Album Details

• Artist: In Flames
• EP:
The Mirror's Truth
• Label: Nuclear Blast
• Year of Release: 2008
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2008-04-02

In Flames have all the energy in the world these days. After their previous album Come Clarity and it's subsequent world tour, you'd expect these Swedish metal giants to rest on their laurels, maybe take a year or two to formulate their next steps. No such thing has happened. Instead we're being treated to a teaser EP, The Mirror's Truth, in prepares for the upcoming "A Sense of Purpose" LP (which is out now, in fact). The former doesn't bode extremely well for the latter, for those (like me) still wondering what happened to the band who made metal classics like "Clayman" and "Whoracle". But if you loved "Come Clarity", you'll find more of the same here.

Four songs, each no longer than 4 minutes. All fairly short-lived bursts of the same melo-death (the death is lacking almost completely) they've been accustomed to recently. Anders' vocals lack the depth they once conveyed, hopelessly stuck in a mid-ranged shriek that used to represent a third of his range. The riffs are almost lifted straight from their last effort, and while some of the melodies they capture are memorable ("Tilt" is my favorite track for just this reason, it's one of the best In Flames songs I've heard in years), it's familiarity that kills this beast. The bruising rhythm section is diminished, as the percussion is only noted with the same rolling blastbeats and double-bass assaults we're used to. None of these four songs knocks you back the way a "Pinball Map" or "Behind Space" could upon first discovering them. 

It's very much like reliving the past, only the recent past in which some of us would like to forget. There's no doubt in my mind that In Flames are a more focused and strong entity than ever, they've chosen a path and refuse to be knocked from it by any unkind criticism. More power to them, and to the fans who've hung on and been able to enjoy their more recent output. For myself, I lament the passing of a band with limitless potential, tempting to treading the road most traveled. It's like Metallica all over again. 

User Reviews and Comments