In Flames

A Sense Of Purpose

[3.5/5]

Nine albums in, Sweden’s In Flames continue to be a defining force in melodic death metal. Part of their basic excellence is that they take the “melodic” part seriously and continue to craft songs that surge with power but don’t sacrifice the melody for the mosh. From the opening (and dazzling) highwire dance “The Mirror’s Truth” to the textured orchestral jam “Alias” to the casual mixed tempos of the closer “March To The Shore,” In Flames’ latest keeps the fire ignited admirably, even though the album is not without its missteps. A Sense Of Purpose is slightly less even than its predecessors–almost a fifth of its running time is spent on “The Chosen Pessimist,” a would-be epic that mewls in places and never quite winds up to sufficient eruption. With so many of the songs humming along at a coiled midtempo, one gets the sense that things skid slightly when they apply the brakes. Still, the rest is generally a joyride, and In Flames remain a stunningly accessible point of entry to the dark side. (KOCH) Jeff Leven

Rocks Like:

Iron Maiden’s Killers

Dark Tranquility’s The Gallery

The Haunted’s The Haunted Made Me Do It