Current members:
Anders Fridén (vocals)
Jesper Strömblad (guitar)
Björn Gelotte (guitar)
Peter Iwers (bass guitar)
Daniel Svensson (drums)
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In Flames, along with Dark Tranquillity and At the Gates, pioneered what is now known as melodic death metal. The founding members of all three bands all lived in Gothenburg, Sweden and they were all friends who shared the same musical interests.
Eventually, that group of friends branched off into three bands with the same musical direction, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, and At the Gates.
Jesper Strömblad formed In Flames to write music that combined the guitar style of Iron Maiden with the brutality of death metal, something which Jesper stated he had never heard any band do. In writing songs, Jesper also decided to make use of keyboards, something which is uncommon in death metal. Ever since In Flames' debut studio album, Lunar Strain, the band has made use of keyboards, but has refused to this day to recruit a full-time keyboardist.
In Flames' musical style is characterized by the constant use of harmonized lead guitar melodies and screaming-style singing along with death growl. In early albums such as The Jester Race, In Flames would many times employ two harmonized lead guitars playing over a rhythm guitar. However, since the band only has two guitar players, they found it hard to reproduce those songs during live performances and ever since Reroute to Remain they have focused on writing songs with the intention of playing
them live. On the album Soundtrack to Your Escape, the band focused on less guitar melodies, giving place for more synths. However, this has not followed upon on the following albums.
In Flames' vocal style is characterized by the use of growled vocals or screamed vocals complemented at times by clean vocals. In more recent albums such as Come Clarity, the band makes more prominent use of clean vocals, especially during choruses. In Flames' lyrics have also varied during their career. In early albums such as The Jester Race and Whoracle, In Flames' lyrics focused on astrology, mankind, and other global themes. In later albums such as Soundtrack to Your Escape and Come Clarity, In Flames' lyrics focus more on personal issues, thoughts, and other introspective themes.
Since Reroute to Remain was released in 2002, In Flames fanbase have split because of the gradual change in style, towards a more mainstream, alternative sound. Some fans prefer the heavier, more death metal-influenced albums like Lunar Strain and Whoracle, and this has led to the band being referred to as "sellouts" by fans of the older style. Still, In Flames have a solid and growing worldwide fanbase. The stylistic changes include screamed and clean vocals, as opposed to the death growl on the early records, more prominent rhythm section and less guitar melodies and solos, more obvious use of synthesizers and electronics and a clear influence from modern American metal in especially the chorus melodies.
Studio Albums (320k, 44kHz) :
Lunar Strain (1994)
The Jester Race (1996)
Whoracle (1997)
Colony (1999)
Clayman (2000)
Reroute to Remain (2002)
Soundtrack to Your Escape (2004)
Come Clarity (2006)
A Sense of Purpose (2008)
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