In Flames is a very important band for me and many people. Formed in 1990 in Gothenburg, they are responsible for developing the genres known as Swedish death metal and melodic death metal. The first five albums are considered essential records within the genre, albeit ordering them by preference can become an endless argument. When Colony was released in 1999, it served as gateway album for me to enter the Death Metal genre. I saw them live for the first time in a little club in Montreal in the summer of 2000. I lost track of them until I reconnected when Sounds of a Playground Fading was released in 2011. So yes, I really like this album, I have an emotional connection to it and it keeps coming back to my playlists. While I don't love the 2000's albums after Clayman, I do like many songs from these period. It's a different story with the last two records Siren Charms (2014) and Battles (2016), I think there are no more than a handful of songs that I enjoy from both together. It's not because they don't sound like Colony, it's just that I really don't like them overall.
Now in 2019 after years of disappointments, I approached I, The Mask with no expectations and an open mind. As the say goes “The secret to happiness is low expectations” and that's how I feel about this album. It's the best thing I've heard from In Flames in a long time. Is it perfect? As good as the old stuff? No, it's far from that, but if you accept their sound direction (which by now has lasted longer than the original sound), it's not a bad album. Now, if you are still waiting for Whoracle Part 2, you will be disappointed and you will die waiting for it. It's no secret that they will never go back to that melodic death metal sound. If that's the only thing you are interested, then you have two options, to actually listen to Whoracle or to another of the thousands of bands doing great melodeath music.
With all of that out of the way, let me get to it. The album opens very strongly with "Voices" and the following 3 tracks. This is the closest we get to death metal. The tempo is high, the verses are voracious and the riffs are mean. Yes, the choruses are not as powerful, but it doesn't compromise those songs. There is a hint of metalcore in those tracks. For example, "I Am Above" reminds me of Bullet for My Valentine, but at least their good phase. Track five "Follow Me" is not a bad track but not as powerful, but the usage of acoustic is very well done. And while it may seem we are going into a ballad, the song picks up speed and becomes a good mid tempo and very melodic track. "(This Is Our) House" could've been a good song, but that gang vocals is a big let down. It baffles me that they are playing this song live instead of the title track. Another issue in the middle section is "In This Life". The chorus is absolutely irritating, I can't listen to this song. But not all is lost, the groovy "We Will Remember" and the heavier "Deep Inside" are also enjoyable rides. "All The Pain" is the mandatory ballad and while not terrible it doesn't work for me. It would've worked better as the closing track, because "Stay With Me" and "Not Alone" don't add much.
Look, when rated by itself, this is a good disc. There are songs here that I really enjoyed and I’ll keep listening to them as I do with a couple tracks from Siren Charms. But I judge an album from beginning to end as the artist has crafted it. Therefore I cannot give I, The Mask a very high score. There are flaws in the middle section of the album and specially at the end of it that compromises my overall experience. It is still a better album than the previous two and it shows that In Flames is finding a way to combine their more commercial approach to some heaviness from the early days. Also Anders is singing at his best, showcasing a improved dynamic range. Now if In Flames would have trimmed down and polished I, The Mask a bit more and not try too hard to make super radio friendly choruses, then we would be in a much better place. At least for my taste. I suspect this album will do well commercially, but if critics and some fans keep judging it in comparison to the old albums, then we will see very negative reviews. For me, it's an album with good songs but also problems and at the end of the day a decent addition to the post 2000 discography.
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