Band:	Raintime
Album:	Flies & Lies
Style:	Extreme power metal
Release date:	August 07, 2007
A review by:	Jeff

01. Flies & Lies
02. Rolling Chances
03. Apeiron
04. Rainbringer
05. Finally Me
06. Tears Of Sorrow
07. The Black Well
08. Beat It [Michael Jackson cover]
09. Another Transition [feat. Lars F. Larsen]
10. Burning Doll
11. Matrioska
12. Butter-Fly [Japanese bonus]

"Flies & Lies" is the new album of In Flames! Oops, no sorry, my mistake I wrote In Flames but wanted to write Raintime. How could I confuse a band from Sweden and one other from Italia? Well maybe because the second one plays exactly the same kind of music than the first one don't you think? Yes, let's be serious two minutes now, "Flies & Lies" is really similar to the last albums of the Scandinavian monsters with however some really little differences which are not enough to give a lot of originality to this release. The fans of the genre will like this album, the ones who want something new will say that it's just a simple copycat? As you want?

Musically speaking "Flies & Lies" is really similar to In Flames that's right. The combo from Italy plays a good Gothenburg Death with all the ingredients of the recipe. Yes, you'll find some hyper melodic riffs, yes you'll find fast tempos and yes you'll find hyper commercial choruses too? This is not bad but when you know that all the songs have a length of four minutes and that all the songs are really easy of access and seem to be perfectly done for an audience who don't want a lot, I'm a bit disappointed by the release. I say it again, it's not bad on a side, the musicians of Raintime are good and the little touches of Heavy Metal (especially with the clean vocals) that we can find on the album are interesting but that's not enough. It should be better and of course a lot more original.

The lack originality of this release is my main problem. The more I listen to the album, the more I believe that Raintime is able to play something better. I'm sure that they're able to add some more personality to their songs and if they really want to become famous, they will have to add their own touches to their music. They can do it, and it's not the good production and the great artwork which will calm me down now. Raintime, you're able to write something original and personal, wake up!

The fans of the lasts In Flames will have to check this release but if you're looking for originality, just go away, "Flies & Lies" is not for you. To sum up, we're in front of a good but totally unoriginal album, have a look on it and maybe that you'll like it (probably if you like such music) but let's hope like me that the band will be able to react and write something different when they will release their next album. After all this is only their second release and good things will maybe come with some more musical maturity.