(NCS writer Andy Synn reviews the forthcoming album by In Flames in detail.)

Ladies and gentlemen, I began listening to Sounds Of A Playground Fading with a sense of cautious optimism, tempered by the reluctant pessimism one might expect after the woeful quality of In Flames’ last album. Optimistic I was, as the songs I’d previewed (in full or in part) already had demonstrated clearly that the vocals and guitars at least sounded better, fuller, more nuanced, than on their previous record, but pessimistic I remained, as the last record also demonstrated how easily and quickly the band can squander any promise they may have shown.

I’ve been a huge fan of In Flames for almost as long as I’ve loved metal; although I’m perhaps not elitist enough to claim that their early material is always their best (both Lunar Strain and Subterranean are good records yes, but don’t click with me as much due to their more primitive origins), I do acknowledge the (mostly) undisputed classic status of their pre-millennial works. I love The Jester Race, Whoracle, Colony and Clayman. I love Reroute To Remain due to its great songs and despite (and perhaps because of) its flawed nature.

Soundtrack To Your Escape is a good album, with some good songs, but it’s not necessarily an In Flames album in many ways. Its identity is confused and conflicted. Come Clarity is a brilliant record with particularly great highs but an occasionally frustrating sense of treading water. A Sense Of Purpose is an awful, unfocussed mess that puts the lie to its own title. Lacking any breadth or depth, the songs rarely develop naturally, with little or no room to breathe. So as of yet, it seemed that the new, post-millennial identity of In Flames, their modern sense of purpose, remained nebulous and undefined.

With Sounds Of A Playground Fading, In Flames have arguably (and finally) entered a post-modern phase of existence, something that has been coming for a long time. They are no longer the same entity they once were, that’s for certain, but they have made confident steps to define their new identity with this release. Some key elements remain/have returned, in particular the liquid, soaring solo sections which have regained welcome prominence, but more than anything the band have finally fully committed to making their new sound just as good as their old sound, instead of dwelling on simply being adequate. (more after the jump . . .) Continue reading »