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THE NEW IN FLAMES SINGLE IS OUT — DO THEY “DELIVER” THE GOODS?

 Wednesday, May 11th, 2011 at 11:00am by

I’ve listened to In Flames’ new album, Sounds of a Playground Fading, three times now, and I can’t remember a single thing about it. In fact, I’m listening to it even as I type this, and all the songs still feel kinda like I’m just hearing them for the first time.

What I’m saying is, while it’s not a bad album, but it’s an incredibly mediocre one that is not at all memorable. I like it better than A Sense of Purpose. At least, I think I do. Come to think of it, that record made pretty much zero impression on me, too.

So. In Flames’ new single, “Deliver Us,” was released digitally yesterday. You can download it for a buck here, or, if you wanna preview it before you buy it, you can just stream it here. And I think it’s pretty representative of the new album as a whole — not terrible, but surely not the level of quality that all us In Flames fans were hoping for. However you personally feel about it is probably how you’re going to feel about the rest of the record.

I know it wasn’t realistic of me to expect another Clayman from IF, but I was really pulling for at least another Come Clarity. Oh, well.

Sounds of My Interest Fading comes out on Century on June 21.

-AR

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  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Alejandro-Aldana/683878171 Alejandro Aldana

    this sounds like generic modern “metal”

  • Andrew

    That was so generic and boring, fucking terrible coming from In Flames. I can’t believe I used to like this band.

  • Specialmildsauce

    Completely uninspired garbage. and i LOVED A Sense of Purpose, believe it or not. Ugh.

  • Scourge441

    After a while I just figured out that every In Flames album consists of 3-4 good songs and a bunch of filler. That excludes A Sense of Purpose, which has no good songs.

    If I want Gothenburg melodeath, I’ll stick with Dark Tranquillity.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Kyle-Timothy-Palmer/582086079 Kyle Timothy Palmer

    What the fuck happened to this band? No guitar player can save this band now. I don’t care of Niklas Sundin, Glenn Ljungström, and Jesper Stromblad all have a three way manbaby, it wouldn’t be able to shock life into this corpse.

    Rest In Flames.

    • Jester

      Per and Jonas from Scar Symmetry could probably do it.

  • Keifer

    in flames is going down in flames

    • A normal human like the rest of you

      YYYEAAAAHHHHH!!!!

      • Horatio Caine

        *tips down sunglasses*

    • Asukiki

      it looks like in flames…
      *tips down sunglasses*
      …has burnt into ashes.
      YYYEAAAAHHHHHHH!

  • Ben Robson

    yeah this was pretty bad. starts off like a bad Dark Tranquillity song and then devolves into just plain old badness.

    i agree that Come Clarity is the best album they’ve put out since Clayman…but it was pretty uneven and I don’t know if I could stomach another album’s worth of material in that style. I really miss the Colony/Clayman sound, but I guess it’s just not the kind of music they want to write anymore, so, meh.

  • MikeForbid

    I’ll stick to the Darkest Hour Deliver Us

    • creptorstatus

      1

      • amnesik

        2

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Shaun-Reeves/100000774753955 Shaun Reeves

      3

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Shaun-Reeves/100000774753955 Shaun Reeves

      Ugh. I’ve loved all of In Flames albums, even A Sense Of Purpose. Even if a lot of their newer albums have filler song’s I’ve always thought they always had some really great ones too. But yeah, this song failed to hold my attention for even 30 seconds. If this is what the whole album is like, they may have finally released a dud for me.

      • jamesjones

        word. i’m a die-hard in flames fan, have all their albums, etc. this song is just weak. i think it’s time for them to call it quits.

        • Jester

          And this is why At The Gates quit after SoTS.

  • HUMANCENTiPAD

    come clarity is a good album. some good catchy tunes, ones that you wanted to go back and hear again. havent heard a song from them that i wanted to hear again since. deliver us is no exception. shame.

  • http://diggin-graves.blogspot.com/ The Fool

    Wow. I was actually prepared to defend this song since I actually didn’t think A Sense of Purpose was that terrible, but everyone else here nailed it. This is a pretty boring and generic song.

  • Benito

    RIP In Flames

  • A normal human like the rest of you

    I like the new approach of the vocals and the chorus is very “Soundtrack to Your Escape”-ish, but it really lacks something and the production has no punch.

  • B

    I think I’ll stick with their old material.

  • Ian

    In Flames has been in a steady downward spiral for years. As far as I know they haven’t said anything about reversing their current ‘creative’ direction, so I had to assume the new album would be garbage. Unless they pull a Paradise Lost and go back to their roots at some point, I think they can safely be written off.

  • gloriousjohnson

    heard this the other day on liquid metal and couldnt make it past 30 seconds

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Kyle-Kessler/1031820406 Kyle Kessler

    What the hell am I listening to? In Flames got me into metal, and this just makes me tear up in bitterness. 15 year old Kyle, I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry.

    • Strapping Young Lad

      Same with me, right at age 15. Gyroscope was the first all screaming metal song I ever heard.

      What was up with the production here??? It sounds like it was recorded in a shoddy garage!

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ross-Brownfield/747657803 Ross Brownfield

      Right there with you bro

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Morgan-Brodeur/100001249999802 Morgan Brodeur

    Wow, I couldn’t even make it the whole way through. This is a good song to put on if you are having trouble falling asleep.

  • Deth

    Well I guess I’m the outsider here. I’ve listened to them from day one, Jester Race was a first day purchase, and I have never strayed. There’s only a handful of bands I could handle this much change from (the other being Paradise Lost) but if the songs are still catchy and sound good I’ll keep listening to them.

    I am not afraid to say I like this and I can’t wait for the new album to come out. It’s all a matter of personal taste.

  • nich

    this isnt even in flames anymore, more like anders friden and freinds since all the founding members r gone

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ben-Robson/1375985482 Ben Robson

      i’m inclined to agree…but to be fair, this is 4/5 of the lineup that made Colony.

  • chris

    Well that thoroughly sucked. I was holding out the tiniest bit of hope that these guys would try something a little different on this album but I was wrong. This song is just as dull and uninspired as any of their recent records, why the hell does Anders think he can sing, he sounds terrible. Even the production seemed crappy. Its pretty sad that a once amazing band like In Flames has relegated themselves to writing such shitty music and touring on summer festivals with the likes of Godsmack and disturbed.

    • John

      I would never rip on a band based on who they are touring with. At the end of the day money is money. If someone offerred anyone on this site $60k per show to open for godsmack, theyd do it in a heartbeat.

    • Watty

      I saw them live a while back, and was VERY impressed with Ander’s vocals…don’t judge him based on this.

      That said, this album sounds forgettable already…

  • Anthony

    Not a bad song at all, just seems completely unnecessary. I like some of the vocal patterns here and there, but other than that it offers nothing.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ben-Robson/1375985482 Ben Robson

      i think what makes it seem so bad is that it’s just so average. it’s like they’re playing it safe – the song is totally bland and unsurprising in every way.

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jonathan-Votypka/541093131 Jonathan Votypka

        This. I don’t mind this song at all. In fact, it’s pretty catchy, particularly that chorus. But… it doesn’t inspire me much at all besides a slight head bob to groove with it. -shrug- Not bad, but I don’t think this album is purchase-worthy.

  • Jonathan

    Wow, I really have to admit that was bad. (And this is coming from someone who actually enjoyed ASOP)

    I had hight hopes for this album, but now I’m not so sure.

  • Elvaan Ibanfure

    I used to love In flames… but this is fucking horrible, it has moment it which you expect something really brutal and the the fucking pop shit appears, I feels like if they wanted to become Bjorm’s sister band “All Ends” and even worse… The instruments lack of originality, they dont show anything new, what they are showing us is exactly the same shit they “delivered to us” in their past album… shame on you In Flames, SHAME ON YOU! … you have lost a fan…

    • Elvaan Ibanfure

      I’ll stay to the kings of melodeath DARK TRANQUILLITY!!! :)

  • Milan

    I think i’ll just keep listening to Colony, whoracle and the jester race, and just pretend that they disbanded after Clayman

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Dakota-White/100002356936624 Dakota White

      Reroute to Remain wasn’t that bad I like it.

    • Sylvester

      I’m with you Milan. I’ve heard a few songs from them since then that gave me hope that there is one more killer album in them, but this is just horrible! Sounds like Linkin Park!

  • Faulty

    I actually like it, can’t wait to hear the whole album.

  • tim

    In Flames annoy the hell outta me- I love them, but I just can’t get into the old stuff, and I know its much better than their newer stuff… aaarrrgh

  • http://web.me.com/metalshea metalshea

    Couldn’t finish the tune. Utter shit.

  • PatrickSTL

    I love ‘A Sense Of Purpose’ and ‘Come Clarity’.’ This sounds more or less like stuff from ‘Soundtrack To Your Escape’ which is by far their worst. Ok, come to think of it, this song is waaaaaay better than almost everything off that album. I’m looking forward to the album.

  • http:///www,twistedcritic.wordpress.com Chris

    I can’t believe I had to go to myspace to hear that. Someone inform those twats that now even youtube sounds better than their music players.

  • Savage Animal

    In Flames we trusted…
    Until they started hanging out with those scary looking kids at the bus stop. You know how impressionable those melodeath bands can be.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Razza-Tu/717008242 Razza Tu

    Hate to say this… but this might be the first IF album where I think the album art is better than the content :/

  • soup

    i enjoyed this.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Kyle-Timothy-Palmer/582086079 Kyle Timothy Palmer

    Call me nuts, but I think their last awesome album was Soundtrack to your Escape. I still get goosebumps when I hear “Evil in a Closet”. But, a lot of people don’t like that album. Come Clarity was good, but man, c’mon, STYE is the last In Flames album they put out that I can listen to start to finish.

  • Plasmaterial

    This song is from the unreleased second ‘Passenger’ album right?

    The production is horrid, horrid. So flat, limp and lifeless, just like ASOP. Move out of IF Studios, get a real producer next time guys and maybe you’ll release something half decent again (and I was a fan of RTR, CC and the vast majority of STYE).

  • jakeinyourbox

    Hoping for another Come Clarity? hahaah WOW

    That was In Flames worst album and always will be.

    Sense of Purpose had a few great songs. Alias and Chosen Pessimist were awesome.

    Come Clarity had ONE good song. Crawling Through Knives.

    • Anonymous

      Are you kidding me? Come Clairity was the closest to classic IF as they’ve done in a while. It’s no Jesters Race, but it’s definitlly better then Soundtrack. God, I loathe that record. It is to In Flames what St. Anger was to Metallica.

  • Adam

    they died along time ago, i use to love in flames back in the day, now its just lame boring crap

  • Gab3

    What about songs like “Another Day In Quicksand”? That song is HUGE! But this album seems like it’s being put out just so they can keep the machine going. I’m really disappointed in this single, and I’m honestly disappointed with this band releasing Hot Topic hits. I used to love this band, but fuck you, In Flames. You guys REALLY fucking let me down.

  • Todd Poe

    This really is some tired, boring ol’ crap.

    Anyone with sense (and good taste) knows that In Flames should’ve called it quits several albums ago.

    Have you seen how bored they all look on stage these days?!

  • uLy

    I thought the last album was pretty decent. Hopefully this is the worst song on this record.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Brandon-Simmons/502123647 Brandon Simmons

    Who has time for this crap when there are TWO Devin Townsend albums coming up?

    The state of In Flames is beyond repair in my eyes. I’m pretty sure I’ll be hearing the same terrible songs even if they did release something half way decent.

  • KickMyJunk

    In Flames have really become pretty awful. Anders absolutely cannot sing and the music they are releasing is trite and dull.

  • Albertsen

    Are all you douchebags fucking morons??? The new IF is far better than “A Sense…” and very close to be just as fucking skull bashing as “Come Clarity” was!!! I got the album and I totally disagree with the writer AR – he must be fucking deaf! The first time I listened to it I knew instantly that this was a true masterpiece. With that said I had the exact opposite feeling about the predecessor, however, “Sounds…” is among the best albums in 2011 in my point of view! IN FLAMES WE TRUST!

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ben-Robson/1375985482 Ben Robson

      have you listened to any in flames albums that are older than Reroute?

      • Albertsen

        Yup – and I love them all. I love versatility/development as well!! What is your point??

        • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ben-Robson/1375985482 Ben Robson

          i just don’t really agree that the songwriting is anywhere near as strong as it used to be. i don’t think this band has written anything that could be called a “masterpiece” since Clayman. I do enjoy Come Clarity, but even that album is very uneven and clumsy sounding compared to their earlier work. their songwriting seems so uninsipired nowadays, in my opinion. i don’t think they developed in a positive way.

    • Todd Poe

      Calm down, Cleetus.

  • sarah

    The new IN FLAMES video for “Deliver Us“ will be premiered on http://new.music.yahoo.com.

  • Opeth666

    After reading all your comments I couln´t even hear it!   fuck new stuff!!   OLD IN FLAMES FOR EVER!  (I Agree STYE is the last album I can remember from IF)