In Flames A Sense of Purpose CD

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).
Audio Mixers: James Musshorn; Toby Wright.
Recording information: IF Studios, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Illustrator: Alex Pardee.
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.
Frantic metal band In Flames can deliver a good melody around the militaristic, precision drumming of Daniel Svensson and the occasionally guttural yelps of frontman Anders Fridén. Whether it's a tight, polished effort like "The Mirror's Truth" with traces of classic metal à la Iron Maiden or especially Judas Priest, In Flames definitely bring a sense of purpose to this record. From there, the group increase the Metallica-ish franticness with "Disconnected" that relies on heavy guitar riffs but a far lighter, almost airy chorus and bridge. This is improved upon later on the album as "I'm the Highway" takes the record to another level. Probably the heaviest track is "Condemned," that again is driven by Svensson and the guitar tandem of Jesper Strömblad and Björn Gelotte. These less intense moments are rarities, though, as "Sleepless Again" almost contains slight "emo" characteristics throughout. The group truly strike gold with the deliberate but delectable "Alias" that brings to mind classic Led Zeppelin in the various twists and turns it takes. Following a beefy, brawn-saturated "Move Through Me," In Flames save the crowning achievement for the lengthy, winding "The Chosen Pessimist," which opens like a reflective, introspective piece of music by Sigur Rós before finding its way effortlessly. In Flames continue to make their mark by being rooted in a strong metal or hard rock foundation but being musically and creatively inquisitive enough to seek out something more. ~ Jason MacNeilAlternative 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