In Flames - Come Clarity (8/10)
by: randall_mcnally
Total views: 232
01. Take This Life
02. Leeches
03. Reflect The Storm
04. Dead End
05. Scream
06. Come Clarity
07. Crawl Through Knives
08. Vacuum
09. Pacing Death's Trail
10. Versus Terminus
11. Our Infinite Struggle
12. Vanishing Light
13. Your Bedtime Story Is Scaring Everyone
10/10 Ed Watson / Sputnik Music
... the band are not just relying on their back catalogue to carry them forward, and there are significant musical leaps here... the quality set on this album demands recognition, and reinstates In Flames alongside others as masters of their genre.
10/10: spoon of grimbo / Sputnik Music
... a storming return to form for In Flames, it's all we could have hoped for and more. I would do a pros and cons section, but it would be entirely pointless, as there are simply no cons to "Come Clarity."
9.5/10: Eric V. / Metal Observer
“Come Clarity” should go down as one of IN FLAMES’ greatest achievements, a proverbial return to the band’s roots without taking a single step backward. All the while retaining the modern edge that made “Reroute To Remain” and “Soundtrack To Your Escape” so controversial. IN FLAMES is a band that is certainly not afraid to experiment with, change, or expand its sound. “Come Clarity” is an absolute testament to that.
9/10: Chad Bowar / About Music
This album is the complete package that's both brutal and melodic. It's diverse in both style and vocals and has everything you want and expect from an In Flames album plus a few surprises.
9/10: Katrina / Metal Temple
"Come Clarity" has taken the boys back to the In Flames we all know and love and have even added few surprising touches here and there that make this album one of their best yet... The production in this album was very precise, especially with the bass. There are a lot of albums where the bass isn’t loud enough but you can definitely hear it here.
9/10: Epsilon / Sputnik Music
In Flames are band you can't not have heard of, Always having a unique yet different sound for each album, and Come Clarity is no exception... This album mixes with melody and chugging riffs which keep hitting you beyond content.
9/10: Brian Rademacher / Rock Eyez
Speed, thrash and melodic have all become household names when it comes to this band, and this album seals the deal... This CD is totally killer and should be added to your collection immediately.
8/10: CrpnDeth / KNAC
The new release reeks with darker vocals, heavier riffs and a cleaner drum assault. Songs such as Scream, Crawl Through Knives and Versus Terminus provide excellent twin guitar shredding and slight old school feelings... Everything flows perfectly throughout this disc; the bass soldering with the drums, the guitars meshing in complete harmony, and the vocals burning into the songs.
8/10: Adam Harrold / Rock Something
The guitar-work is immense, the song writing is largely top-notch and the skill with which the Swedes manage to mangle melody and massacre together is unequalled when they find their groove. With “Come Clarity” they clearly found it.
8/10: Tom Day / Music OMH
With their eighth full-length album, the Swedish boys are showing no signs of having run out of either inspiration or vehemence, and appear to have yet again mastered the daredevil feat of fusing an eruption of relentless metal and barefaced melodic vocal and guitar lines into a crushing LP that sets a wildly high standard for the metal scene... Come Clarity slams home in its 12 slices of pure metallic fury.
8/10: Adrien Begrand / Pop Matters
Come Clarity is a small triumph, their strongest album in a good five years, and by finding a comfortable middle ground between the old and the new, yet continuing to allow their music to evolve, In Flames have proven the doubters wrong again.
7.5/10: Tim Blake / Tartarean Desire
These guys have clearly still got the ability to write catchy and appealing tunes, it's just the material doesn't feel fresh enough. Overall, it's a solid album that works as a whole, but doesn't leave a big impression on the listener.
7.3/10: Cory D. Byrom / Pitchfork Media
Come Clarity is not a return of the classic In Flames sound, but it reclaims much of their earlier glory... It's as if the years they've spent evolving were merely the process, and Come Clarity is the melodic, head-banging result.
7/10: Aubin / Punk News
In Flames has finally returned to reclaim their throne... With Come Clarity, the band hasn't quite returned to its roots, but reincorporated the more aggressive and thrashy tendencies as well as adding huge choruses.
7/10: Drew Ailes / Lamb Goat
... I can confidently recommend the modern polished and more emotive version of In Flames right alongside the same band that once shared riffs with Dark Tranquillity. They've done a more than acceptable job of bridging the style they became known for with a more accessible sound while somehow retaining what appears to be their integrity.
6.8/10: Bob / Scene Pointblank
Being heralded as a return to form for the band, Come Clarity blasts out of the gates... Come Clarity is a much stronger and powerful record than their previous album. There are definitely moments that hearken back to the In Flames sound of old that the older fans clamor to hear. It is also a progression for the band, which is important for them, especially after their lengthy career at this point.
6/10: Raw / Metal Underground
Technically, the album sounds great, with veteran musicianship and crisp production on every track. In the end, it is the formulaic nature of the album which holds it back. A decent effort, but is this all we have to look forward to from such an esteemed band?
6/10: Shadows / Sputnik Music
Combining their original sound with the newer experiments, In Flames has created an album that strikes a balance between their heavy and melodic sound. Clean and acoustic guitar are distributed sparingly about as the riffs dominate the record. While the harmonies and solos are still greatly missed, they provide just enough melodic substance to latch onto and hold attention.
6/10: Jackie Smit / Chronicles of Chaos
... let's be honest: for most, In Flames -- even In Flames by-the-numbers -- is probably still the greatest thing since sliced bread. That they're capable of infinitely better things, however, is undeniable.
"Come Clarity" Video:
"Take This Life" Video:
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About the Author
Randall McNally is the pseudonym for an extremely private heavy metal fan from the Midwest region of the United States of America. Fed a steady diet of British New-Wave and Hair Metal in his formative years, he was just coming of age when Grunge exploded on to the scene, and his life has never been the same. Randall is the webmaster of the website Reverb Madness.
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