Colony

In Flames may be nothing more than MTV2 fodder to most, considering the ridiculous nu-metal ramblings of “Come Clarity” and “A Sense of Purpose”. But there was a time when they were true melodic metalgods.

Unfortunately, In Flames’s pitiful ascent to stardom has followed the same whoring path as Cradle of Filth and Dark Tranquility, shying away from its roots, and metal altogether, to become a glossy-video, mass-market supergroup. However, they were a truly talented band that produced amazing albums before their downfall, just like the aforementioned British Filth. “Colony” is one such album. “Colony” is a masterpiece.

The feat of having a lengthy 13-track album that still ends way too soon is incredible in itself already. Every song is a highlight, not even the instrumental feels like a filler. It’s rare to find an album where every track is different and yet it still feels like a universal idea as a whole, a single-minded entity. Even the order of the songs seems planned and pre-meditated, here every single aspect of the album contributes to the feeling it invokes.

The production of this album is absolutely perfect! It feels enormous in the sense of depth and clarity, with very subtle echoes and other effects. One cannot think of In Flames without the incredible guitarists coming to mind. Stromblad and Gelotte weren’t included on Guitarist magazine’s “Greatest Guitar Duo’s” list by accident. The guitars on “Colony” are monumental! The composition is impressive on every song. Every riff and solo is an experience, bearing a sense of purpose and occasion. The harmonising twin-guitars are stirring, each note ringing true. They switch seamlessly between heavy riffs and beautifully melodic interludes, successfully channelling old-school masters into their modern European sound. The bass is very solid, the 6-string never running out of answers and proving innovative even amidst the immense wall of guitars.

It’s hard to name the style or genre of the music on this album. At times, one is tempted to say metalcore, and yet that isn’t correct at all. As vague as it sounds, “Colony” is the epitome of melodic metal, with the guitars and bass often adopting an ‘80’s style reminiscent of Iron Maiden or Saxon. Another brilliant success of this production is the drums. The sound is exactly right, perfectly suited to the overall sound of the music. Even in parts where the music lends itself to more aggression and the drums step up accordingly, the double-bass is never deafening. The cymbals are crisp, the snare tight and full. Many times, the drums also lean in favour of older metal, with slower beats and minimal speed or aggression, but it suits the melodies and pace of the songs. It is picked up occasionally to a double-time or double-bass drive, but never seems like too much, never heavier than the album wants it to be.

Bass is not often so substantial in an album of this kind. Almost always audible, and harmonising beautifully with the guitars, it brings a third leading sound rather than simply rhythmically backing up the guitars and filling the drums. I’m not a huge bass enthusiast, but here the bass impressed me, never standing back to let the incredible guitars steal the show. The vocals were perfected on this album. It was too deep on “Jester Race”, almost death metal, making it too much and too indistinct for the melodic sound of the music. Furthermore, it was to refined on “Reroute to Remain” and later albums, with over-the-top clean vocals and not enough metal. On “Colony” Anders got it just right. A very recognisable scream with the odd grunt and even cleaner sections, it had decent versatility. A very passionate and spirited delivery helps to emphasize this, proving that the vocals, like everything else on this album, were not just an afterthought. His voice suits the music perfectly, with enough infectious scream-along choruses making the songs truly memorable.

Inevitably, the guitars claim most of the glory on “Colony”, but unlike Dragonforce, the rest of the band has more than enough to do the melodies justice, making this album a clear triumph. This is undoubtedly the highlight of In Flames’s career. Where today, their name must always be whispered in public, lest a mallcore fanboy comes running about the brilliance of their latest albums, they sadly seem reserved for commercial mediocrity. However, “Colony”, unknown though it may be, is a shining testament of their former glory. A pivotal moment in my metal life, it must be added to your collection at all costs.