band as it is a very rounded effort.

WHORACLE

The whoracle is a very straight forward con tinuation of the jester race. All the elements from the jester race are present. This is both agood and bad thing. Good as it gives the band a style and identity but bad as it is very similar to to the prevous album. But its not all depressing as it seems as the album is very good on its own still. Like the jester race a good well rounded album. Posssibly lacking slightly in orginatly though.

COLONY

In flames take a minor change in there style this time bringing
in keyboards on a couple of songs and clean or sung vocals
this brings the album much closer to the original release and
maintains all the familiar elements that the previous albums and
shows a band continuing to redefine there limits. This change back to taking risks is great as the album sounds very freesh because of it.The album is quite accessible proabley if you have not had a chance to hear the earlier albums. Even if it does contain alot of the earlier elements of the band. There is a much more polished complete feel to this album but shows there basic roots by redoing the opening track from lunar strain. A very listenable album.

CLAYMAN

The latest release from in flames sees them continueing to bring in
the elements started on colony whith more clean vocals and a large keyboard presence. These elemants are now all part of the sound the band. Clayman is a highly enjoyable and incredibley varied album whith the acoustic elements more itergrated as opposssed to being seperate or background. Although musicaly it sounds slightly diffrent to the earlier albums it still contains a lot of similar parts. A very advanced and possibley a little over eletronic. This albums containes parts of everything and it all works so well.

ADDITIONAL ITEMS AND BAND APPEARENCES

The band have also released a split video whith evereve. Which contains live footage and backstage interviews of both bands. They realsed a limited edition mini cd titled Black ash inheritence. Which featered two track from Lunarstrain as well as two additional accoustic tracks. The band have appered on the following compilations.
Death is :vol 3 and 4,beauty in darkness :vol 2,darkside of warcken 2000, and A call to irons.

OTHER RELATED BANDS

Jesper stromblad has also assisted in hammerhall. Who are a sweedish power/classic metal band who generaly sing sons about dragons and other simmilar things. and Niklas englin has let In flames to pursue his own band Gerdinian.A band that is simmilar to in flames but with a lighter touch. Before in flames both jesper stromblad and anders friden were in cerimonial oath.

click here for the in flames website.