In Flames – Sounds Of A Playground Fading
Century Media 2011
Few could dispute the feral beginnings of In Flames that earned them their legendary status as a progenitor of the melodic death metal genre – especially the legions of bands they’ve directly inspired. But even the most vicious animal will eventually begin to lose their interest in the hunt and slow down with age. Sadly recent output from In Flames, including this latest offering, are prime examples of that ever cruel fact of life.
As their first album without founding guitarist Jesper Strömblad, “Sounds Of A Playground Fading” isn’t readily a departure from the groups modern output. But there are numerous instances where one can’t help but feel that the band have strayed so far from their roots that they’ve nearly lost what once made them so special entirely.
While a handful of tracks like “The Puzzle” capture the spirit of their early days and the mixture of melody and aggression that got them to where they are; the bulk of the album sadly does not follow suit. Instead the modernized production, with its glittery nu-metal-ish ambiance and cheesy hard rock aesthetic, does little more than ensure a wishy-washy listening experience. Unfortunate is it then that the generic songwriting is no better.
An onslaught of tiresome clean singing, homogenized electronic interference and lukewarm riffs maintain a level of mediocrity and corniness generally reserved for substandard European power metal. It’s so alarmingly formulaic that nearly every track sees the band launch with a driving verse, shift into a soaring contemplative chorus and eventually erupt into a bridge led by a solo that would fit right in on a recent Slash record.
Truly a shame that an outfit with such recognizable talent has succumb to this level of inferiority. If the intention was to become even more accessible, the band failed as they have sacrificed almost all of their strengths in the process. “Sounds Of A Playground Fading” is if anything yet another disappointment in the catalogue of a band on a steady creative decline.
- USER RATING
- ( 26 votes, 2.85 stars )
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COMMENTS
In Flames should have called it quits a long time ago. Horrible.
Was never a fan. Just had to chime in – absolutely terrible album title.
Bad Album title, great album. No band that has been around this long should do what they did in the beginning, they would get bored with it. This is a new step ahead for them whether “you” like it or not.
in flames still kicks tits. they have for over 15 years. I’ve loved every cd with the exception of A Sense of Purpose. im looking forward to mash potatoes and listen to this new stuff.
Now, why am I not fucking surprised at Wook The Cranky Critic’s review? This album is just amazing. In Flames have NEVER made the same album twice, and SOAPF mixes a little bit of every In Flames style from Colony onward. The guitar work is superb and Anders is in complete control of his voice. I have NEVER disagreed with Wook so much, so strongly, and on so many levels.
BTW Wook, your current attempts to “atone” for your past NU-METAL FETISH by snidely bashing nu-metal in every negative review are transparent and lame.
Honestly, and I know this is going to get everyone’s panties in a bunch, I like their newer stuff more than their older stuff. Just different taste I guess.
Yea I mean everybody has their own taste on what they like more and that’s fine. I didn’t even really start listening to In Flames until Soundtrack to Your Escape came out…I was aware of them when Reroute to Remain was released but I didn’t get it till years later. Now I’ve got them all for the exception of the first full length and I’ve liked everything they’ve put out, honestly. So yea I’m def looking forward to what the rest of this new album sounds like.
@Viking – Let’s not confuse personal preference and opinion with some alleged vendetta. I mean really, have you not seen some of the bands I cover?
I myself find nearly all modern implementations of nu-metal to be tired and dated. Just the way I feel, not trying to prove something.
Plus I don’t think any amount of nu-metal bashing could ever ‘atone’ for my past musical crimes.
FLUSH THAT TERD!
It’s called growing, Viking. I loved a lot of nu-metal back in the day myself. While I still hold a spot for the stuff I did like, 90% of those bands that are still around straight-up suck these days, and any new attempts to revive the genre have been awful. It’s the same with metalcore and deathcore. Those original bands that started it I still dig, but all of the bands that have come since and ran it into the ground are what ruined it. I don’t think Wook is attempting to atone for shit; tastes change.
As for In Flames, it’s completely understandable why people don’t care about them anymore. While I’ve yet to hear this, the only album of there’s from the past 8-9 years that I really liked was Come Clarity. A Sense of Purpose and Soundtrack to Your Escape were boring and pretty damn forgettable. Wook isn’t alone in his opinion…
So true KamuiX, it’s a point that’s not made nearly enough here… tastes DO change. Over time, through self maturation and through different directions that a genre/specific band may make, sometimes tastes change. What strikes a chord with an angst filled teenager might not resonate the same in 5-10 years down the road, wouldn’t you agree? Nu-Metal is prime example of that, at least for my age group (late twenties).
Now as for In Flames, I think their last great album was Reroute To Remain. Since then there’s been a certain extra thick layer of cheese, corniness, going-through-the-motions feel to them, basically what Wook alluded to in his review… and I normally do agree with Wook, probably why I’ve had the theprp as my homepage for the past 8 or so years…
Now if only Wook could find me the next Isis, then I’d flat out have a crush
yea i’m sorry but i’ve been listening to in flames for about 10 years now, with their last cd sense of purpose i feel like the dudes just lost touch with what made them in flames. hell i didn’t even realize they had a new cd coming out until today and to be honest after hearing it…i kinda wish i hadn’t found out. they should just re-release reroute.
Seems like some of us, late twenties, followed a similar path. Im right on point with KamuiX and Helmetinthebush, and to be honest im just reading the review and have not actually listened to anything on this album yet. Im merely just commenting on the growth of people and change of taste. I, like some, was balls to the walls Nu-metal when i was 16-18 or so, until i got a hold of Hatebreed’s “Satisfaction is the Death of Desire” and Killswitch’s “Alive or Just Breathing”. After that, a new era had begun for me, and i now the very thought of NU-METAL makes me laugh and/or repulses me. I tried to have love for my past, but i put in those cds on occasion and i just cant do it. Call it growing up, call it changing tastes…but i cannot help but laugh to myself when i see a guy my age wearing JNCO’s and listening to the new Disturbed, i can’t help but think they missed a part of the developmental cycle. In short though, too each their own, whatever makes you smile in this fucked up world, let it be.
Also, Cloud Connected was a pretty cool track….
I used to be fan of the older In Flames stuff and I desperately tried to hate this album… but I simply can’t. It’s not exactly a masterpiece but it is still a pretty good album. I like how the guitars carry the melodies again instead of putting the keyboards too much upfront (although they’re still there).
I love old In Flames. Actually, I love every album up to and including Come Clarity. A Sense of Purpose was bad and I was hoping this album would make me forget how bad it was. It didn’t. In Flames best work was absolutely brutal with moments of melodic beauty. Unfortunately, their two most recent albums have relied too much on the melodic aspect. Without really heavy or intense moments, the overly melodic music comes off as boring and uninspired, rather than balanced and unique as it did in their earlier efforts. I can’t disagree with the review too much. I will give it three stars because I think it’s an average album in times when average may actually be a compliment, though it’s well below average when compared to In Flames earlier albums.
this album is a piece of shit. 2 stars are still too generous.
It really isn’t that bad. It’s not like when Trivium released “The Crusade”…. that was bad,
I’m still looking forward to picking this up tomorrow. I loved everything up until Reroute to Remain. I also thoroughly enjoyed Come Clarity. Reroute to Remain and Soundtrack to Your Escape both had a couple songs I liked, but I mostly dismissed the rest. I surprisingly enjoyed over half of A Sense of Purpose. No, they aren’t nearly as creative anymore, but sometimes you can still enjoy the music even if it isn’t.
I’m reading through all of these really deep comments on people’s love for in flames and then I stumble on allichs’ this albums a piece of shit response and it made me laugh for a good min… USED TO be the best band in the world
yep, my thought was something like “imagine accepting the truth”. i’m glad it made smile. and @ RhiNo, The Crusade is not nearly as bad and desperate as this.
Pretty sure the sticker on “The Crusade” read: “For fans of…. Nevermind, just listen to Master of Puppets by Metallica….or anything by Metallica”
I grew up with the Jester Race era In Flames. This is nowhere near the same band.
Not every band that exists today is Slayer, for god sakes…In Flames is not Slayer. Therefore, their sound will change from album to album at some point in their careers. People are way too fuckin picky man. I dig this record.
In Flames has never been Slayer, not even on their old albums. We never listened to In Flames because they were the fastest, most brutal band. People loved In Flames because of their amazing song writing, the guitar melodies, and Anders’ rough vocal delivery. Those elements now are sadly missing.
Come Clarity, ASOP, and SOAPF, are just generic crap. STYE was the start of their downfall, though it was an ok album. At least it still kind of sounded like In Flames.
And In Flames did always change their sound from album to album. Jester Race didn’t sound like Lunar Strain, Whoracle didn’t sound like Jester. Colony & Clayman don’t sound like Whoracle, and Reroute To Remain doesn’t sound like any of the other albums. Reroute is actually my favorite album from them. We don’t hate the fact that they are changing, we always expect In Flames to change. We just don’t like the changes they’re making.
Trivium is a terrible band, btw…don’t mention that lame band in the same sentence with In Flames…ever.
Well, I was surprised again and also enjoyed this album. No, this is nowhere close to the band that ripped on the Jester Race/Whoracle/Colony, but I still enjoy what they put out despite the obvious commercialization.
3 or 4 songs have some half-decent opening riffage, but as a whole, this album falls flat, bigtime.
most people now a days seem to misplace the now feared “nu metal” riff for a simplified groove, all in flames is guilty of on this album is starting the album out with the now popular 1980′s arena metal melodic guitar (only in this day and age it only serves as a tease and then the band tends to kick back into their signature sound i:e demon hunter, in flames, etc) bottom line solid album great grooves both simplified and technical but if you want great you want REVOCATION!!!!
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