Over the course of some twenty-six years, In Flames have released twelve albums, progressing from a tough-as-nails melodic death metal sound to a more alternative metal sound in the process. As with any band that have evolved beyond a point that satisfies the original fan-base, In Flames have had to pay a stiff penalty with those who believe they should forever remain aligned to the sound of those early albums, but for every fan the band have lost, there have been plenty more willing to step up and show their support. Whatever your view of the band’s more recent output, there is a fair argument that In Flames perfected the melodic-death formula with 2000’s ‘Clayman’, and perhaps it was that, motre than anything, that fed the hunger for experimentation which seemed to grow with the release of the subsequent ‘Reroute to remain’ and ‘soundtrack to your escape’, both controversial entries in the In Flames canon. Following the release of ‘come clarity’ and ‘a sense of purpose’, both heavier efforts, long-time guitarist Jesper Stromblad departed the band in 2010 and, since then, In Flames have charted an unpredictable course with both ‘Sounds of a playground fading’ and ‘siren charms’ exploring diverse soundscapes that have as much in common with The Cure as with Carcass. Although far removed from the blistering guitar work and ravaged vocals of their early material, these albums show a mature band, unafraid to follow their muse into often exciting territory and ‘Battles’, the band’s twelfth album, continues the forward momentum, offering more than just visceral metal thrills and engaging with a darker, more sinister sound.
Following on from ‘Siren Charms’, ‘Battles’ maintains the stylized, clean production of that record with the focus on textures rather than out and out fury. Whilst not a progressive rock album as such, there is certainly a greater emphasis on progressive elements and there are several nods to the likes of Tool as well as to post punk innovators such as The Cure across the course of the album. The album opens with the eerie electronic pulse of ‘drained’, a track that draws instant parallels with ‘in plain view’, the opening track of ‘Siren charms’. Once again possessed of an earth-shattering chorus, ‘drained’ nonetheless packs a heavier punch than ‘in plain view’ and the razor-sharp riffing of Bjorn Gelotte and Niclas Engelin sounds more focused here. Shades of Tool underpin the kaleidoscopic intro to ‘the end’ before the band crash headlong into one of their most relentlessly melodic songs to date, which, for all its screams of rage, has more in common with the structure of pop than metal. It’s a fine song, but it’s easy to imagine those who have found the band’s recent excursions distasteful to gnash their teeth in rage throughout. A song that draws on the same theatrical well from which Avatar take inspiration, ‘Like sand’ is a darkly memorable song that shifts from moody, melodic verse to stadium-filling chorus in a heartbeat, throwing numerous electronic tricks into the mix for good effect and placing a firm line under In Flames shift away from death metal. Even more over-the-top are the massed vocals of ‘The Truth’ which give way to a song that takes the echoing guitar work of Robert Smith and super-charges it, the result being a song that draws together strands from metal, post-punk and pop in one unashamedly grandiose spectacle that is as engaging as it is likely to be divisive. An album highlight, ‘In my room’ is built around the pulsing bass of Peter Iwers and showcases the band’s increasingly dynamic thrust and ever-expanding musical palette.
Fading in on a stair-stepping riff, ‘Before I fall’ has a vibrant electronic pulse to it whereas, in stark contrast, ‘through my eyes’ is a full-blooded metal track which harks back to the band’s earlier work. The album’s title track opens upon a monstrous groove before the sound widens to incorporate stuttering leads and a suitably epic chorus. However, far better is the dark pop of ‘here until forever’ which sees the band succumbing entirely to the melodic forces that have been threatening the album and give vent to a chorus that reaches for the stars. ‘Underneath my skin’ offers up scything, harmonized guitars and plenty of energy that recalls the arty metal of the Deftones before the album’s crushing high point arrives in the form of the Tool-esque ‘Wallflower’. A track that uses electronics to grand effect, ‘Wallflower’ is the perfect example of In Flames’ newfound eclectic approach and it works brilliantly, showcasing the emotional depth and power inherent in the band’s latter day work, not least thanks to lyrics that recall the dark muse of Richey Edwards. The album concludes with ‘save me’, a more traditional In Flames track, the keyboard pulses notwithstanding, and one that sees the album out on a high.
Over a career that is rapidly approaching its third decade, In Flames have done much to evolve beyond their original blueprint. Understandably this has alienated those fans unwilling to follow them on this journey, but for those whose tastes expand beyond the somewhat narrow remit of melodic death metal, ‘Battles’ is a fine album indeed. In Flames, in 2016, are far more interested in melody and dynamic, and tracks like ‘Wallflower’ and ‘Like sand’ are mature, nuanced pieces of music that draw on a range of influences to deliver up something new. That said, if you found In Flames to have started an irreversible decline post-‘Clayman’, then you’ll find nothing here to change your stance – In Flames remain committed to exploring a very different realm to the harrowing rage of their early days. Despite the metallic roar of the guitars, In Flames now deal more in atmosphere than visceral thrill and the cleanliness of Howard Benson’s production, coupled with the ever-grander choruses and more obvious electronic elements, make for a very different listen. 8
Special Edition notes
As is so often the case these days, a special edition is available on day of release alongside the standard version. In this case, a digi-pack edition offers up two further tracks. The first of these, ‘greatest greed’ is a dark, metallic blast that stands as one of the album’s heaviest tracks. It’s definitely worth any extra outlay (although, oddly, in local retailer HMV the special edition was the same price as the ordinary one) as is the second bonus track, ‘Us against the world’, which is similarly energetic. It remains irritating that labels now insist on special editions as a means of drawing in fans, not least because it’s hard to imagine who’d opt for the normal edition over the digi-pack. Both ‘Greatest greed’ and ‘us against the world’ are fine tracks, although they arguably add little to the overall flow of the album, and In Flames fans will certainly want to pick this version up.
