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.
