OK so I didn't discover In Flames until Come Clarity, so yes I am a new fan, boo hiss and all that. I know that the band have been around for years and it may at first appear to be an unusual choice to have such a recent album as one of my most influential, but I feel that it is justified as it brought me into the whole Swedish melodic death metal sound.  Come Clarity led me to discover other bands such as Scar Symmetry and Dark Tranquillity, with this scene now making up the nucleus of what I generally listen to. As you can imagine this years’ Bloodstock suited me well. 

The album itself is amazing, “Take This Life” and “Leeches” are undoubtedly seen as being the big songs. They are a great way to start things off, but they are, in my opinion, by no means the best songs on the album. In Flames manage to show how to make a heavy album with great riffs, guitar solos and melodic moments to keep you entertained throughout, something that many bands have tried, and yet failed to achieve.   

So many of the songs command your attention and have those moments where they build and build and you are waiting for it to kick in so you can scream out the clean vocals. As all of the songs on this album carry their own particular sound I can see why some people may think that it is written to a bit of a formula.  But I think that with songs such as “Dead End” they show that they are not afraid to mix things up, by adding female vocals, or in the case of “Come Clarity” slow things down.   

So Come Clarity makes my top three most influential albums, having fought off major competition from Savatage in the form of Edge Of Thorns, and Fear Factory’s Demanufacture. I first heard In Flames years ago but at the time wasn't overly impressed and hence never bothered to check out any of their newer material.  However, ever since hearing a couple of the songs from the album, I have made my way through their back catalogue and now love the material that I didn’t originally.   

I think that Come Clarity is a prime example of how, no matter how much music you know and like, there is the potential that new albums, even those by bands you were previously not a fan of, can still blow you away.

Let us know your views on Come Clarity

Track Listing

Take This Life
Leeches
Reflect the Storm
Dead End
Scream
Come Clarity
Vacuum
Pacing Death's Trail
Crawl Through Knives
Versus Terminus
Our Infinite Struggle
Vanishing Light
Your Bedtime Story Is Scaring Everyone

Line Up

Anders Fridén - Vocals
Jesper Strömblad - Guitar
Björn Gelotte - Guitar
Peter Iwers - Bass
Daniel Svensson - Drums