In Flames: Clayman

The production value on Clayman is instantly apparent; the album's initial sounds jump right out and pull the listener in, conveying a power and excitement that lasts the duration of the disc. The songs on Clayman are what ultimately sell In Flames, though. With some of their best writing yet, they continue to tighten up a sound that could please fans of everyone from Queensrÿche to Arch Enemy to maybe even Satyricon. With their blend of speed, melody, and pensive aggression, In Flames is indeed hard to pin down. Clayman at its core, though, is invigorating, well-executed metal that, dare it be said, is a fun listen; this probably isn't far from what the band intends.

Sweden’s influential and long revered heavy metal giants In Flames are celebrating two major milestones in 2020 with their 30th anniversary as a band, and 20th anniversary of their seminal, critically acclaimed album, "Clayman".
"Clayman" 20th Anniversary Edition comes entirely remastered by Ted Jensen (Pantera, Deftones, Gojira) and features all new artwork in a 16-page booklet, a brand-new instrumental medley plus 4 re-recorded versions of fan-favorites such as "Only For The Weak" and "Pinball Map".
Front man Anders Fridén says of the 20th Anniversary Edition: "This record changed our career in a number of ways. Being the 20th anniversary this year, we had to do something massive for the fans…

Swedish veteran metallers IN FLAMES are celebrating two major milestones in 2020 with their 30th anniversary as a band and 20th anniversary of their seminal, critically acclaimed album "Clayman". Preceding the physical release of "Clayman 20th Anniversary Edition", IN FLAMES will digitally release the "Clayman 2020 EP" on July 24, which features the 2020 versions of "Only For The Weak", "Bullet Ride", "Pinball Map", "Clayman" and a new instrumental track, "Themes And Variations In D-Minor".

Celebrating 30 years of IN FLAMES and 20 years of »Clayman«, this album has been remastered and enhanced by Ted Jensen (PANTERA, DEFTONES, GOJIRA). The 20th Anniversary Edition of »Clayman« features all new artwork and 5 new bonus tracks including a brand new instrumental medley and re-recorded versions of fan-favorites such as 'Only For The Weak' and 'Pinball Map'. Re-recorded songs were produced by Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, MOTÖRHEAD) and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge (GREEN DAY, ROB ZOMBIE). - Original 11-song track-listing remastered by Ted Jensen @ Sterling Sound - New instrumental track titled 'Themes And Variations In D-Minor' composed by Johannes Bergion, guitars by Bjorn Gelotte. Recorded & mixed by Roberto Laghi.

In Flames was certainly under the extreme-metal microscope upon the release of Soundtrack to Your Escape and its predecessor, Reroute to Remain. The band had the potential to crack the metal underground wide to the mainstream, existing on the cusp of international stardom with its progressive extrapolations upon the Swedish metal genre they helped create. Fact is, Soundtrack to Your Escape exists to further polarize In Flames' fan base - "Touch of Red" and opening cut "F(r)iend" are their heaviest riff monsters since Colony, which blatantly contrast "The Quiet Place," which is jammed with cascading guitar melodies and a thick, sticky chorus which, in a just world, would make for a rock-radio smash…

When a band changes their style and sound, it can be polarizing. Melodic death metal pioneers In Flames have experienced this with their fans, as their sound has grown more accessible over the years with fewer growling vocals. Their countrymen and contemporaries Opeth have drawn similar criticism, but their switch from death metal to prog seems to have been more easily accepted than In Flames’ evolution toward the mainstream. In Flames’ effort, Battles, has plenty of melody, but there are numerous intense moments, as well.
Battles is the first In Flames album recorded without drummer Daniel Svensson since 1997‘s Whoracle. The band traveled to Los Angeles to record with producer Howard Benson (Halestorm, Skillet, Papa Roach). Benson recommended using drummer Joe Rickard (Red) for the album, and he ended up joining the group permanently…

Of the three albums that make up Gothenburg's holy trinity, Dark Tranquillity's The Gallery was the least immediate, with unorthodox song structures that took time to assimilate, while At the Gates' Slaughter of the Soul didn't truly cement its classic status until a new generation of American metalcore bands started to copy it riff for riff. In Flames' The Jester Race, however, pretty much announced itself as a masterwork right from day one. More than any other, this is the album that put the "melodic" in melodic death metal. Traditionalists who'd never been able to stomach death metal's brutality were stunned to hear winding, intricate twin-guitar lines lifted from Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and countless European power metal records…

In Flames represent the best of metal's past, present, and future. In Flames are as vital and even more energized today than when they unleashed classics like Come Clarity and Clayman in decades past. Foregone, the furious fourteenth studio album, combines the greatest aggressive, metallic, and melodic strengths of their landmark records with the seasoned songwriting of their postmodern era. The melodic guitars, crushing riffs, and high-speed tempos that define much of the In Flames catalog first crystalized on their second album, The Jester Race (1996), complete with hints of the catchy choruses to come. Whoracle (1997) is the rawest and arguably heaviest In Flames album from the 90s.

Could this actually be European death metal's bid for a pop culture coup? In Flames already has a reputation as one of the best, most melodic death metal bands to come to power in the Euro-metal regime that has swept through countries like Sweden and Norway since the early to mid-'90s. However, with Reroute to Remain, Strömblad and the gang have now unexpectedly announced that they are also undoubtedly the most experimental of their brethren, and furthermore, that they have set their sights not just on broader horizons, but perhaps even complete world domination as well. Maybe that sounds like a huge exaggeration, but even one spin of the 14 songs here will prove that it very possibly may not be. It's obvious that the band has been listening heavily to the popular American metal (nu-metal, rap-metal, etc.) acts of the moment, because most of their venturing heads in that direction…