In Flames - Colony (1999)

Back sometime in late ’99 or early ’00 this here album from In Flames served as my introduction to the band as well it got me into just about every other Swedish melo death band that was cranking out albums at the time. Yes, my friends, if you don’t dig much on the newer In Flames sound then you’ll be happy to know that there was a time when these guys were writing some seriously kick ass music. Mind you now, I do have some love for the just about everything In Flames has done, but nowadays their songs greatly lack the melody, energy, well wrote lyrics and powerfully growled vocals that made their first four album so grand.

I still remember the first time I heard songs like, ‘Ordinary Story’ or ‘Embody the Invisible.’ Fuck, I was hooked from the start, man. In fact, Embody the Invisible served as my 5:00 AM alarm clock for a good two weeks or so after I bought the album. These songs were equally powerful, full of life, catchy, melodic and generally just awesome songs to headbang too. I suppose that’s what all of the old In Flames albums are like, really, and unfortunately this was the last album were they truly captured this sound. Sure, the follow up, ‘Clayman’ had its moments, but it was already clear on that album that changes were coming.

Anyway, besides the two opening songs there are other quality numbers like the hard hitting, ‘Scorn’ or the bit slower but catchy, ‘Resin.’ There’s also a little folky instrumental called, ‘Pallar Anders Visa,’ which instantly brings me back to the band’s first album. There’s also a re-recording of the bands classic. ‘Behind Space,’ and while I don’t like it as much as the original it’s still a nice addition to the album. And as I’ve already said each song has plenty of energy, catchiness and some pretty bad ass solos to boot. Fuck yeah!

It’s a bit sad that nowadays In Flames doesn’t even play any songs from this album (or the previous three) live, but I suppose some bands are just ashamed of their pasts (Dimmu Borgir’s another one) even if it’s the pinnacle of their careers. You’ve no doubt heard that Jesper left the band earlier in the year and thus leaving the band with no original members. How this will affect their sound I do not know, but I don’t see them regressing and making an album like Colony, Whoracle, The Jester Race or Lunar Strain again.

At any rate, for me this is just a great album to throw on when I need a little energy booster or when I’m in the mood to blast good music from my car at obnoxious volumes while driving around (Hey, the white homies do it with their rap music, so why can’t I?).