In Flames' 1995 album The Jester Race stands as one of the most powerful metal records of the past 15 years. At once perfecting and defining the "Gothenburg Sound", the band has spent the past decade facing the prospect of living up to their own reputation. While many others have built upon In Flames' style, the band has slowly evolved; many fans would argue that they've gone too far in the wrong direction, while others would claim they've spent far too much time spinning their wheels. On their past few albums, attempts at experimentation have often resulted in the opposite-- radio-ready nu-metal.
Come Clarity has been hailed as a return to form. Album opener "Take this Life" is full of promise, kicking things off with breakneck speed and thick riffing. The verses are full of shredded screaming, while the choruses smooth the vocals out over staccato palm-muted guitars. It's a formula In Flames has worked with for years, and there's obviously no reason to noodle around with it. In fact, all of the songs that stick to this basic combination of death metal speed and vocals, power metal guitar harmonies and melodies, and rapid time changes hark back to the band's earlier work. "Dead End" follows suit, but mixes things up with guest vocals from Swedish pop star Lisa Miskovsky. "Versus Terminus" provides a blueprint for laying complex guitar melodies on top of hyper-speed drumming; the result is one of the band's most aggressive tracks in years.
These thrash metal moments hold the album together, and there are also several tracks that connect the band's various previous styles effectively. "Our Infinite Struggle" is the strongest of these, with its sickeningly heavy lead riff and agony- filled vocals. The instrumental bridge in the middle of the song is-- dare I say-- pretty, but the overall effect is a perfect blend of melody and aggression. Unfortunately, there are still a handful of slower, more commercial sounding tracks. The title track is problematic at best, layering acoustic guitars with whiny emo-tinged vocals. "Reflect the Storm" is generic nu-metal, with the same whiny vocal style and a mid-tempo, muted guitar line that offers little to get excited about.
Come Clarity is not a return of the classic In Flames sound, but it reclaims much of their earlier glory. Metal bands have an unfortunate history with altering their sound in an attempt to broaden their audience, only to return to some neutered version of their earlier selves once the crowds dwindle. But where so many have failed, In Flames has succeeded. It's as if the years they've spent evolving were merely the process, and Come Clarity is the melodic, head-banging result.
