In Flames

Slow Fall – Obsidian Waves Review

By El Cuervo on June 7, 2023 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, 32 comments

“Since the late 90s, Finland has been the spiritual home of sadboi melodeath; an idiosyncratic brand of melodic death/doom metal featuring weeping guitars, dejected rhythms, and a typical blend of pained growls and morose clean singing. Whether this flows from long, cold winter days or the characteristic Finnish solitariness is unclear but what’s more clear is the emotive impact of the music. Another band in the despondent deluge is Oulu’s Slow Fall, primed to reveal their second full-length album entitled Obsidian Waves.” Slow are the waves of sadboi.

Majesties – Vast Reaches Unclaimed Review

By Cherd on March 6, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 102 comments

“Tanner Anderson, Carl Skildum and Matthew Kirkwood unofficially formed Majesties in 2016 with melodic death metal in mind and Gothenburg, Sweden in their hearts. It wasn’t until 2022, however, that their debut album, Vast Reaches Unclaimed, coalesced to present a classic conundrum for conscientious music reviewers: how do we talk about a really good pastiche?” Majesty and decay.

Oceanhoarse – Heads Will Roll Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on February 20, 2023 in Reviews, Groove Metal, Heavy Metal, Metalcore, 12 comments

“Heads Will Roll sounds like an idea sparked after a rekindling of enjoyment for In Flamesߵ infamous Reroute to Remain. Now that’s a hoarse of a different color. Defend whatever album you want, but In Flames at their most alternative and least melodeath is not the act you’d expect to see aped in 2023—even In Flames agrees. Yet, here we are, Oceanhoarse in full Björiff meets Breaking Benjamin territory, partying like an 80s arena rock hero got stuck in Sounds of a Playground Fading.” Old flames.

In Flames – Foregone Review

By Angry Metal Guy on February 7, 2023 in Reviews, Eurocore, Melodic Death Metal, 201 comments

If you had told me three weeks ago that we were going to get a new In Flames record I would have asked you “Who cares?” But after listening to Foregone for a few weeks, they’ve got my attention.

Praise the Sun – The Proffer of Light Review

By Itchymenace on September 18, 2022 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, 48 comments

“I remember the excitement I felt when I discovered In Flames during the late 90s. Albums like Whoracle and Colony were heavy, but they had Maiden-like harmonies and they were drenched with cool melodies that kept me coming back for more. The contrast between the Mack truck riffs and the catchy hooks hit a nerve. Since then, hundreds of melodeath bands have tossed their spear in the ring, but not many have been able to hit the same mark. Praise the Sun recaptures a little bit of that old thrill.” The fire still burns.

The Halo Effect – Days of the Lost Review

By Steel Druhm on August 17, 2022 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, 106 comments

“Longtime readers of the AMG Diaries will know my opinions regarding so-called “supergroups.” All too often these star-studded vanity vehicles promise much and deliver little, generally falling way short of anything truly super. With this jaded but entirely realistic worldview, I approached the debut from The Halo Effect, the project composed of Dark Tranquillity’s Mikael Stanne and four former members of In Flames. That lineup makes The Halo Effect a supergroup for Swedish melodeth purposes if nothing else, and on Days of the Lost, they largely stick to what they know best, dropping an album’s worth of material that sits roughly halfway between the members’ main acts.” Heroes and halos.

Parasite Inc. – Cyan Night Dreams Review

By Kenstrosity on August 16, 2022 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, Melodic Metal, 12 comments

“Parasite Inc. is one of those bands that I want to fall deeply in love with, but I have no idea why anymore. This inexplicable yearning for that special spark with this German quartet no doubt owes its existence partially to the group’s super-fun debut, Time Tears Down. Since then, Parasite Inc. rapidly declined into cheesy, stale melodic metal that made me cringe more often than not. I had hoped that Cyan Night Dreams, the band’s third full length, might be the start of their redemption arc.” Hopes and dreams (and parasites).

Sarcasm – Stellar Stream Obscured Review

By Thus Spoke on February 6, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 34 comments

“If you like old-school Swedeath, old-school black metal, old-school doom, then, sorry, you won’t like this album at all. That was my pitiful attempt at sarcasm. The Sarcasm in question here are a Swedish melodic blackened death metal group who have been knocking about since the late ‘80s. Their veteran status in the scene shows they take their craft a whole lot more seriously than their name might let on. It also prompts the question of whether music that follows a blueprint now 30 years old can still be exciting and compelling, particularly to those too young to feel the nostalgia factor.” Don’t cross the streams.

Malossi – Blanke Barter Review

By Huck N Roll on August 17, 2021 in Reviews, Stoner Rock, 23 comments

“It sounds like a dream or a hallucination. Clutch is actually a Norwegian band. They rock hard, they add a bit more of a desert vibe to their sound (think of a more restrained Kyuss), and they sing in Norwegian. They love to throw things like tuba and harmonica into their songs. Their favorite thing in life is abusing the hell out of scooters (hence the band name). And for their album cover, they use a portrait that basically looks like my dad. Sound crazy? It’s not that far from reality, my friends. Let me introduce you to Malossi, and their second album, Blanke Barter.” Scooter-core.

Karpenter – Sleepless Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on May 26, 2021 in Reviews, 11 comments

“Karpenter plays an Americanized version of the Swedish sound which was foundational to bands like As I Lay Dying, along with the Swedish take on that Americanized Swedish sound which was done by Soilwork and In Flames on Stabbing the Drama, Sworn to a Great Divide, A Sense of Purpose, and Come Clarity. The newest of the above is thirteen years old, the oldest sixteen – Karpenter is an unintentionally hard-hitting commentary on the passage of time.” Sleeping in the past.