Swedish melodic death metal band In Flames play a major role in exactly where the last 20+ years of extreme metal have gone. Helping to pioneer a melodic death sound all the way through 2000’s Clayman, the band then experimented with a less heavy style on Reroute To Remain and Soundtrack To Your Escape, incorporating electronics and synths into their music. Along the way, they helped influence everyone from Darkest Hour to Killswitch Engage with their trademark Gothenburg melodic death metal sound. These two albums, especially Reroute To Remain, certainly weren’t bad – they played a major part in the popularity and growth of In Flames – but on 2006’s Come Clarity, longtime fans of the band were surely hoping for a return to the Whoracle and Colony-era sound.
Come Clarity is probably the best modern-era In Flames record, essentially splitting the difference between their melo-death past, and the alt-metal direction they would travel in the future. Considering their recent work hasn’t been quite as well-received, this sounds worse than it actually sounds on the record. However, Come Clarity is actually a metal triumph, considering how mediocre those “returning to the old sound” records can actually come across.
The album is often considered their American breakthrough record, selling over 25,000 copies in its first week in 2006 in the USA alone. While that’s not the be-all, end-all of success, the release of Come Clarity was a watershed moment in the band’s career, to be certain. Album opener “Take This Life” really is a throwback to their mid-period Colony days. It’s a shockingly aggressive (compared to their previous two records, anyway) that really shows the naysayers that In Flames was still deserving of the spotlight.
There’s still other standout tracks here, too. “Crawl Through Knives”, in particular, marries spectacular lead guitar with infectious, yet heavy riffs that really captivate the listener. Shorter tracks like “Versus Terminus” and “Scream” never manage to overstay their barely 3 minute runtimes, and it’s pretty amazing to bear auditory witness to just how many riffs and melodies In Flames manage to fit into these songs with more brevity.
In Flames have maintained an impressive pedigree over their 20+ year run as a premier metal band. While their latest material may not be quite as revered as The Jester Race, Come Clarity is a special album because of how adeptly it marries the band’s older material with their newer alternative metal direction. Even if you’re part of the old guard that stopped listening after Clayman, it would be a mistake to miss out on a modern metal masterpiece.
