In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band formed in Gothenburg in 1990. Over the years, the band established a reputation for its aggressive and melodic sound, combined with introspective lyrics. The band's lineup has undergone several changes over the years, with Anders Fridén serving as the lead vocalist and Bjorn Gelotte as the guitarist since the band's inception. The band's latest album, "Foregone", marks a significant change for the band as it is the first album to feature guitarist Chris Broderick, who replaced Niclas Engelin.
What Worked
Never afraid to mix up their melodic brand of death metal, In Flames returns with the punishing Foregone that touches on all eras and evolutions of the band. After a brief finger-picked acoustic guitar intro, the album explodes with the thundering "State of Slow Decay," featuring lead singer Anders Fridén alternating between guttural growls and soaring clean vocals. This continues throughout the record, like on stomping "In The Dark," which alternates tempo and time changes in the most progressive track on the record. Other highlights include the swinging "Bleeding Out" and the epic one-two punch of "Forgone, Pt. 1" and Foregone, Pt. 2," which integrate more classical-influenced heavy metal sounds.
What Didn't Work
There isn't a bum track on the record, as most fly by in economic three-to-four minutes. The only complaint may come from death metal purists who don't care for the tamer, clean vocals that carry many of the albums' chorus sections.
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