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In Flames - Lunar Strain Audio CD

A fair review of the In Flames "Lunar Strain" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all In Flames reviews here, or go back to the In Flames tabs.

In Flames Band: In Flames
Title: Lunar Strain
Rating:
Release Date: 2005-06-14
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Behind Space 2: Lunar Strain 3: Starforsaken 4: Dreamscape 5: Everlost, Pt. 1 6: Everlost, Pt. 2 7: H�rgal�ten 8: In Flames 9: Upon an Oaken Throne 10: Clad in Shadows 11: In Flames [1993 Promo Version] 12: Upon an Oaken Throne [1993 Promo Version] 13: Acoustic Piece [from Promo 1993] 14: Clad in Shadows [1993 Promo Version]

music speaks

the only negative thing is that the booklet has no lyrics. very good music from the masters of swedish death metal, excellent disk.


A solid debut by an important band.
While the band are commonly considered to be pioneers of the melodic death sound along with Dark Tranquillity and At the Gates (all Swedish), their early work displayed many other facets that helped to grace the metal world with classy, intelligent death metal. In Flames' first release is certainly an interesting one. Lunar Strain showcases the band at their most inventive, lacking the fear for experimentation that seems to have dulled their later releases.

After pressing play, the very first thing that enters my mind is Dark Tranquillity. Not only do they have many musical similarities, but Dark Tranquillity's vocalist Mikael Stanne is also present, making the likeness even stronger. In a strange twist of events, In Flames' later vocalist Anders Friden was at the time of this release the vocalist for none other than Dark Tranquillity. Putting the incest-like nature of the bands aside, I'll move on.

The Swedish outfit have generally riff driven tracks, yet are certainly not afraid to bring on some impressive lead-work. It's the melodies that make this album so catchy and it's the variety that allows it to still sound fresh even today. With a female vocal led ballad (Everlost Part II), a ripping thrash track (Upon an Oaken Throne), a doom-driven slab (Everlost Part I) along with their trademark Gothenburg death metal sound mean the listener never gets bored. Even if not everything they attempt on Lunar Strain works completely (the folkish "Hargalaten" a prime example), I still give them a whole lot of marks for effort.

Highlights for me include the album opener "Behind Space", "Everlost Part I" and Upon an Oaken Throne", but there's something here for everyone.

Lunar Strain is by no means their best album, but it's a great introduction to a hugely successful band, and should not be set below their more commercial work that would split their fan-base many years later.


In Flames at their best
This for me is the best In Flames album. . very solid, creative, and epic. the songs made me feel as if i were in sweden. . . i love Everlost Part II. The female vocals are very strong. Behind Space is the best track on the album by far.


4 stars for the album, 2 stars for the packaging
The bonus tracks (3 demos and a 38 second acoustic instrumental) are a nice addition, but aren't really noteworthy. Am I alone in being a bit disappointed by the Lunar Strain and Subterranean reissues? They're both great albums, and the remastering is a welcome improvement, but I expected a bit more from the reissued versions.

My major complaint is the packaging. Each album's booklet is basically worthless. There's a black and white band photo and nothing else. No lyrics, no liner notes, nothing that even tells you who was in the band at the time, who wrote the songs, or the history of the bonus tracks. Did the band have any involvement with these reissues at all? Dark Tranquillity's reissues of the The Gallery and the The Mind's I really put these to shame. Perhaps it is the label's fault. Nuclear Blast's reissues of Whoracle, Colony, and Clayman were definitely done right.

I know the music is what really matters, but I expected a better overall package from a band like In Flames.
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