In Flames has been around for a long time. And at this point, when it’s been almost fifteen years since their debut, it’s reasonable to question whether or not they’re going downhill. But the answer to that isn’t going to be as simple as you might expect.
Fans of “classic” In Flames may be disappointed, as the band’s latest release, A Sense of Purpose, is in many ways an extension of 2006’s Come Clarity. Those who treasure The Jester Race and Whoracle will be disappointed to find little use of true death growling on A Sense of Purpose. Most of the growls have been replaced by throaty screams, which, in several cases, are even less melodic. But just like on Come Clarity, vocalist Anders Friden has included a light dusting of straightforward clean singing. Even though I’m not normally a huge fan of growls, I kind of wish they’d included a few more just to make the balance between growls, screams, and clean vocals a bit more interesting and a bit more pleasing.
Musically, though, In Flames hasn’t jumped the shark just yet. The usual characteristics are all there: the harmonized guitars, the heavy riffs mixed with melodic leads and the frequent use of acoustic guitars all feature prominently in the sound of the new album. Over the past few years, some fans have mourned In Flames’ shift toward a nu metal sound. But the movement doesn’t reek of a band selling out. It’s only the logical evolution of a band that’s been around too long to still be doing exactly what they started out doing. And, since it’s led to the inclusion of more clean singing, I’m not so much against this shift. It has resulted in arguably spottier albums but it’s also produced several individual songs of superior quality. And though A Sense of Purpose has an unfortunate number of songs that run together indistinguishably, the record manages to hold its head above water with its standout tracks.
One of these songs is “The Chosen Pessimist,” an eight-minute miniature epic featuring clean lead vocals for both the verses and the choruses. Friden’s vocal performance is, as usual, a bit unconventional. His words are drenched in the emotion of the song and not so saturated with vocal prowess. But even though he’s sobbing more than singing in some places, the entire song comes off as a personal, deeply emotional piece because of it. It’s a wonderful performance and a prime example of how to deliver as a vocalist without showing off.
Beyond the singing, though, “The Chosen Pessimist” is a near masterpiece. One of its few flaws is the mellow introduction that, while musically pleasing, takes too long to build up and push the song into full swing. But once the introduction is out of the way, “The Chosen Pessimist” shines. And once the final desperately hopeful lyrics are delivered, the music swells into a lushly layered, partially orchestral climax before finishing with an abrupt and somewhat unsatisfying ending. In spite of the ending, though, the song is a work of art surpassing all my other favorites from In Flames.
But “The Chosen Pessimist,” while easily the best song, is not the only standout track. “The Mirror’s Truth,” “Disconnected” and “Alias” are also worthy of repeat listens.
Overall, A Sense of Purpose is an imperfect but worthwhile album. Some of the songs sound too similar and the last few tracks are particularly boring. But more importantly, it demonstrates to skeptics of In Flames’ future that the band still have plenty to contribute to the music world.
Buy it if: You don’t mind throaty vocals, you’re a death metal collector, or you need something good to listen to when you’re feeling depressed.
Score: 6/10
Available at Amazon.com
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