Band: In Flames
Title: Sounds Of A Playground Fading
Label: Century Media Records
Distribution: EMI
Release date: June 20th 2011
Review: CD

Well well well, another In Flames-record.
History: formed in the early nineties and, together with acts like Dark Tranquillity, Ceremonial Oath, At The Gates, Crown Of Thorns (now: The Crown) or Centinex, they were sort of protagonists for a rather typical sounds that did inspire and influence the worldwide Metal scene back then. Gothenburg-grandness it was, nicely creating a contra-weight against the supremacy of the Stockholm- or Eskilstuna-scene during the period late eighties - early nineties.
I could appreciate the earliest years, yet as from the second part of the nineties, I completely lost them. And since the band turned into some cheap mixture of Gothenburg-Metal and modern and catchy Metalcore, I start(ed) getting allergic when listening to such acts.
This new full length was produced by a superior trio: Roberto Laghi, Örjan Örnkloo and Daniel Bergstrand, all three of them ‘huge’ names when it comes to studio work for major Metal-bands. And that brings me to the most positive thing I can say about this album: the sound, which is marvellous, massive, magisterial (and in this specific album’s case certainly not over-the-top, or tragically and pathetically over-produced).
The songs, well, they go on in the vein of the stuff this band created since the end of last decade. First of all, and not unimportant: this album is not as stupidly cheap as A Sense Of Purpose or Come Clarity. Don’t imagine me smiling happily when listening to this recording – because I will not; but I was so allergic to almost anything In Flames did the last ten-fifteen years. And no either, I will not suddenly become the band’s Number One fan either; but one cannot ignore the progression In Flames went through.
Am I exaggerating when stipulating that this album seems to be the best thing the band did in more than fifteen years? If yes, well, don’t worry because I like to exaggerate from time to time; if not, well: THIS ALBUM IS THE BEST THING IN FLAMES DID IN MORE THAN FIFTEEN YEARS. All right, everything clear now?

71/100

Ivan Tibos.