In Flames, not unknown to many, is kind of a binary band. Binary in the sense that you can either love them, or detest them. Veterans to their art, in flames use simple technique to portray themselves through their music. 11 albums to their credit from 94, in flames have really some of age. A very old school death metal beginning in ‘Lunar Strain’ and ‘Subterranean’, they have created a very ‘groovy’ techno kind of a sound that is unlike anybody else. A fact clearly observed in later albums like ‘Clayman’, ‘Reroute To Remain’.

Come clarity, the 2006 offering of this cross atlantic band, reveals a lot about the band. Tracks are a bit more complex musically from their ancestors, but in the atempt, i feel In Flames have lost their own ‘groovy’ feel in many of the songs. Drummer Daniel Svensson shows a lot of skill with signature technique that is very precise and complex. Although tracks have a lot of beautiful parts, but somehow songs seem very abrupt. All the various riffs and phrases just dont seem to hold like previous in flames offerings. Passionate vocals by Anders Fridén along with his clean melodic choruses are a major attraction in the album.

The opening track take this life is very discontinuous and and is based on a very simple riff based groove, maybe a disappointment for long time in flames followers. Reflecting the storm and Crawl through knives are maybe the only 2 tracks that bare semblance to the ond In Flame’s sound. Female vocals in dead end are a thing to watch out for. I think its the first time they have done this.

This album is a big shift from the established In Flames sound and will hopefully be appreciated by more open-minded metalheads. As for me, i think i am still in love with tracks like cloud connected, pinball map, moonshield, only for the weak……… thus the poor rating. It also bears testimony to hat fact that no body ( except iron maiden of course ) can remain king for a very long time in the rapid dynamics of the metal world.