IN FLAMES

This legendary Swedish based metal band started it’s North American Tour tonight in Vancouver

One of the first to create melodic death metal came out of Sweden in the early 1990’s is a band called In Flames.  They, as well as At the Gates and Dark Tranquility came up with this particular style of metal with a heavy tone also known as the Gothenburg sound. These bands are highly influential, especially to the bands that created metalcore, like Killswitch Engage, who site In Flames as a major influence.

Since 1990, the band has had numerous changes in personnel.   In fact, you could say that there are no original members left in the band.  Jesper Stromblad started the band back in 1990 and the first album called Lunar Strain had Mikael Stanne was on lead vocals.   The Jester Race was the sophomore album which has now current vocalist Anders Friden, whom we see tonight.   Since 1990, they have released 14 albums, with the latest being Foregone released in 2023.   In that span, they have had crapload of controversy in regards to musical direction, particularly in 2002 with Reroute to Remain, where they calmed the melodic metal voracity a few notches but really turned more alternative metal thereafter with further releases.   This alienated many fans of the band, not a doubt, however with Foregone it seems that they have moved back into a heavy direction much to the delight of fans.  How much do we hear of this album tonight?

As mentioned, many personnel changes over the last 35 years, however this is pretty normal for most bands as touring and making albums can be a difficult journey.  IF you really wanted to see a true spin off of In Flames, check out the Halo Effect as most members (if not all) are former In Flames members.  Currently with In Flames,  Anders Friden (vocals) and Bjorn Gelotte (guitar) are considered the backbone of the band, with Tanner Wayne on drums and newest member Liam Wilson on bass.  Back in 2022, they brought onboard former Megadeth guitarist Chris Broderick that has been a great addition.

Tonight at the Commodore Ballroom, they start the North American tour with support from Boston Mass. natives Unearth.   In Flames start their set with one from Reroute to Remain with “Cloud Connected”, a really upbeat song that is a energetic song that kept crowd in excite mode from Unearth’s very spirited set.    For next 4 songs they continue with songs like “The Quiet Place”, “Take This Life”, “Deliver Us” and “Paralyzed” were from those divisive albums that came out thereafter Reroute to Remain. However, they were the best songs from those albums, and they sounded great, especially to those new fans.

They did hit 3 songs from the latest album Forgone with “In the Dark”, “Meet you Maker” and “State of Slow Decay”.   Ander’s voice sounded really good too, maybe as this was the start of the tour.   Loved some of Ander’s dry but dark comedy between the songs, I don’t think I have heard him be so chatty at a show.  Chris Broderick still plays that 7 string guitar, but I am not sure if any of their songs really use the full capability of a 7 string as Bjorn plays a 6 string.   The backline wallop with Tanner on drums and Liam on bass, kept it all together in time.

Nothing super special with lights or stage setup. Which is your typical setup that most headliners bus along, as well as the Commodore Ballroom sound which is always pristine.  Red light blanketed them on one of my favorited performances of the night which was off Reroute to Remain with “Trigger”

For older fans of the band, they did not ignore, with pre-2000 songs “Coerced Coexistence” from Colony, “Graveland” from Jester Race, and “Food for the Gods” from Whoracle.  There was nothing from Clayman, like “Pinball Map”, which I was hoping to hear this tour.   As well, there was ALOT of grumbling around me, and frankly people were yelling it, was “Episode 666” from Whoracle, which is widely regarded as one of In Flame’s best songs.   They haven’t play that live in Vancouver since 2004!  C’mon guys, listen to your fanbase!  Instead, on the last 2 songs of the night they played in my opinion, 2 of the weaker songs of the night with “I am Above” and “My Sweet Shadow”, not the way most of us thought this would end.

In saying that, it was a good (not excellent) show, I was entertained for the most part, especially with anything prior to the Soundtrack to Your Escape album.  However, I get it, they did move into a different direction and likely wanted to appeal to those that liked the newer albums, which are about 60% of this audience in the SOLD OUT Commodore Ballroom.  If you want to hear a wide range of In Flames material, then this is the show for you.   I know older fans left a little miffed again, but we get what we get right?  Unearth put on a whale of a performance prior to In Flames, thereafter,  to me this felt like “In Sparks” not In Flames.  Go to the show and you be the judge.