Reflection of successful music

Swedish band In Flames are celebrating a milestone because it’s the 20th Anniversary of their critically acclaimed album Clayman. In light of the event, the band will be releasing Clayman Reissue later on this month and each song is enjoyable because the instrumentation fills the atmosphere with ear-bleeding metal. The vocals by Anders Fridén are dynamic by how his voice impacts the music with great authority. The guitar playing by Björn Gelotte, Jesper Strōmblad (former rhythm guitar/keyboards), Bryce Paul Newman and Peter Iwers (former bassist) is wonderful due to how the musicians use their talent to create surging guitar notes and the drum playing by Daniel Svensson (former member) and Tanner Wayne delivers a steady sound of rhythmic beats. Clayman Reissue is a good album that demonstrates how much In Flames have grown as a band.

Headbanging “Pinball Map” is a wild song that consists of great guitar playing. Throughout the whole piece, Gelotte guitar playing carries the band with raw notes and the bittersweet sound is just as good because it creates an energy that keeps the music together. The best part of this composition can be found in the middle of the song because Gelotte blasts the ears with a huge guitar solo. The noise is satisfying by how Gelotte plays high-quality notes that causes people to want to hear more. Gelotte’s talent shines brightly while playing worthy music and the sound leaving the speakers is satisfying to hear. “Pinball Map” is packed with promising guitar playing.

The reissue of “Pinball Map” is wicked because Gelotte’s guitar style is richer with deeper sound. Throughout the entire composition, Gelotte still produces high-quality notes but in a harmonic way because the whole song is being played on a slower, softer musical scale. Despite how heavy the original sounds, Gelotte still delivers a solid punch of notes that can give listeners goosebumps. Also the guitar solo is not as strong as the original, but the noise is pleasing to hear because it contributes to the energy of the band.

Vein-shaking “Brush the Dust Away” is a fun tune with talented drum playing. At the beginning of the song, Svensson welcomes listeners with a thunderous drum solo that leave listeners wanting to hear more. He’s a gifted drummer and through the whole track, his drumming style stands out through each musical structure. What is noticeably pleasing is how Svensson plays on a faster tempo while staying on the same musical flow the rest of the band is playing. Hearing Svensson’s drum beats with the rest of the band is satisfying because the noise screams metal music. Svensson is a gifted drummer and “Brush The Dust” shows that.

Dark “Another Day in Quicksand” is a piece that has great vocals. Throughout Clayman Reissue, Fridén’s vocals are well done but his voice on “Another Day in Quicksand” steals the show because the vocal style impacts the whole piece with a shrilling vibe. In metal music, shrieking is an art form that creates a surge of musical vibes and Fridén does a great job of creating emotions through his high pitched voice. When Fridén shrieks out the lyrics, the emotions of despair and sadness can be felt. Other than the shrieking, the sound of power and authority can be felt while Fridén harmonizes the words. “Another Day in Quicksand” is a well-sung composition.

Shaker “Square Nothing” is a tune that has dark and deep lyrics. The words on this piece add depth and volume because the lyrics are about being left behind in a gloomy and saddening world where hopelessness is a common feeling. In the middle of the song, the words, “Spent some quality time with the demon of mine/ He said ‘I like the way you struggle but you know I’m gonna win’/ Spent some quality time with my borrowed smile/ The gleam is replaced, rip me open and erase me” suggests that a person wants to to break free from the darkness but doesn’t have the strength to do so because the darkness empowers the persons mind. “Square Nothing” is well-written with raw emotions.

Harmonic “As The Future Repeats” has an exceptional musical style due to how well the band performs together. The sharp noises coming from the guitar playing adds volume on this piece by playing clear-cutting guitar notes, the drum playing is being played on a well-paced tempo and the clashing sounds contributes to the insane energy and the vocals are filled with bold and strong emotions. “As The Future Repeats” is a well played track that proves how In Flames are not afraid to change up their musical style.

Enchanting “Themes and Variations in D-Minor” is surprisingly good due to how the instrumentation of classical music shows a softer side of In Flames. While listening, the sound of the violin playing in the background brings a feeling of metal endearment because the vibrations of what would be erratic guitar riffs can be felt through the headphones. The rest of the string section blends in nicely by how each instrument creates delicate sound. “Themes and Variations in D-Minor” is a bold tune.

Clayman Reissue is a fantastic album and In Flames definitely have a reason to celebrate.