By: Anders

Posted: Mar 6, 2006

I have always had a quite strange relationship with In Flames, the music has never taken me by storm, though never bothered me as such, and the Swedes have made some really good songs through out the years. And if I have to pick a favourite album, I might end up with "Clayman", due the catchy melodies, the varied vocal work and the straight ahead power of the songs. The band has been around a lot of different styles throughout their career, to say it lightly, not all of the experiments have worked as well as others, though it seems like the band always land on their feet.

This new effort from the band is furious, a maelstrom of good melodies, harsh and frustrated vocals and sheer power. Melodic death metal with a modern edge, though not too modern. We do have a track like the title track, which offers quiet guitars, a whining Anders Fridén and a little too much of the background synth/samples. Though vocal-wise, most of the vocals on this album are screamed aggressively and hits the listener like a fist, varied with some clean passages here and there, which is nice and an effective effect. The band even offers us a duet between Fridén and Lisa Miskowsky on the track 'Dead End', that works well and sounds good.

It seems like Strömblad and Gelotte have been digging deep in the drawer with riffs and melodies, as it has been a while since I have heard the 2 gentlemen sound as inspired as on this album. There are so many freaking good and catching melodies on this album. Well many can sound- and performance-wise be traced back to the era around "Colony" and "Clayman", as well as some of the compositions, so I guess it isn't as strange as this album has caught on to me, as the catchiness and the power are gripping. The guitars, together with blistering drum work, the subtle samples, which aren't used too much and the vocals, make this album strong and lasting.

I guess this album will make a lot of In Flames fans happy and just as many grumpy, as the case always seems to be. I am positively impressed by this effort and have been enjoying the album and its melodies a lot, and it is the melodies that are the force of "Come Clarity". Though it took me a good handful spins to get into the album, it is not as directly catching as some of the older work has been, but after some time, it shows itself from a positive and enjoyable side. A good mix of the progressive and innovative In Flames, and the classic side of the band.

Rating: 8/10

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