IN FLAMES — Clayman (review)

IN FLAMES — Clayman album cover Album · 2000 · Melodic Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
UMUR
"Clayman" is the 5th full-length studio album by Swedish death metal act In Flames. The album was released through Nuclear Blast Records in July 2000. It´s the successor to "Colony" from 1999 and features the exact same five-piece linuep who recorded the predecessor. In Flames had been through many lineup changes in their early years, and a stable lineup was a this point probably a bit of a blessing.

"Clayman" is often called In Flames last death metal album before they changed their style to a more alternative metal style, but the truth is that the alternative metal tendencies already began to creep in much earlier and "Clayman" also features quite a few of those elements. The basis of the music is still a hard rocking energetic rhythm section, ultra melodic guitar leads and harmonies, and Anders Fridén´s raspy screaming vocals in front. Some of the riffs and rhythms have a more angular groove laden punchy effect to them though and Fridén´s tension building speaking type clean singing also land in alternative territory. The combination of the two styles work very well on "Clayman" though, and the album features both powerful and well written material, high level musicianship, and a professional and well sounding production.

In that respect it´s a successful continuation of the sound found on "Colony (1999)", just tweaked and perfected. So upon conclusion "Clayman" is another high quality release by In Flames and it should be able to appeal to both fans of melodic death metal as well as fans of harder edged alternative metal. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.
Share this review

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Suffocated By Fungal Odors Deathcore
VISCERAL EXECRATION
Buy this album from MMA partners
Lethargy Metalcore
HEARTLAPSE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Vitriol Deathcore
BEHEADING THE ICON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Cecità Atmospheric Sludge Metal
NITRITONO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Resiliencia Metalcore
SOURCE OF MYSTERIES
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Suicidal Tendencies - Send Me Your Money
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
UMUR· 4 hours ago
Suicidal Tendencies - Trip at the Brain
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
UMUR· 4 hours ago
Suicidal Tendencies - Nobody Hears
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
UMUR· 4 hours ago
Suicidal Tendencies - You Can't Bring Me Down
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
UMUR· 4 hours ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us