Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind (2019)

A new Slipknot release is now seen as a spectacle, a chance for every metal head, fan of the band or not, to raise their voices a little higher than usual over their opinions. The Iowa group has certainly reached a level very few bands can reach, and with so many minds working simultaneously in the band, it must be difficult to keep things grounded and not go completely haywire. Well, let us see if the insanity has anything worthwhile to say this time around, or if it is just a jumbled mess of masks, jumpsuits, and artsy stuff.

At first glance, it seems like "We Are Not Your Kind" is your average Slipknot release, a predictable follow up to the uneven ".5: The Gray Chapter". However, unlike its predecessor that had a good initial impact only to fade further away for every subsequent listen, this album is most definitely a grower, where you find new cool little nuggets every time you take that disc for a spin. And while we of course get most of the Slipknot tropes in here, such as heavy grooves, radio friendly choruses, and a lot of anger, there is actually some new bits in here that excites.

One of these things can be found in "Critical Darling", an extremely groovy track that has a great build up to a very melodic chorus, almost like it was stolen from Lacuna Coil, leaving an end product that is one of the better Slipknot songs in some time. "Orphan" is also in that league, taking back the intense speed from the band's early days and add a splash of those marvelous "Vol. 3..." choruses, while the single "Unsainted" is following the Slipknot single formula perfectly, this time adding church choirs to spice things up a bit. The highlights of this album are truly stellar, showcasing a hungry band that is once again pissed off at everyone and everything.

There are still more experimental moments in this album that flexes the band's more atmospheric side. "Spiders" act like it is in a horror movie, creeping up slowly with all of its eight legs, while "My Pain" is more like a somber lullaby sung by Pennywise. We also venture a little into Stone Sour territory again in both "Not Long For This World" and "A Liar's Funeral", which just ends with mixed result, as does the various instrumental interludes that are sprinkled throughout the album. I get that they are trying to create an atmosphere, but I want music man, just get to it already.

Then we have the odd decision of not including the first single "All Out Life" at all in this album, which is a crying shame because that track is one of the most furious tracks the band has done since the "Iowa" days. Speaking in "Spotify Metal Talks", Shawn "Clown" Crahan explains that he wanted the track to be its own entity, and that the fans would still find the song and listen to it regardless if it was in the album or not, ultimately giving way for another song that otherwise would have not made the cut. Fair enough, but I still think this album would have been even better if "All Out Life" was in instead of one of the calmer songs (not to mention that the album title is spawned from this track). By the way, Shawn called "We Are Not Your Kind" a masterpiece roughly 10 times during that whole talk, making hims sound a little pretentious by the end.

So "We Are Not Your Kind" might not ultimately match up with any of the first three Slipknot records, but it definitely beats down "All Hope Is Gone" and ".5: The Gray Chapter" by quite a margin. It still has its problems here and there, but when this album gets going, it gets fucking going, showing that Slipknot still has enough energy in them to rally the maggots into some brutally groovy heavy metal that when it is at its best, it is impossible to resist. Well, this review probably do not matter since most of you who are reading this already have a firm opinion of the band, but if you happen to be open of giving this band another chance, I suggest you do so, and add "All Out Life" into the setlist as well.

Songs worthy of recognition: Critical Darling, Unsainted, Red Flag, Orphan

Rating: 7,5/10 Spiders

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.5: The Gray Chapter

In Flames - I, The Mask (2019)

It is that time again when In Flames has released a new record, and most of the metal community goes bitching and moaning over how awful the band has become and that they should either quit or go back to their death metal roots. While I am in the minority of fans who still supports the band and their decisions, even I cannot hide the fact that the quality of the last couple of records has not been up to par thanks to some uneven approaches, and after listening to the first two singles for "I, The Mask", I was very worried that the gap between the good and bad songs were gonna be bigger than ever.

So basically, "I, The Mask" is a tale of two halves, and the first single of the record represents the first half. When I first heard "I Am Above", I was first struck with how strange the video was, but also how much this sounded like something out of "A Sense of Purpose", which definitely made me happy. The riff is heavy, yet fluent, and the whole song structure is so well crafted, making it a clear return to form. Fortunately for me, and hopefully all of you as well, there were more of this to be found on the disc.

All of the first four tracks are just great In Flames songs, harking back to the pre-"Siren Charms" era where the band was on a whole different level. Besides the previously mentioned "I Am Above", we have the catchy "Voices", the epic "Call My Name", and also the self titled track that is on a league of its own, having a flow we have not heard from the band in so many years, almost forcing you to scream "in the maaaaaaaaaaask", and also adding a great, melodic solo. It is as strong of an opening to an In Flames record you could ever hope for. The album takes a slight dip after that in the acceptable "Follow Me", but then we come to the second single of the record, officially entering the second half.

From here on out, we are witnessing a complete nose dive for "I, The Mask", starting with "(This Is Our) House", which is one of the dumbest In Flames songs I have ever heard. It starts out with the children's choir bullshit that we also heard on "Battles", which then leads to some interesting chugging riffs and build ups that gets your hopes up just enough for you to get disappointed again once Anders Fridén goes falsetto. God damn, this is one of the most disjointed songs out there, changing tempos at will, going everywhere and nowhere at the same time, never staying in one place long enough for the listener to get orientated. I truly hate this song, and I do not understand how such talented guys could look at this song and feel good enough about it to actually release it at its current state.

While that was rock bottom of the album, "I, The Mask" does not exactly get better for the rest of the run time. What follows is a mish mash of forgettable songs that do not get out a lot of emotions out of me, and the few emotions that do escape my hollow shell are not good. No other song does make me rage like "(This Is Our) House", but songs like "We Will Remember" and "Deep Inside" just makes me uneasy because they are basically pop rock radio songs, unimaginative ones at that. I kind of like "Burn" for its intensity, and closing track "Stay With Me" has some sweet moments (showing off the improved clean singing of Mr. Fridén), but the rest of the second half is so dull that it becomes pure misery just reaching the end of the record.

Well, this is about as two-faced of an album I have ever encountered. "I, The Mask" is pretty reminiscent of its predecessor "Battles" in how uneven it is, but "Battles" did mix the ups and downs in the track list, making the entire experience much more bearable. I believe "I, The Mask" would have been perfect as a 5, maybe 6 song long EP, because there is genuinely great material in here, but with so much filler and other shit, it just does not make a good album. It is just like "The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask" in that it contains a lot of masks, some are really good for you, and others are just horrifying.

Songs worthy of recognition: "I, The Mask", Voices, I Am Above

Rating: 5,5/10 Houses

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More reviews of In Flames
Siren Charms
Battles

We Are The Catalyst - Ephemeral (2019)

I discovered the Swedish group We Are The Catalyst a couple of years ago when they released their sophomore effort "Elevation", and I was instantly hooked to the band and their flowing adrenaline fueled style of melodic metal. It was just something with them that got me into the headbanging groove, and even if the album itself was quite uneven, it did leave me longing for more. Three years later, the band is now back to deliver their third album, so let us see if they can make me move again.

So "Ephemeral" is certainly a continuation of "Elevation" and what that band did, but if "Elevation" was a formula 1 car, I guess "Ephemeral" is more of a Mustang. The album has some speed in it, but the adrenaline rush that the predecessor had is missing. Weirdly enough, I do not think it makes "Ephemeral" a worse record, because it still has that flowing style. I think the closest comparison I can make of what We Are The Catalyst is doing is if you take a muted version of Amaranthe's sound, and then mix it with some parts of early Evanescence. At times, singer Catrin Feymark does sound a little like Amy Lee, just not as gothic.

It is the instrumentation though that is the strong suit of this band. While we may not get any memorable riffs or any amazing drum patterns, the band manages to create a soundscape that feels beefy and vibrant, really lifting every track to the skies. Joni Kaartinen's bass is loud and clear, Kenny Boufadene's guitar brings the power, and Håkan Strind's drums commands the tempo with an iron fist. It is an excellent team effort, even if the individual efforts could have been displayed more.

Most of the songs in here are around the 3 and a half minute mark, and most of them have that banging sensation that makes your head go up and down in various degrees. Songs like "Over Pale Waters", "The Code", and "Breathing Black" are fun ones you can easily loose yourselves in, while "Where Mountain Stands" and "Alone Against The World" impress you with a slower tempo. The most interesting track in here though is "Innan Allt Faller" (translation: before everything falls), a full on Swedish track that is more like what the band did in "Elevation", also adding an epic and catchy chorus to boot. It is a track I keep coming back to, and it is not because I am Swedish myself, I just love the flow of this track.

It is a shame that "Ephemeral" does not have the power that its predecessor have, but it still feels like a We Are The Catalyst album through and through (even with the Evanescence vibes). The slower tempo gives the album its own identity, making it stand out and showing that the band does have some versatility, and while the song writing is mostly alright, it does tend to get lost in the shuffle at times, being a little too similar (especially in the second half). While "Ephemeral" does not make me as pumped up as "Elevation" did, it is still a cool little record that is worthy of a look or two, so go check it out.

Songs worthy of recognition: Innan Allt Faller, Over Pale Waters, Where Mountain Stands

Rating: 7/10 Predators

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In Flames - Battles (2016)

In Flames' transformation from being one of the pioneers in the Swedish melodic death metal scene to a more mainstream metal band is more or less complete now with the release of "Battles", the Swede's 12th studio effort. Now, why was it not already complete? Because they have shown some of their roots in their previous efforts. Maybe not to a great extent, but enough to recognize the band and its past. The last two albums, "Songs of A Playground Fading" and "Siren Charms", may differ massively in pure quality, but both have some small grains of the old In Flames in them. "Battles" does not.

Even without the hints of death metal, "Battles" is not pure trash, a album that should be instantly thrown away as a eye (and ear) sore. Sure, it is not the best side I have seen from the band, but they have created a solid entity that follows the red line with ease. Most of the focus here are on the choruses, where all of them being really catchy without being annoying. Just take the first single "The End" for example, a epic chorus that has been stuck in my mind ever since the first time I heard it. It even have a children's choir (something the band uses a couple more times in the album) that oddly fits, but it is not something I would want to see as a common thing in the band's sound.

While the album excels in its choruses, it fails miserably in what might be the most important thing in In Flames' sound, the twin guitars. The production is really flat, giving you the illusion that the band only utilize one guitarist, which ultimately makes the music feel empty. The only time where the guitars actually sounds good is in the solos, and the solos are great as always (thank god), but it is not enough. I wanna hear Björn Gelotte and Niklas Engelin's crunchy and melodic riffs, but "Battles" won't allow me.

I also get the feeling that the setting in which this album was recorded (Hollywood, California) had some influence to its sound. No, none of the songs in "Battles" is straight up film music, but it is a more glamorous sound picture that the band is presenting us. It is something that will divide the fan base even further than before, which is kind of an amazing feat since it is already divided quite a bit.

Even with this softer sound, In Flames made sure to pack "Battles" with several killer songs, with great melody and strong punches. Songs like "Save Me", "In My Room", and "Trough My Eyes" is straight up knock out punches that will leave bruises on your skin, remembering what happened when you encountered them the first time. "Through My Eyes" especially stands out by being the heaviest song, using a very tough attitude, some very groovy riffs, and another ultra epic chorus where Anders Fridén actually delivers some stellar clean(ish) vocals, an already proven weakness for the front man. Another stand out is "Wallflower", a more progressive song that is the longest of the record (just over seven minutes). There is a lot of instrumental bits here and a very calm mood that is not like the band at all, but it works really well, ending up as one of my favourites from this album.

But then we have the duds that should not be here at all, and they are close to making me mad (not in a "Siren Charms" level though). "Here Until Forever" is some weird metal core crap that I associate more with Bring Me The Horizon, Bullet For My Valentine, or any other similar band. It just does not suit the band well at all, and especially not Anders. No other song is as bad as "Here Until Forever", but "Like Sand", "Before I Fall" and "Drained" are just boring, and the over use of the children's choir in "The Truth" is very close to cringe worthy. Yeah, "Battles" have more good sides than bad, but it is still obvious that this is far from the best album the band has made.

Despite the poor production, the softer sound, and slight quality inconsistencies, "Battles" is actually not that bad of an album. The melodies are there, and so are the choruses, carrying the album towards the finish line in determined fashion. I might consider myself as one of the more stubborn In Flames fans out there, because while this albums shows so many flaws, it still has enough resonance in me to give me my much needed kick out of it. For me, "Battles" is an okay album, but I am sure that most of you will at the very least dislike it, especially if you do not like the modern version of the band. Still, this is a better and much stable album than "Siren Charms" will ever be, so give it a chance if you dare, do not be afraid to take up the battle that this album brings.

Songs worthy of recognition: Through My Eyes, The End, Wallflower

Rating: 6/10 Truths

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More reviews of In Flames
Siren Charms
I, The Mask

In Flames - Siren Charms (2014)

I honestly feel sorry for In Flames. The amount of shit they have gotten from the metal community the last decade has mostly been uncalled for. Sure, they started off as one of the leaders in the Swedish melodic death metal scene and has now developed their music into something different, but I still feel like they have done several right choices in moving their music into another dimension. I will always commend a band that is willing to move forward with their music and not rely on staying in a small range of the musical spectrum. I still think classics like "Clayman" and "The Jester Race" are the band's best work and that their newer material is not near the same quality, but they have not really created any horrible albums so far in their career (except for the horribly uneven "A Sense of Purpose").

But after hearing "Rusted Nail" and "Through Oblivion" (the two first singles from the album), I was tempted to do like many other metal heads, and call "Siren Charms" one of the worst releases this year without even hearing the entire album, but that would ultimately be stupid. After hearing the album, I still think "Siren Charms" is a big step backwards compared to the 2011 release "Sounds of A Playground Fading", but it is not a album I would consider as the worst of the worst in 2014.

However, there are several points in "Siren Charms" that bugs me out. The singer Anders Fridén sounds more like Korn singer Jonathan Davis for every album, and it is obviously not a good sign. Nothing against Jonathan, I just don't think this style of singing fits very well with the music In Flames is playing. It is especially bad since it seems like neither the harsh or clean vocals works out for him. Then the overall song quality is pretty much substandard, especially since most of the songs sounds like bad copies of any song from "SoAPF". "Rusted Nail" is a perfect example of that. It has an interesting riff and the verse is intriguing, but the chorus is so boring that I fall asleep. At the end of the day, it is the fact that "Siren Charms" contains too much electronic sounds and not enough guitars that makes me despise the album. A small hint of electronica is fine, don't over do it please.

It is hard for me to just chose a couple of bad songs to rant on, because the album is filled with them. Worst of them is probably "Through Oblivion" that feels like a bad indie track that only a hipster could love. Might be the worst song the band has ever created. Other bad moments in "Siren Charms" are the bland ballad "With Eyes Wide Open", the boring torture device "Dead Eyes" and the bad "Where The Dead Ships Dwell" copy "Monsters In The Ballroom". I also wished that the two bonus tracks "The Chase" and "Become the Sky" would at least try to lift the album, but to no avail.

Luckily, there are a couple of tracks that makes me endure this record. "Everything's Gone" impresses with its heavy riffs and aggressive attitude (it is the only song in the album that even is some what close to the "old" In Flames), while the title track does have its moments with its interesting structure and overall good vibe. We also have "When The World Explodes", that might be considered as a metal core song, but it is well made, and the opera singer Emilia Feldt does a nice job putting her touch to the song. In my opinion, "When The Worlds Explodes" is the only song in "Siren Charms" that is both innovatory and good. I also find "In Plain View" pretty satisfying.

For those of you who in the last minute hoped for the band to return to their death metal roots, there is nothing for you in "Siren Charms" that you will have any interest in. And for those of you who liked the last couple of albums that In Flames has put out, you should also enter with caution. Because even if "Siren Charms" is a logical follow up to "Sounds of A Playground Fading", it just reeks of bad decision making. Too much electronics and an overall stale production and song writing makes "Siren Charms" unpleasant. Therefore I think the name is pretty fitting. It lures you in, making you think that you will reach some sort of paradise, only to eventually stab you in the back.

Songs worthy of recognition: When The World Explodes, In Plain View, Everything's Gone

Rating: 4/10 Dead Eyes

www.inflames.com/
twitter.com/inflames_swe

More reviews of In Flames
Battles

I, The Mask