In Flames - Alternative Ranking
I've been wanting to do an alternative ranking IF list for awhile and I figured what better time to hit it up then after Soilwork. This isn't a troll ranking, this is really just based off of how most of these albums currently met/unmet certain expectations, and also the types of songs that stand up to replay value in terms of what I actually select to listen to today. I'm also bored of the spots everything was in in the original ranking, so here's something fresh. The value to this list is that it incorporates everything (except singles). |
| 1 |  | In Flames
Reroute to Remain
Please stay on hold while I dial up a paragraph for this.
I told ya it was going to be an alternative ranking, since this is the start of the "alternative metal" era of the band.
4.5/4.0
metal-archives: 55% (14 reviews). |
| 2 |  | In Flames
Come Clarity
I just find this has just always been relatively consistent, and you can cycle through different sets of tracks at different times and they mostly all still do have their place. Of course you can always do the album straight through, but a factor in this ranking also relies on how consistent an album is as a whole as well as in pieces.
4.0
metal-archives: 69% (22 reviews) |
| 3 |  | In Flames
Whoracle
I don't like ALL of the tracks on this, but I mean, the good ones are too good. Jotun as an opener always bothers the fuck out of me and I can't stand it. Unless I order it around and have the album kick off with Food for the Gods I can't viiibe man. BUT, the album still is really good, and the best of their early material.
4.0
metal-archives: 72% (13 reviews) |
| 4 |  | In Flames
The Mirror's Truth
Abnegation and Eraser were always part of my top songs from this era and I'm finally giving those the spotlight I feel they deserve, here.
I really can't say enough good things about this EP. It's a real treat and a beaut, and these songs totally nail an expansion pack sort of feel to the album mainstay.
4.0
metal-archives: 55% (7 reviews) |
| 5 |  | In Flames
A Sense of Purpose
4.0 / 3.5
metal-archives: 68% (23 reviews) |
| 6 |  | In Flames
Clayman
It's a little more tedious for me to sit through this one all the time now, so in a way the replayability has waned, but on the best days this shit is still killer.
metal-archives: 74% (17 reviews) |
| 7 |  | In Flames
The Jester Race
I can't be the biggest fan of this record, but it has rewarded when one gives more and more shots to it. I'm actually not the biggest fan of the Gothenburg melo-death stuff, and IF is usually where I can kick it because I don't listen to At the Gates much at all, or DT, etc.
metal-archives: 82% (20 reviews) |
| 8 |  | In Flames
Subterranean
metal-archives: 91% (7 reviews) |
| 9 |  | In Flames
Lunar Strain
metal-archives: 82% (10 reviews) |
| 10 |  | In Flames
The Tokyo Showdown
(2001, Clayman era)
metal-archives: 66% (6 reviews) |
| 11 |  | In Flames
Soundtrack to Your Escape
I really don't like much of anything passed My Sweet Shadow on this, so like the whole back half of the album.
If this was a 6 track EP, it'd slap a 4 or 4.5 on it.
metal-archives: 45% (22 reviews) |
| 12 |  | In Flames
I, the Mask (Arcade Version)
Life's complexities
Not even a metal-archives entry |
| 13 |  | In Flames
Colony
I only like about half and I hate the track order
metal-archives: 77% (13 reviews) |
| 14 |  | In Flames
Black-Ash Inheritance
3.5 - nothing (k)new
metal-archives: 82% (5 reviews) |
| 15 |  | In Flames
Used & Abused...In Live We Trust
(2005, Soundtracks era). Pretty decent DVD performance. A link on YouTube had all of the Soundtrack to Your Escape songs in order so it's like they played the whole thing straight through.
metal-archives: 76% (3 reviews) |
| 16 |  | In Flames
In Flames
3.0 because it's just a collection of good/ok IF songs.
For the '8 Songs' EP: metal-archives: 80% (1 reviews) |
| 17 |  | In Flames
Live in Gothenburg
(1999, Colony era)
A bootleg, I guess?
3.0
metal-archives: 82% (10 reviews)
Not a metal-archives entry |
| 18 |  | In Flames
Sounds From The Heart Of Gothenburg
(2016, Siren era)
Too many Siren/Playground Fading Songs, but this hits a pretty damn good live video performance stride from Chosen Pessimist to the end.
metal-archives: 80% (1 reviews) |
| 19 |  | In Flames
Trigger
Who knew that the I, the Mask arcade version was predated with this by 17 years with the Moonshield (C64 Karaoke Version). Watch Them Feed is an alright b-side tune, I wouldn't mind if it was on the main album.
metal-archives: 44% (5 reviews) |
| 20 |  | In Flames
Siren Charms
I'm not relistening to these new ones before the ranking, I might tomorrow.
The way this still holds up to the same uniclad impression is almost like a statement on the strength of mediocrity. Practically nothing has swayed up or down my feelings on this album since it first came out. Very very consistent vanilla, and oddly persistently so.
metal-archives: 42% (18 reviews) |
| 21 |  | In Flames
Sounds of a Playground Fading
I totally forgot about Enter Tragedy. I think I bumped this up from a 2 to a 2.5 on my relisten. Still don't really like it though.
metal-archives: 47% (13 reviews) |
| 22 |  | In Flames
Battles
The Spencer Chamberlain is coming into full effect here. Bumped this up a half point as well, from a 1.5 to a 2. Some songs are tolerable, sometimes.
metal-archives: 25% (10 reviews) |
| 23 |  | In Flames
Come Clarity EP
No business really existing, but it's good artwork and it's two good songs. They could stop pumping 'Only for the Weak' out every few years though.
metal-archives: 74% (2 reviews) |
| 24 |  | In Flames
I, the Mask
Ok, this is definitely the weakest LP. The fact that this has a (somewhat) significantly higher average than Battles here, is bewildering. Not only does Anders carry over his Spencer Chamberlain impression, but it doesn't even sound like In Flames here at all here, in both the vocals and instruments. This seriously sounds closer to what I would imagine the HotTopic/radio-emo mallcrowd bands I never heard would sound like than anything by In Flames. Anders' voice sounds literally like 5 of the major mainstream modern rock bands conjoined into one in his cleans, and his screams are just homogeneously passionless. I was seriously thinking multiple times whether guest musicians ghost-sang on this record. Even succeeding after everything else before this, not once will a song make you think it is In Flames. That's almost stunning in itself. I get they want more success, but conglomerating their music into the absolute tropes of adolescent non-associative Ame
metal-archives: 51% (7 reviews) |
| 25 |  | In Flames
Clayman (20th Anniversary Edition)
icana is insulting at this point. The last album has about three tracks I can spin, and I can probably listen to most of the other songs a few more times as well. This is just..... unreturnable.
metal-archives: 16% (5 reviews) / 30% (4 reviews) |
| 26 |  | In Flames
The Quiet Place
metal-archives: 15% (5 reviews) |
| 27 |  | In Flames
Down, Wicked and No Good
honestly, it's worse than 'No Good' and that's kind of saying something
metal-archives: 71% (2 reviews) |
| 28 |  | In Flames
Artifacts of In Flames
I guess a bootleg? |
| 29 |  | In Flames
8 Songs
Repost dud |
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