In Flames

Soundtrack To Your Escape

Hope they don't continue in this direction.

Review Score:

(6/10)
I think every album from In Flames is great (and worthy of at least 4 stars), except for this. I'm actually someone who loved "Reroute To Remain" and "Clayman", so don't think I'm one of those guys that doesn't like this simply because they changed their style. I kind of agree with the people who say that softening their sound was a big mistake, but the only thing that's really changed about them is the fact that the vocals sound a little like a nu-metal band.

On songs like "The Quiet Place", Anders sounds like a carbon-copy of Jonathan Davis from Korn. Regardless, the guitars and drums still sound top-notch. "Soundtrack to Your Escape" really isn't that bad if you can focus on how well the rest of the band plays. Just be thankful that they didn't down-tune their guitars to focus more on the vocals like Soilwork did. Besides, at least the band is finally getting the attention they deserve and a bigger fanbase.

Just like "Reroute To Remain" before it, all of the songs seem to follow the same formula (heavy verses, soft chorus...the kind of stuff that most metal bands are doing nowadays). You'd think that the few exceptions to that rule ("My Sweet Shadow" and the song that doesn't feature any melodic singing, "F(r)iend") would stand-out, but they're just as bland as all the other songs. "MY Sweet Shadow" had the potential to be the best song on S.T.Y.E, but the band's decision to focus more on melody over the powerful riffs ruined that. The only real notable track is the closer, "Bottled". The rest of the stuff is average and pretty uneventful.

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