In Flames - Battles Nuclear Blast | Release Date : 11th November 2016
Swedish metal legends In Flames are back with their twelfth full length release with new record Battles . The once genre defining band have been winding down their career with sub par and poorly received releases of late , so can the Gothenburg journeymen recreate the glory days ?
The short answer to this review ? No . The long answer ? The music has no balls anymore , they ’ ve been cut off and thrown in the bin along with their ambitious ideas and revolutionary riffing . Songs like ‘ The End ’ and ‘ Like Sand ’ are more watered down than cheap beer and about as flat too . There ’ s no snarl in Anders Friden ’ s delivery as he seems to have succumbed to the modern day metalcore vocalists . The structures are the same and it ’ s all very predictable from start to finish with very little turns of pace or surprises . ‘ Through My Eyes ’ does to its credit sound like the In Flames of old with frantic riffs and drum patterns in the verses and one of the best choruses on the record .
Thats also what our problem is with Battles , the songs are alright by todays standards with infectious vocal lines and the choruses will no doubt sound huge live , but we don ’ t want US radio rock anthems from the Swedes . This isn ’ t what we expect from one of the genre ’ s brightest and ambitious sons . Has age played a part in this ? Who knows . A lot of people have given up on In Flames long before we have , but it might be time for us to check out .
Words by Joshua Clarke
Sick Of It All - When The Smoke Clears EP Century Media Records | Release Date : 4th November 2016
To celebrate the band ’ s 30th year since its conception , New York hardcore veterans , Sick Of It All , release When The Smoke Clears . It ’ s their first EP in almost 15 years and is accompanied by a 60 page booklet of rare photos from throughout the years .
While there ’ s a clear progression in style and writing with their first 8 albums , their sound has stayed pretty constant within the last decade . This five track EP is almost a miniature version of 2014 ’ s Last Act Of Defiance while having the odd surprise . The title track starts things off with some solid stomping drums and a meaty bass line , leading into that famous bouncy Sick Of It All groove . Along with both Black Venom and Blood & Steel , they may sound like mixtures of tracks from the band ’ s archives but are still enjoyable due to Lou Koller ’ s iconic ferocious vocals and the band ’ s ever-present intensity .
In the same way as past songs such as Beltway Getaway , Call To Arms and the classic Step Down , Sick Of It All showcase their Oi ! and classic punk roots on Doomed Campaign . Its upbeat sing-a-long chorus hits you by surprise after the menacing tribal-like intro , instantly making it a highlight . Ultimate track , Fortress , overshadows it by being pretty much a roller coaster of unpredictability . It shows the band ’ s most experimental side , as they throw in a lot of dynamic changes and different musical elements before reaching a euphoric choral climax . This release is certainly more for the die-hard fans and collectors but Fortress alone shows that the band hasn ’ t run out of ideas and can still write a hook .
Words by Jonathan Miller
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