Album RAMBLE: In Flames — “Foregone”


We (the Top Brass, Benevolent Overlords, etc: Corey, Dan K, Chris, and Josh) had so much fun drunkenly rambling about Sky Void of Stars that we decided to do it again! This time around, we’re taking a first dive into Foregone, the highly anticipated new album from Swedish death metal legends In Flames. We are all very much aware and familiar with the In Flames discography and the opinions surrounding that timeline, as divisive as they are. So. Is the hype surrounding the new album justified? More importantly, are we collectively disappointed or excited about their fourteenth studio album? HOW WILL THIS IMPACT THE NINE CIRCLES IN FLAMES ALBUM RANKINGS THAT NOBODY HAS EVER SEEN? We ask the hard questions around here, and rarely answer them.

Need a reminder of how this works? Sure, you can have one. We pick an album off the promo pile by we’re interested in, we get drunk, and we share our first impressions. Cohesive reviews can be hard, and we don’t get paid for this shit. Deal with it. Let’s fucking go!

Continue reading

In Flames live at Aura, 12.5.2019

CMB_3894

Band: In Flames

Photographer: Corey Butterworth

Location: Aura, Portland, Maine

Date: December 5, 2019

Continue reading

In Flames live at the House of Blues, 3.3.2019

InFlames.3.3.19.169

Band: In Flames

Photographer: Corey Butterworth

Location: House of Blue, Boston, MA

Date: March 3, 2019

Continue reading

Throwback Thursday: In Flames’ “Clayman” turns 18

inflames-clayman-album

Though they’re little more than a punchline these days, it’s hard to overstate just how important In Flames were in my journey into metal fandom. As I began my crossover from nu-metal kid into “the real shit” — sometime around eighth grade — the Swedes were one of the first contemporary bands to really hook me. At their peak, they hit every note I wanted to hear: the sense of melody I’d come to appreciate from classic artists like Maiden and Priest; a heaviness that, unlike nu-metal, didn’t feel clownish; and most importantly, an almost unfairly catchy presentation of both those component parts.

And it’s thanks to that last point in particular that Clayman was the first In Flames album to hook me in. So in honor of its 18th birthday this past Tuesday, let’s take a look back at it.

Continue reading

The Horns Up Top 10: In Flames

Well, this is certainly an ambitious decision, isn’t it? Forming in 1990 and remaining active ever since, In Flames have released 11 full length albums, most recently last year’s Siren Charms. There’s no shortage of material to work with for a Top 10 list. They were one of the pioneers of the Gothenburg death metal scene and have become one of the most recognizable bands both inside the metal community and out.

Continue reading