New album Foregone out February 2023

[The Grayfox]

Foregone is boring to me as well, but it’s also the fakest, most manufactured sounding IF album to me and that seems worse than ‘just boring.’ It just sounds like an uninspired metalcore album. Judging by how things go with them, they will release a jazz fusion or easy listening album next. It’ll be some polar opposite to Foregone — and somehow still slightly better.

What they should really do is bring Jesper in just as a session member to write. In fact, I’m not sure why that was never an option to begin with. There are several bands who do this. Fit for an Autopsy comes to mind; Will Putney doesn’t tour with the band but he is a full fledged member and writes and records in the studio. That sort of situation could’ve been really good for IF. Obviously they don’t think this, but Anders and Bjorn are not very good songwriters on their own. They’re decent at best at fitting in with whatever the flavor of the year is. They can look around at what’s popular in the rock/metal world and then be mediocre at trying to replicate it. It’s a damn shame that In Flames went from being pioneers to followers.

 

[eochaid]

What they should really do is bring Jesper in just as a session member to write. In fact, I’m not sure why that was never an option to begin with. There are several bands who do this.

That's not even a chance because of reasons (Anders).

 

[DE4life]

The Anders/Bjorn combo had one good effort with SOAPF, albeit it was all Bjorn musically. Didn't sound much like past IF, but was a fresh and energetic record which could have evolved into a really cool sound if they'd built upon it. Problem is, despite what people say, In Flames don't really evolve sounds from past albums. Not since 2000 anyway. Every album since then is just different, sometimes wildly so. You'll still hear some of Bjorn's stock stuff - recycled riffs, solos - and you'll hear dat catchy autotuned chorus from Anders in various songs, but the albums rarely naturally evolve from their predecessors in any logical way. You may be able to make a case in some ways for Battles > ITM, but Battles to Foregone is a pretty big leap to something totally different. From SC to Foregone even more so, and we're only talking 7 years here.

It's not necessarily a bad thing to be unpredictable, but it's also not a bad thing to take a cool sound and evolve/refine it over a few albums. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth when I really enjoy an album like SOAPF, anticipate something similar in the next release, and then get hit with a brooding, melancholic album like SC (I'm being nice with that description). As a fan it's nice to believe you'll get something in a similar vein from previous albums of a band you like, particularly if it's the same band members and a short time period between releases. With IF you simply cannot expect that, and it means I go into each new album with trepadation rather than excitement. Well, I used to anyway. Nowadays it's more morbid curiousity.

 

[eochaid]

Not unpredictable. This band doesn't have a direction. They don't have a style, a signature sound. They don't move themselves followed by an idea of who they are or where they're heading to.

After three consecutive fiascos, they just tried to stay relevant by going back to a supposed style that they have totally forgotten about. There's not an IF sound. Just random efforts.

 

[Cobra8472]

"In terms of new material, we have written a couple of new songs and I think one of them is the best song we have ever written. It sounds like "Moonshield Part 2" or "Gyroscope Part 2". It is a very good song."

I have no idea what song he's talking about here. I can't think of any song on Colony that sounds like Gyroscope or Moonshield part 2. Pallars Anders Visa is the closest, I guess, but I don't get the feeling he was talking about that. I wonder if this song was just dropped in the end?"

This might be Resin.
It has the same sort of "swing-y"riff/time signature style, with a lot of hammer on / pull off tails, and feels somewhat folky in style - like Gyroscope.

With hindsight we now know it's not one of the best of their career- but I still enjoy playing it.

 

[ThePhobiac]

Spotify Wrapped tells me that In Flames was once again my most listened-to band, with In the Dark being my second-most listened-to song this year*, followed by Meet Your Maker and Foregone Pt. 1.

*Most listened-to was "Ashes Turn to Rain" by Borealis, which was a nice discovery earlier this year.

 

[DE4life]

This might be Resin.
It has the same sort of "swing-y"riff/time signature style, with a lot of hammer on / pull off tails, and feels somewhat folky in style - like Gyroscope.

With hindsight we now know it's not one of the best of their career- but I still enjoy playing it.

Hmmm, yeah maybe. I'm really curious as to whether this was a song that actually ended up on Colony, or whether it just ended up on the cutting room floor. I'm not sure Jesper would even remember nowadays.

 

[The Grayfox]

My Spotify wrapped tells me In Flames was 3rd this year, which is actually up a few spots from last year. This year they were beaten out by HammerFall and Orbit Culture. Wintersun and Sentenced rounded out the top 5. No In Flames songs in the top 5 though.

If the song he was referring to was Resin, that was a huge miss I thought maybe Zombie Inc at first but Resin makes more sense for reasons you mentioned. One of the worst songs on Colony and a really forgettable song overall.

 

[DE4life]

I don't use spotify, and not really sure where IF would rank this year. Probably in my top five somewhere, but definitely below Beast in Black and Fellowship.

 

[eochaid]

Based on my memories, playlists that I've created to listen while at home, my ranking should be something like:

Rise Against.
Alice In Chains.
The Halo Effect.
Disillusion.
Two steps from Hell.
In Flames.

 

[GraemeSinclair]

...What can I say? I'm still cool, guys... Right?... Right?

The non-Foregone IF songs that made my top 100 of 2023 were: Jester Script Transfigured, Coerced Coexistence, Deep Inside, Suburban Me, Colony, Artifacts of the Black Rain, Embody the Invisible, Reroute to Remain... and Resin. Maybe I just have questionable taste .

 

[The Grayfox]

^ That's depressing

 

[mindd]

In Flames at second place this year for me, owing thanks to binge-listening to Colony, Clayman and Reroute for a few times right after hearing Foregone to clean the palate I guess.
At first place was... Depeche Mode, lol

 

[ciko_gfb]

hey there boys, its been a long time

a lot changed since last time I was here, I took @eochaid's advice and got married, moved to another part of city so It was very busy few months for me good to see familiar faces are still around and arguing

View attachment 34694View attachment 34695

...What can I say? I'm still cool, guys... Right?... Right?

The non-Foregone IF songs that made my top 100 of 2023 were: Jester Script Transfigured, Coerced Coexistence, Deep Inside, Suburban Me, Colony, Artifacts of the Black Rain, Embody the Invisible, Reroute to Remain... and Resin. Maybe I just have questionable taste .

You're cool but I'm cooler than you mate! Got 9.168 minutes with IF and my top 5 was
1- Meet Your Maker
2- In The Dark
3- State of Slow Decay
4- Halo from Pendulum
5- Foregone pt2

My non-Foregone list is: Deliver us, Mirrors Truth, Trigger, Where the Dead Ships Dwell, Take This Life, Alias, Crawl Through Knives, Delight And Anders, Cloud Connected, Vacuum, Self vs Self, Fear is the Weakness, Suburban Me.

IF might be back to their rootz but I'm not it looks like @DE4life.

 

[eochaid]

I told you not to marry !

Congratulations!

 

[DE4life]

Congrats @ciko_gfb , glad to hear you're doing well. Although to be clear, getting married and moving city is no excuse for abandoning your bros. Make it clear to your wife that we are a part of this marriage too.

As far as back to da rootz, sounds like you're well in-tune with your In Flames roots, so it's all good

 

[eochaid]

He said that he's married. He's obviously not doing well.

 

[DE4life]

Well, it's the early days of marriage, the TJR-Clayman period of matrimony - so it's probably all good for now. As a man who has been able to navigate through even the darkest period of IF history with a smile and a dream, maybe there's hope for Ciko to keep it going strong.

Well, until his wife finds those saucy Instagram DMs from Ciko to Anders. Then things could get messy. If she asks him to choose between her or Anders... could be rough times ahead.

 

[DE4life]

I found another song called 'Man Made God' whilst scrolling through my YouTube suggestions earlier...



Not a cover of the IF instrumental, but I quite like it. Some cool guitar work going on around the 2 minute mark. Vocals are pretty solid. Lots of nice vocal hooks. Never heard of this band before, but tempted to check out the rest of the album now regardless.

 

[The Grayfox]

I just... I can't fathom listening to Meet Your Maker and In The Dark enough times for them to my most played of THE ENTIRE YEAR. Then again, I think I'm just not as big of an In Flames fan as I used to be. I'll always cherish those early days. In Flames is my number three this year, but not a single In Flames track in the top 10 somehow. Also, apparently I played The Forest That Weeps by Wintersun 154 times this year.

Don't be surprised if your new wife divorces you after finding out that you like Meet Your Maker THAT much. Congrats.