Suffering from writers’ block after an exhausting touring cycle, Within Temptation singer Sharon den Adel found herself devoid of inspiration and worrying that she might not be able to write again. Eventually, she did begin composing once more, but on a smaller scale and for a more personal solo project released earlier this year.Continue reading
Nekrogoblikon aren’t doing this for critical acclaim, or good reviews, and as such, probably don’t give a Stench (sic – self released) what people think of their merits, or otherwise, instead doing this to have fun, stand out from a maddening crowd, and provide a platform for Goblin related buffoonery all to the backing track of some uptempo meloblack. If you’re looking for something progressive, epic, developed or overtly serious Heavy Meta (released on the band’s own Mystery Box label) probably isn’t for you. Swim in the shark-and-troll infested seas of Alestorm and Finntroll and you may have come to the right place, my fiends.
Crawling out of the underground cave where they undoubtedly concoct their foul brews, Scorpion, in his best Abbath croak, spits out “Babies, children, women and men, Get ready to implode on the count of ten. One… Two… TEN!” and we’re off into their stompy, earwormy world of melodic black metal and opener ‘The End of Infinity’. As the album progresses, keys dance and enhance over contagious songs, as the guitars chug and spray, hitting into Children of Bodom and more so (early) In Flames territory (for the choruses, Scorpion is reminiscent of Anders Friden) as accusations of a lack of technical proficiency that have blighted previous releases are well and truly laid to rest.
With both clawed feet firmly grasping onto the mid-90’s carnival world of the post-second wave – bands like Old Man’s Child, Borknagar, Arcturus and their ilk – this is catchy, theatrical and not a million miles from Dimmu Borgir’s more theatrical mid-paced moments, not afraid to open out into Gothic baroque tech metal territory (yep) on pairing ‘Snax & Violence’ and ‘Atlantis’, or just invoke a full on filthy party on the Andrew W.K. endorsed ‘Let’s Get Fucked’.
With elements of huumpa, Viking, classic, black, thrash and melodeath metal, Nekrogoblikon have a fair arsenal to bite, scratch and claw at your ankles and demand your attention. Ensuring each track is both memorable, likable and distinct from its predecessor, this is an enjoyable romp through a critter infested world that shows us just how these ‘gobli(ko)ns (black and) roll.
7.0/10
STEVE TOVEY
Originating in Thessaloniki, Greece, under the fleet-fingered generalship of Marios Iliopoulos (the bands only stalwart and ever-present) and six-string superstar guitarist Gus G. (Firewind/Ozzy), Nightrage have had a fair few well-known faces bolster their ranks and raise their profile throughout the years, including, amongst others, Per Möller Jensen (The Haunted) and Tomas “At The Gates” Lindberg. Yet, despite the constant turn over, through the sheer force of Iliopoulis’ will and personality, the band has maintainted both its sound and style.
And so to opus number six, The Puritan (Despotz), and yet another line-up change with Ronnie Nyman grabbing the poisoned chalice-shaped nettle of the microphone stand, his early Anders Fridén stylings slotting in seamlessly with an assured and aggressive voice snarling over another dose of the confident melodeath we’ve come to expect from Nightrage. Steeped in the fast riffing, melodic leads and off-beat snare snaps that define post Slaughter of the Soul (Earache) Melodic Death Metal, The Puritan displays all the expected genre trappings, with Nightrage comfortable in laying out a heavily In Flames and At The Gates influenced sound.
Yet, this was the sound of the late 90’s… in the lead up to the turn of the millennium, you couldn’t swing a cat without it picking up the print ink of review upon review comparing bands to the main protagonists of the NWOSDM sound and nearly two decades on it’s disappointing to hear respected outfits slavishly reproducing a style that belongs to yesterday. There were too many bands doing it back then to need any more doing it now.
Iliopoulos knows how to do this melodeath thang til his fingers bleed, and The Puritan is an effectively crafted slab of Gothenburg jagged riffing, harmonized guitars and throaty vocals. For a band that has rubbed more than shoulders with some big hitters and genre-definers, while the proficiency is there, that extra dose of depth of thought and invention in song-writing that would move Nightrage from just A.N.Other band to genuine players, is lacking.
Even seventeen years ago this would have sat as one of the pack alongside your Withering Surface’s, A Canorous Quintet’s and Crown of Thorns as follower, not leader.
6.5/10
STEVE TOVEY
Reaching 25 years of creating Swedish metal is milestone for In Flames, as they have made their mark within the heavy music scene. Siren Charms is the band’s eleventh full length album and they continue to reach new fans on every tour stop.
Niklas Engelin has seen the progression of In Flames throughout his many stints in the band. Originally joining in 1997, he originally replaced guitarist Glenn Ljungstrom (now in The Resistance) and later filled in for founding guitarist Jesper Stromblad over the years. He finally rejoined as a full member in 2009 during the Come Clarity touring cycle, replacing Stromblad once again.
Niklas Engelin of In Flames. Photo By Kaley Nelson
He shares his observations on the growth of the band over the years, from the musical shifts from their trademark guitar harmonious sound with death metal growls to a more synth driven, alt-metal oriented sound.
“I think we as musicians, doesn’t matter if it’s In Flames, Opeth or RUN DMC back in the day, I think consciously write music in your mind. Of course I practice my guitar. I have to. I really enjoy practicing, but I feel I have my way of playing, my kind of sound and I know how to write a song. So it’s more I digest everything.”
“As for today, I went for a walk for three hours to embrace everything. It should be interesting. I get home from this tour and then I have six weeks off. I will write some new stuff. Let’s see what’s happening after all of the travelling. I think we’re writing consciously in your mind all the time,” he said.
Bjorn Gelotte of In Flames. Photo by Hillarie Jason.While he did not participate on the recording of 2010’s Sounds of a Playground Fading, he took a supporting role on Siren Charms.
“Bjorn (Gelotte, guitars) did the writing. I was there for the structure of the songs. My way of playing the guitar shined through a little bit. But it’s mainly Bjorn and Anders [Friden] who writes all the stuff.”
Being that Engelin has unofficially held the role of In Flames’ version of “The Sixth Beatle,” he has held a front row view of the ups and downs of the growing pains behind the band.
“I always feel comfortable. I quit and started Gardenian back in the day (in 1996). Me and Anders did the Passenger album (in 2003). They called me in ’06 to fill in. From then on, I’ve been there when Jesper was falling off the wagon. So I kind of saved a lot of tours.”
Niklas Engelin and Bjorn Gelotte of In Flames. Photo By Kaley Nelson
Engelin has proven that he is the perfect fit for In Flames a role player. He shares how much of a bond he has with the members and it goes back a ways prior to becoming members of the band.
“I know these guys. I’ve known Anders since ’88. Me and Bjorn grew up in the same suburbs. Me and Jesper went to the same high school together. For me it’s natural. I know everything. I know exactly things like ‘he’s going to do it like that.’ It doesn’t differ back too much. So it’s easy for me to get into. The mentality of the band is easy to get into.”
Anders Friden and Bjorn Gelotte of In Flames. Photo By Kaley Nelson
Lastly, being that Siren Charms is their eleventh album and having a wealth of songs to choose from for a set list, In Flames has the undaunting task of piecing together songs that will somewhat please the crowd.
As each record passes by, it only get tougher but Engelin has an interesting perspective on this much debated topic.
“That’s tough. There’s always going to be those people in the audience ‘hey “Upon an Oaken Throne’ or ‘Episode 666.’ Great songs – I’d gladly play them, of course, but when are we playing those songs? People are standing like birds.”
“I saw a really cool gig by ZZ Top. At first the camera zoomed into the band. It was in a huge arena. Anyways, ‘next song what do you want to hear?’ ‘I want to hear (name of a song)’ – can we do it?’ ‘Of course we can do it.’ Then they played it, into the next song. The crowd contributes to the songs. It was really, really cool. That would be something. But then we would have to rehearse for ages! Then it would make sense.”
Interview By Rei Nishimoto
Not content with plying his trade with one major label band, guitarist Niclas Engelin, who stepped into the Jesper Strömblad sized hole in the In Flames line up on a permanent basis in 2011, teams up with long-standing partner in crime Marcus Sunesson (ex-The Crown) for Raven Kings (Gain/Sony), the fourth installment of his near-eponymous band Engel, and his stamp, and that of his day job, is all over this new release.
Engel are keen to show that the metal does indeed flow in their veins, and the decision to kick the album off with two ragers works from a dynamic point of view, particularly considering the exemplary production job undertaken by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat), although the decision to utilize new vocalist Mikael Sehlin’s harsher tones at the onset of the album instantly draw comparisons with Anders Friden, which for a side project that are not a million miles away from the furrows being ploughed by his other band, is potentially too thin an ice to be stomping army boots on.
Where they do come into their own, though, is as the album progresses and the bands’ keen ear for a hook is accentuated and highlighted, be it riff, groove, vocal melody or chorus that provides it, this is an album full of catchy moments and Soilwork-ed passages, with Sehlin operating much more effectively in the melodic ranges, sounding not too dissimilar to Sebastian Bach’s more Slave-ish moments, and with a power and tone reminiscent of Chris Jericho.
While the band have termed themselves Melodic Death Metal there is no escaping that the core sound of Engel is intrinsically close to that of In Flames, particularly as electronic and “industrial” nuances fleck both the Jester’s and this ancillary outfits’ sound these days, or that the term “Death” in that descriptor is a bit of a red herring. Yes, their hooky song-based modern metal (I’m loathe to add the word core on the end as it almost by default detracts from what they produce) is heavy without resorting to ultra beatdowns to bring the weight, but it is in the melodic and the catchy where they thrive, as, ultimately, Raven Kings is a worthy release of contemporary, commercial metal.
7.0/10
Engel on Facebook
STEVE TOVEY
Whatever your personal journey with In Flames, they rank as one of metals most influential bands of the last twenty years. Along with peers At The Gates and Dark Tranquillity they spearheaded the Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal attack of the Nineties and by 1999, you couldn’t move without being stabbed in the ears by jester clones. Ten years later, despite some inconsistent outputs of their own, they had proven to be a lead influence in the most popular development in the heavy metal sound of the new millennium – metalcore.
The seminal, early, albums of In Flames were all about jagged riffing and scything twin-guitars jostling with folk influences. Clayman and Reroute To Remain were about taking that step into the mainstream, adding chug and progressing their sound. Come Clarity was the ace that defined what they had become. Eleventh album Siren Charms (Sony) is all about the songs.
While In Flames started out as a guitar band, the role of vocals has become more prevalent in their sound throughout their twenty-one year evolution; from throaty roars, to a husky half-sing, to Siren Charms being Anders Friden’s album. Come clarity and come confidence of voice, reminiscent of Brandon Flowers at times, predominantly clean he leads this album in the way a frontman and vocalist should, bridging and building interesting and, at times, vulnerable verses into anthemic choruses. The dual/duel guitars are still there, just used more cerebrally, sparingly, but available to provide the bands’ trademark.
At first listen ‘In Plain View’ is an underwhelming opener, electronica seguing into a rolling riff, stripping down then pushing off, but repeated plays bring out its qualities, before ‘Everything’s Gone’ barrels in, the most aggressive track on the album, a combination of punches provided by chromatic chords leading to a Slipknot meets Marilyn Manson chugged verse and strong chorus, before the real tone of the album is opened up with a hat-trick of great dark pop metal songs (‘Paralysed’, ‘Through Oblivion’, ‘With Eyes Wide Open’), between them referencing Clayman, Killswitch Engage, Katatonia, The Killers and 30 Seconds To Mars (A Beautiful Lie / This Is War era) in a joyous gamut of aggressive modern rock music. ‘When The World Explodes’ spits out metalcore 101 before a left at the traffic lights swerve turns it into a gothic metal classic with vocals of opera singer Emilia Feldt.
Continuing strongly, the band hit a salvo of ‘Rusted Nail’ with its bouncing guitars, electronica, and build via traditional In Flames guitar harmony to an anthemic chorus and ‘Dead Eyes’, which starts slower before hitting a hands in the air refrain. ‘Monsters In The Ballroom’ unfurls into a beautiful, sprawled chorus of its own via some tighter, thrashier guitaring, while, last up, ‘Filtered Truth’ flips from a casual AC/DC riff to a metalcore rhythmic verse, into a strong chorus with the twin leads dancing in and out behind, before spiralling away to close the album.
With Reroute To Remain In Flames showed they would not spend their career rehashing their earlier albums. They left that to countless others. Instead they’ve refined and developed their approach to songwriting, working on creating a set of excellent dark pop metal songs to the point where they can add Siren Charms, and its collection of anthems, to The Jester Race, Clayman, Reroute To Remain and Come Clarity – each distinctive from the other yet all obviously “In Flames” – in the list of classics under their belt.
8.5/10
STEVE TOVEY
In Flames, minus the rhythm section, had a very intimate listening party for their new album Siren Charms (RED/Sony Music Germany), which took place in Manhattan NYC at The Bowery Electric, just across the street from where CBGB’s once stood. The evening started off with a few spins of their new album. After an hour so of mingling and a lot of free drinks, singer Anders Friden, along with guitarists Bjorn Gelotte and Niclas Engelin took to the stage. In between drinks and clearly nervous laughter, Anders commented about them never before doing something like this. All awkwardness aside, playing an acoustic set seems like the next logical step in the ever evolving world of In Flames.
Supported by only an ambient backing track, they started what turned into a two-song mini set with ‘Dead Eyes’ from Siren Charms. Anders sounded possibly even more powerful on the chorus on this rendition of the tune. They continued the show with the lead single off the new album, ‘Through Oblivion’. It sounds a lot more eerie this way and I’m having a tough time not hearing it this way again. These songs fit extremely well within the acoustic realm, the right songs for the right occasion. It was very short and pretty freaking sweet. Perhaps they will do it again…
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY OMAR CORDY