Nothing inspires nerd rage in metalheads quite like a legendary band altering its sound. Sweden’s In Flames discovered this firsthand when it added nü-metal hooks and electronic textures to its melodic death metal. Despite its paving the way for such modern metalcore heavies as Killswitch Engage and Darkest Hour, many fans cried “sellout” upon hearing 2002’s Reroute to Remain and 2004’s Soundtrack to Your Escape.
Released last February, Come Clarity, the band’s eighth studio album, has helped silence these detractors. Cross-checking the band’s vintage sound and the better elements of its experimental period, the disc has resonated with new fans while winning back the old ones. The searing riffs and indelible choruses on such tracks as “Crawl Through Knives” and “Reflect the Storm” will surely ignite pits among Cleveland’s most enthusiastic metal freaks.
This article appears in Dec 13-19, 2006.