In Flames - Clayman
2000 Nuclear Blast America

Track Listing:
1.  Bullet Ride
2.  Pinball Map
3.  Only For The Weak
4.  ...As The Future Repeats Today
5.  Square Nothing
6.  Clay Man
7.  Dattelites And Astronauts
8.  Brush The Dust Away
9.  Swim
10. Suburban Me
11. Another Day In Quicksand

Line-Up:
Vocals:  Anders Friden
Guitars:  Björn Gelotte, Jesper Strömblad
Bass:  Peter Iwers
Drums:  Daniel Svensson
Solo Guitar on "Suburban Me":  Chris Amott
Programming & Synth:  Charlie Storm

Website:  www.inflames.com

Shev's Rating:  C-
Overall Rating:  C-

Also be sure to read:
In Flames - Come Clarity by Follow The Hollow
In Flames - Reroute To Remain by Skin Splitter
In Flames - Soundtrack To Your Escape by Skin Splitter
In Flames - Whoracle by Skin Splitter

Shev's Review:
Since their inception back in 1990, In Flames has made a name for themselves as one of the premiere Gothenburg acts.  Whether one can appreciate their style or not is another issue entirely, but along with bands like At The Gates and Dark Tranquility, In Flames has helped to shed light on the scene.  Notorious for progression, I've always had respect for their new idea's and stylings...that is, until Clayman came around.

Despite improved production and vocal flexibility (love it or hate it), the best word to use when summing up an album like Clayman is "limited".  They throw every ounce of strength into the drumming and vocals, drowning out the guitars and giving the overall feel of the album an incredibly thin and generic sound.  On top of that, there are only four real gems out of eleven songs to be heard.  Everything else sounds either rushed or forced, giving the album a great deal of filler material and maybe an EP's worth of quality.  Even though Clayman does give off a tired aura, they do some things right such as not smothering every song in 80's styled keyboards, bringing in Chris Amott (of Arch Enemy and Armageddon fame) for a guitar solo in "Suburban Me" (which just happens to be the best solo on Clayman), and putting forth a very strong drumming effort.  Overall this is something only a hardcore In Flames fan would love.  One should look to earlier releases like Colony, Whoracle, or Lunar Strain for a better "first experience" with In Flames.

Song summaries include:

1. Bullet Ride - Starts out like this is going to be some prodigious In Flames, but falls flat on it face at the 0:35 mark with some light guitars and vocals.  Luckily, this nonsense doesn't last forever as the song mushrooms into a symphony of melodic heaviness and intensity.  Ludicrously commiserable section at 2:43 pretty much kills he integrity of this one, though.  B-

2. Pinball Map - Alight, now we're getting somewhere.  Expeditive, tight sound bordering on death metal.  Surprisingly good chorus which consists of half-clean singing.  A

3. Only For The Weak - 60's style keyboards?  Stuffy goth-like vocals?  Sleepy time tempo?  Even though it grows on you like Amorphis' retarded cousin, this just can't hold a candle up to typical In Flames.  D

4. ...As The Future Repeats Today - Begins with a strong (although generic) heavy riff, and with the exception of the 80's melodic pop meets Dark Tranquility chorus, it doesn't get any better.  D+

5. Square Nothing - Breaking news:  In Flames are not Iron Maiden.  Who would have thunk it?  F

6. Clay Man - I'm seeing a trend develop here.  All the songs start out cool, but turn into garbage...however this one seems to be a legitimately extraordinary song.  In Flames gets a gold star.  Ridiculous guitar work and drumming, emphatic vocals both screamed and sung, and the chorus is the smoothest and most catchy thing In Flames has ever done.  A

7. Sattelites And Astronauts - Breaking news:  In Flames are still not Iron Maiden.  On top of that, they apparently can't spell for shit, either.  This is actually worse than "Square Nothing", but I can't give anything lower than an "F".  Anyway...  F

8. Brush The Dust Away - Compared to the average track on Clayman, this really isn't that bad.  Think 80's hair metal mixed with...dare I say it...Acid Bath's When The Kite String Pops.  B

9. Swim - Swim, huh?  Should have called this one "Floats".  D

10. Suburban Me - Yet another mid-tempo song that has the potential to be used as a clay pigeon, but the strong rock element saves it.  Then again, I thought Carcass' Swan Song was a phenomenal album.  C+

11. Another Day In Quicksand - "Another Day" must be symbolic of "generic", and "In Quicksand" must be symbolic of "lethargic tempo".  D- 

Shev's Rating:  C-

Discography (last updated 6.2.06):
Lunar Strain - 1994
Subterranean EP - 1994
The Jester Race - 1995
Black Ash Inheritance EP - 1997
Whoracle - 1997
Colony - 1999
Clayman - 2000
The Tokyo Showdown - 2001
Reroute To Remain - 2002
Trigger EP - 2003
Soundtrack To Your Escape - 2004
Come Clarity - 2006