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In Flames - A Sense Of Purpose review



Reviewer:
4.5

937 users:
6.43
Band: In Flames
Album: A Sense Of Purpose
Release date: April 2008


01. The Mirror's Truth
02. Disconnected
03. Sleepless Again
04. Alias
05. I'm The Highway
06. Delight And Angers
07. Move Through Me
08. The Chosen Pessimist
09. Sober And Irrelevant
10. Condemned
11. Drenched In Fear
12. March To The Shore
13. Eraser [bonus]
14. Tilt [bonus]
15. Abnegation [bonus]

Over the past few years In Flames have been wandering down questionable paths as far as long-time fans are concerned, some abandoned the band completely and the others decided that the new In Flames isn't really all that bad after all, and stuck with them. "A Sense Of Purpose" is a shockingly low blow to the second group of people here as In Flames continue to push towards the twelve-year-old, black dyed fringe bearing individual market - and this time do it in a way that indefinitely is the straw that breaks the camel's back and will not be tolerated by long-running fans.

One month ago "The Mirror's Truth" EP although brandishing a very Korn-esque cover, showed a promising outlook with four heavier, faster and generally better songs. This however has shown to provoke false hope of a good album from the band. Song "The Mirror's Truth" kicks off the album in mediocre form and for about the first minute into "Disconnected" we have that higher tempo and intensity that is frankly one of the only things In Flames do well these days, but just as the once loyal fans of the band will after hearing this, the tempo and attraction the band had runs to the hills to never be seen again.

"I'm The Highway" has a slight kick in it, but generally "A Sense Of Purpose" is an album laden with mediocrity and annoyance. Guitar riffs sound as uninspired as uninspired gets, usually plodding along at some mind-numbingly dull tempo. Anders' vocals are as unique and distinguishable as they always have been, just with an extra edge of whine and angsty teenager thrown in there - lyrics fit the vocal style used, but that is like saying excrement is fitting for a toilet when the audience are hoping for an album of quality, intense modern metal. Both most laughable and representative of In Flames' direction is "The Chosen Pessimist" with its pretentious title, long duration, lyrics that are supposed to be deep and meaningful but come across as plastic and fake, and predictable structure turning up the heaviness towards the end.

So long-time fans will not be impressed with the latest offering of "A Sense Of Purpose", but the direction taken does expose the band even more to the mainstream popular rock and metal scenes. "A Sense Of Purpose" is a very polished album, produced immaculately and sounds very professional - it will be certain to pick up more followers but from a different area to before. Most tracks have melodies running throughout, there is no doubting that In Flames have that charm a band needs in order to acquire a vast following.

With an album of anguish and inner struggles "A Sense Of Purpose" takes on further the direction the band were already taking but just to an extra degree. It has what it takes to become a popular hit among the fringe-wearing community, but for the people who like their metal hard, fast, loud and real, this one is best avoided.





Written on 26.03.2008 by Member of Staff since 2006

Guest review by
WayTooManyCDs
Rating:
9.4
What a tragedy A Sense Of Purpose is; not because it's hopelessly awful, but because it's been unfairly lambasted for years. Unfortunately, there is no way to correct the damage already done or to change the minds of those who are still mourning the loss of the "Jester Race/Whoracle" era twenty years after the fact, but at least some just dues can finally be given.

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published 10.05.2018 | Comments (17)


Comments

Comments: 128   [ 1 ignored ]   Visited by: 895 users
26.03.2008 - 19:52
Unconsecrated
Perpetual Ascent
Excellent review! About In Flames, they're getting worse than i thought.
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26.03.2008 - 20:43
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
I've heard it and it certainly isn't as bad as it is made out to be. The problem is everyone compares it to their earlier works when musically it has nothing to do with that AT ALL. When judged on its own merits, and if it had been released under another band name people would rate it around 7 I am 100% sure.

Quote:
lyrics that are supposed to be deep and meaningful but come across as plastic and fake


Well, IMO that's always better than yet another song about being true to metal, slaying dragons and rescuing princess (which of course is even more fake and plastic)
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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26.03.2008 - 20:57
Ernis
狼獾
ftw! Please don't tell me....it can't be that weak! I heard the EP and well...this wasn't exactly a pearl but the song "The Mirror's Truth" itself was rather fine.....
Well I think I need to hear it and judge myself....bout the "hard, fast, loud and real" thing, I've got to admit that a band whose work is "hard, fast, loud and real" can be mediocre as well if they don't have any melodies nor interesting passages in it....being monotonous is what needs to be avoided....
If this album has melodies running throughout, then I'm sure it may save something....
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26.03.2008 - 21:53
Rating: 4
ylside

I refuse to see a proud, strong and enduring camel associated with this album, even in an expression. lol
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26.03.2008 - 22:05
Ernis
狼獾
The lyrics "I feel like shit, but at least I feel something!" are......

I can at least draw parallels with some topics by Freak Kitchen which I like : )
Btw, the melodies and the guitar passages do work actually in the song "Disconnected".....
I'll be listening to the rest of the songs soon....
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26.03.2008 - 22:05
Rating: 9
Katatronik
Angel of Lust
Really not as bad as you rate it. There are some very good songs in this album... surely not their best one, but a good album of the new In Flames era! Better than Soundtrack To Your Escape IMO
----

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear,
and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown."
Howard Phillips Lovecraft
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26.03.2008 - 22:30
Ernis
狼獾
Sure it's better than Come Clarity and STTYE....4,5 seems indeed bit too low.....
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26.03.2008 - 22:55
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
It's catchy... AND SO WHAT?!!!!
You can't make a great metal album just with catchy riffs and solos...
The vocalwork is just gay... and so is are the lyrics...
But I agree with HV... This shit [because it's still shit] don't deserve a low rate like 4,5...
But I would definetely give it a 5... I think it's fair in that way...
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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27.03.2008 - 00:38
Lucas
Mr. Noise
Just managed to get through half of the new album on MySpace. And damn, this is so ridiculously bad. Sure, people may like it, but fuck that. I think it's horrible.
----
SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?

"The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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27.03.2008 - 02:03
DreamWeaver

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 26.03.2008 at 20:43

Quote:
lyrics that are supposed to be deep and meaningful but come across as plastic and fake


Well, IMO that's always better than yet another song about being true to metal, slaying dragons and rescuing princess (which of course is even more fake and plastic)


Well, it's worse trying to talk about smart and deep things and fail, therefore talk about stupid things, than talking about stupid things intentionally.
----
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27.03.2008 - 03:37
Rating: 6
Sepulchre
Lord Hypnos
I think 4.5 is a bit too low as well. Sure its not a great album, definetly better than Come Clarity, but its alright.
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27.03.2008 - 04:05
metalwarrior1
Account deleted
WELL I HAD THE NEW EP AND I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED!!!

I HOPE WHEN I SEE THEM IN THE GIANTOUR AT LEAST THEY GIVE A GOOD SHOW...
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27.03.2008 - 05:03
iaberis
Advice Troll
The rating is way too low.
Since the band has changed direction the past few years, you can't expect to release albums like Colony anymore.
The album isn't bad. It's just different from what they've been playing.
The melodies are just fucking great as usual.

IT'S STILL IN FLAMES!!!
----
Bitch! Please
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27.03.2008 - 06:09
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Well, I listened to the songs on there myspace, yeah its seems pretty bad. Then again Ive never really been into In Flames. I gotta admit though, I think the cover art is fantastic.
----
"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
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27.03.2008 - 06:45
Rating: 4
Dangerboner
Lactation Cnslt
I listened to the first half of the album, but had to turn it off because it was embarrassing me in front of my coworkers. Every song is predictable, and the singing fucking sucks. The rating is a bit low, but still I'd consider this album to be yet another failure by this overrated band.
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27.03.2008 - 07:12
b0000mst1ck

^^ what he said.
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27.03.2008 - 07:45
Fhuesc

Simple awful and boring, even for 12 year old kids.
----
Hasta la victoria, siempre!
Until victory, always!
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27.03.2008 - 11:01
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by Doc G. on 27.03.2008 at 06:09

I think the cover art is fantastic.


You're actually the first person in this forum that said that about the cover xD
I don't think it's bad... But it reamins me of a emo kid with many "problems" in his life and some emo people from my school and stuff like that... I think that's why I don't like it...

Like I said... the rating is just to low... But a 5 or a 5,5 it's quite fair IMO.
----
Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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27.03.2008 - 12:58
Ronie
Account deleted
At first hearing, it was terrible but its consequenlty is a gradual addictive album. I see how they change from here. "Delete the past from here, delete past every step is pure" Older genre fan of inflames " you are the killer" its funny though. But i guess they did grow up. I mean what else more could you ask when you have now the fame and fortune, right? in between their rage and status, "yesterday wont come, yeterday is gone". I guess it always follow a bell curve behaviour. "the looking for breakfast today" from clayman is gone. The cover of the album more appealing to me as learning from the past...They are just sincere on what they are doing i guess. Like how can you write be so heavy when your rage soul had ceased. where is the inspiration then? " Though i feel like shit, but alteast I feel something".

See how they change? From RTR system " Follow your instinct, it usually takes you home" then here goes ASOP Tilt "Does every instinct say you re right, i think sometimes there is doubt"

Well, i wish they wont break up "Find the exit sign then dissappear"
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27.03.2008 - 13:01
Rating: 6
FeskarN

This album is not co cathy as "Come Clarity" or "Soundtrack To Your Escape" but more i listen to the new album it's just getting better and better. The only song I like so for is "Alias" a really great song with nice chorus and melodies.
----
The Land Is Silent... Before The Storm!
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27.03.2008 - 13:16
SteTech

I heard one song and I thought of Reroute...

If their new direction gains them more fans of the mainstream kind then so be it, good for them. I've never been a big fan of them anyway so what they choose to do with their sound won't really affect me. Saying that, I was surprised at how decent Come Clarity was, despite refusing to go anywhere near it for a while, it's a grower!
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27.03.2008 - 13:36
f@llen_am_I
Account deleted
Personaly I believe its better than their last releases...especialy the last 2 albums
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27.03.2008 - 15:38
Rating: 2
Plaguebearer

whether this album is good or bad (havn't listened enough to decide, but its not great) or better or worse than their other albums isn't really important. They are moving farther and farther away from the musical style that they started at. I'm sure whoever listens to this sort of music will love this cd, but i don't even see this as death metal anymore. It sounds closer to a metalcore post harcore mix.
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27.03.2008 - 18:49
camposmi
Account deleted
Well, in all honestly nobody who has followed IN FLAMES over the years is probably surprised at this last record... I mean i've just been saying over the past few albums shit will get better, they will rise again, just didn't wanna come to the reality of how sellout they have become. Its just honestly a shame to see what they are doing now, this band has so much potential.. I mean the masterpieces of Whoracle and Jester's Race show what this band was... and they were godly.
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27.03.2008 - 18:50
dancingdecember

i was one of "the others decided that the new In Flames isn't really all that bad after all, and stuck with them" the reviewer is talking about...UNTIL THIS.

i mean what the fuck are those choruses for fucks sake?!they gone very very soft and weak with choruses.some songs start good while some songs have some good moments but they are all ruined by the horribly gay choruses.

and what happened to that sweet and brilliant melodies that makes us like those songs even when they are not so good?they are replaced by uninspired mediocre melodies so i dont see anything that i can like there either.

and it's definiteley not better than come clarity in my opinion.i thought come clarity was a very good step for in flames and when i heard mirrors truth i thought this was gonna be even better than come clarity(or so i wanted to beleive)but it's really a disappointment.

i can take couple of soft or whiny songs but only if the rest is good and fun in flames songs with brilliant melodies that makes me happy(hehe).

bad choruses,not good songs and i didnt look at the lyrics but they sound like "WHINE WHINeWHINe" so this album is not my choice when i want to listen later in flames and i think im gonna let them go their way this time...
----
i'm super, thanks for asking
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27.03.2008 - 19:07
KryptoN
imperceptible
I'd rate it lower than that right now tbh. Predictable, boring, very bad vocals and lyrics... A couple of nice riffs here and there are the only redeeming values. I don't feel like going back to this album in a long time, I feel like I wasted an hour.

I did like Come Clarity and while this is very similar in essence it's just not enjoyable to me. My current opinion is that this is their worst album (slightly below STYE).
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27.03.2008 - 19:21
Baz Anderson

there will always be people that can't hear anything bad said about In Flames but I am pleased there are a good number of other people out there that agree with this opinion, I've never written such a negative review before
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27.03.2008 - 22:35
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 26.03.2008 at 20:43

Well, IMO that's always better than yet another song about being true to metal, slaying dragons and rescuing princess (which of course is even more fake and plastic)

Or about being a pirate
----
"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
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28.03.2008 - 01:31
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Baz Anderson on 27.03.2008 at 19:21

there will always be people that can't hear anything bad said about In Flames but I am pleased there are a good number of other people out there that agree with this opinion, I've never written such a negative review before


Sorry, but it is the in thing to dis In Flames as much as possible. There will always be people that can't hear anything ordinary or good being said about In Flames because that is just not sooo done. This is probably the most mainstream review I have read on this site yet.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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28.03.2008 - 03:37
b0000mst1ck

i see what you guys are saying. i'm an anti-in flames advocate, but that's only because they've become a major disappointment to me since they released RTR. it may be the "in thing" to talk shit about them, but i do it because of how pathetic their music has become.

their new sound is far-fetched it is from what they previously played. i understand that a band evolves over the years due to lineup changes and members maturing, but the sound they've taken on since RTR is an absolute cry for mainstream attention. it almost sounds fake; simplistic, boring and commercial. although i'll admit that the drumming is once again stellar the rest of the music screams "we're only doing this for higher record sales", which (sad but true) is exactly what they'll achieve.
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