| | In Flames A Sense of Purpose CD In Flames Discography of CDs
 (9 Customer Reviews)
Eighteen years and nine albums into bandhood, In Flames show zero sign of age. While the fierce Swedish band occasionally stops to breathe, as with the baroque folk break midway through "Alias," the metal assault on A SENSE OF PURPOSE is mostly relentless. That's not to say the 2008 follow-up to the massively successful COME CLARITY (and first album for Koch) lacks melody, but that the hook-laden riffs pile on top of one another for a complex yet captivating wall of sound. It's a fire that can consume, as on the taut "Move Through Me," or smolder somberly as on "The Chosen Pessimist." With veteran producer Daniel Bergstrand behind the boards, A SENSE OF PURPOSE is a downright elegant metal album that wears its title well.
Audio Mixers: James Musshorn; Toby Wright.
Recording information: IF Studios, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Illustrator: Alex Pardee.
In Flames: Anders Fridén (vocals); Björn Gelotte, Jesper Strömblad (guitar, guitars, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Peter Iwers (bass guitar); Daniel Svensson (drums).
Personnel: Orjan Ornkloo (keyboards, programming).
Alternative Press (p.138) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[A] joyride....In Flames remain a stunningly accessible point of entry to the dark side."
CMJ - "In Flames is strange-but-crucial commodity in the metal universe: a guilty pleasure that elevates your goose bumps but still demands headbanger respect..."
Kerrang (Magazine) (p.48) - "[The album] reaffirms the band as genuine pioneers in the field. Combining the lead-heavy, dual harmony-loving sound of old with the epic choruses and crunching riffs that we've come to expect from their 21st century incarnation..."
Pitchfork (Website) - "[T]he band revisits its latter-day ideas: hooky riffs, mid-paced tempos, and a tug-of-war between rock's immediacy and metal's ambition....Grace abounds. Eighteen years into their career, In Flames wield a subtle instrumental fluency..." -- Rating: 7.0 A Sense of Purpose Music Review Average Rating: (4.4 out of 5 stars)   List All Reviews Still peerless in this genre, but was hoping for more...
In Flames is still THE industry standard for higher order, intelligent and melodic death metal, or the Gothenburg sound as they call it. I like the album a lot, but would be amiss if I didn't admit some level of disappointment. It is solid work, but lacks a bit in the diversity and melody department. Many of the tempos and rhythms are similar--and the presence of experimentation is totally gone. This will please many "purists" but disappoints me. I love the surprise factor of songs like "Metaphor" and "Dead End" with it's female vocal parts for example. In Flames is unique in that they are capable of all kinds of twists and turns in their music but still holding a core which is unmistakable. This new album has the core, but not the twists. Still the best release of any group I have heard this year however.
Submitted by Div (Somewhere in Time)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 2 of 2 found this helpful.
 Still quality metal...
Anders Frieden vocals in songs like the mirror's truth are amazing and is one of the things i most enjoy about this album.. i am so glad that In Flames have a new album they can once again be proud of.......
Submitted by jamessegelov (sydney, Australia)
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Not many bands can do what In Flames have done... again....
It's not easy for a band that has been around for quite as long as In Flames who has released now their 9th record to come out with something that keeps them within their roots but also is an experimentation of their genre, bringing in new styles and techniques not tried before. In Flames at one point was also criticized by this in that they were told to be experimenting in the wrong direction with albums such as "Reroute To Remain" and "Soundtrack To Your Escape". I liked these albums, though, but it is true that In Flames was changing. Yet, two years ago, In Flames released "Come Clarity" which received a huge boost, being called a "masterpiece that sends them back to their roots" and also trying new styles in their melody that they are known for. This new album "A Sense of Purpose" may not be as heavy as "Come Clarity" but does keep the melodic factor and, if anything, makes the melody something powerful and emotional to listen to. I had my doubts about this album, but In Flames not only keeps back to what their good to but expand on it every time I listen to a new album by them, and this album is no exception. Anders has now tried dueling vocals that are both with singing and screaming, giving the music more feel when his voice comes into play. The guitars like usual are always beautifully mastered and their sound seems to be more defined each time I hear it, the sound is definitely an improvement over "Come Clarity"'s guitars, in that they sound much more clear. Overall, it's definitely an album worth listening to, In Flames has reached a level of professionalism in their music that I can not match with anyone else and have matured not only to just make heavy music, but as they prove in this album, their music is incredibly beautiful. Definitely a worthy buy.
Submitted by Jules (Tallahassee, FL, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 1 of 1 found this helpful. as always a beautiful album
if you love in flames get ready for another masterpiece. get this album as soon as you can .can't wait to see them next month
Submitted by jeremy (council bluffs,iowa)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 1 of 1 found this helpful. Great!
I had only heard In Flames mentioned a few times before I saw a commercial advertising this cd so I thought, "What the hell." and I ordered it...few months later I'm trying to get everyone of their cds. For fresh fans this is a good introduction especially if they like to examine lyrics.
Submitted by Corey (Livingston, LA, USA) 
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Buy A Sense of Purpose CD Purchase A Sense of Purpose CD To buy, Click on price to add to cart | Muddy Waters Folk Singer CD (1964) Remastered
A Sense of Purpose
 $8.49  
Ultradiscs are mastered from the original master tapes using Mobile Fidelity's proprietary mastering technique, then plated with 24-karat gold and housed in a stress-resistant lift-lock jewel box.
"You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had" and "The Same Thing" did not appear on the original version of FOLK SINGER. They were recorded at a separate session in April 1964, three months after FOLK SINGER was released.
The title and cover photo of this 1963 recording were an attempt to cash in on the burgeoning American folk revival, but this is pure acoustic blues. Muddy began his career as a Robert Johnson-style solo acoustic performer, and the tunes on FOLK SINGER hark back to those days. He's accompanied sparsely by Willie Dixon, drummer Clifton James and a young Buddy Guy, who provide a stark, deliberate backdrop for Muddy's rich vocal and expressive bottleneck guitar work. The richness of Muddy's baritone is showcased effectively here, with more room than usual for his voice to resonate.
The low-key setting allows Muddy to explore a fuller dynamic range ...
| | In Flames Reroute To Remain CD (2002)
A Sense of Purpose
$12.99
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; in fact, it's almost as if catchy American-sounding choruses and certain nu-metal attributes have been added to the intense, throttling mixture of the band's already memorable songcraft. "Dark Signs," "Minus," and the title track each contain choruses that could have easily come ...
| | In Flames Soundtrack To Your Escape CD (2004) Deluxe Edition
A Sense of Purpose
$13.85 
Sweden's metal scene consistently breathes new life into a style that had long since hit a wall in many other territories. Among the most provocative and original of these acts is In Flames. The brainchild of vocalist Anders Friden and guitarist Jesper Stromblad, In Flames began in 1990, crafting a unique direction and, over time, solidifying ...
| | In Flames Come Clarity CD (2006)
A Sense of Purpose
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| | Peter Bardens Big Sky CD (1995) (Import) United Kingdom
A Sense of Purpose
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Keyboardist Pete Bardens continued his string of largely instrumental new age and atmospheric rock albums with 1994's Big Sky. The Camel alumnus' previous album, 1993's Further Than You Know, was a little heavier on the vocals, so this is a bit more like his superb Seen One Earth from 1987 and Speed of Light from 1988. Unfortunately, the songs aren't quite as strong here. Longtime vocalist ...
| | Dave Brubeck Jazz Impressions Of New York CD (1965)
A Sense of Purpose
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| | Oase Der Harmonie 9 CD (2008) (Import) Import
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| | Abel Honest Love CD (2009)
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Personnel: Dave Campbell (piano, glockenspiel).
| | Solitary Phantom The Emotional Constellation Of Being CD (2009)
A Sense of Purpose
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