In Flames - Dialogue With The Stars
24/02/04

After a long-termed journey throughout the main capitals of Europe, Anders Friden (vocals) and Peter Iwers (bass) from IN FLAMES arrived in Athens due to their new album’s promotional campaign. “Soundtrack To Your Escape” is about to be released in less than a month and Anders analyze us by first hand many folds of the band’s existence in 2004 us also some past and hidden informations. HAIL to the KINGS of melodic death metal!!!

 Fistly, Anders describe us your new album and the music in it.
A: It’s just better than ever before. We’ve tried to write good songs in whatever way and this is where IN FLAMES are at 2004; it’s not totally different but yet again something new. We don’t repeat ourselves, we’ve never done exactly the same album and we are never going to do that. As for the music, you have to listen and judje. In my opinion I feel that it’s  a bit more heavier, darker than ever before but it still has everything that made IN FLAMES well- known like the melodies, the aggression etc.

In my opinion, instead of keeping your own character you’ve included a lot of PASSENGER’s (p.s. side-project of Anders) elements in your music. Does this shows that your affect and musicianship is very basic on IN FLAMES’ music?
A: I don’t think that this album has anything to do with PASSENGER or what so ever. It’s not the same guy who writes music and I can’t really find any link between the two. It just happens to be me the singer in both of these bands. We have more keyboards in IN FLAMES than we have in PASSENGER and to be honest, I think that’s completely different music. Of course the voice is similar because it’s me but that’s the way I sing and I can’t change it.

The ideas presented in your new album are not for the easy-listener’s ear. Instead, I believe that they are the most complex you’ve ever written. Do you agree with this opinion?
A: It’s not important for me to write complex stuff but we wanna write things that we really feel and think are good. I don’t know if they are more complex or not. We keep on writing songs till we find the ones that we like most and this is where we are today. We don’t plan to take this or that direction, we never think of what is trendy or not, the record company or the fans cannot interfere in our music; it’s simply the five guys in the band.

So you don’t care if you lose a percent of your marketability with more complex songs…
A: As long as I’m happy it doesn’t matter. We aren’t doing this to win a certain amount of market; we do it because we enjoy playing music.

Where did the title “Soundtrack To Your Escape” came from? Was it your idea?
A: Yes, it was something I had in my head. I was thinking how my life is becoming less and less private, how a lot of people want to take part in my life for one reason or the other… I spend more and more time away from home and sometimes I need to escape the outside world because it’s becoming more and more hectic. I use to listen to other people’s music, watch a movie, read a book trying to regain energy from that. Maybe our audience can feel the same way trying to regain energy from our music or our lyrics so as to create their own “Soundtrack..” and escape. We all need to escape cause it’s a hectic life we are living and we all need to step out of this and take a look at where we are, where we’re going…

Is there any concept behind your new album?
A: Well, it’s not a concept with a story from A to B but I write about myself, my thoughts, my feelings and that might be a concept on one way. There is not a story or something particular if you mean that. The lyrics express my thoughts, my feelings; they can be about friendship, about things that I go through every day and these kinds of stuff.

In “Soundtrack…” we find frequent use of keyboards. Are you planning to embody the man that plays them to the group?
A: There is a guy called Orjan Ornkloo and he has done all this work. However he won’t follow as on our tour because we don’t use the keyboards as normal chord. There are a lot of drums, loops and percussive parts in there and as we are five members in the band we don’t need another one.

How do keyboards affect your musical character?
A: They give another dimension to IN FLAMES sound. We still keep on writing songs the way we used to and after the songs are completed then we add keyboards. We’ve never written around keyboards. At the end, if they fit, they fit otherwise we’re not gonna use them.

Tell me what’s the cover’s meaning which, if I see correct, shows a woofer…
A: It’s just a nice cover. We didn’t want to have a white one this time; we wanted something darker that reflects the lyrics. I don’t like to explain everything and the same happens with my lyrics. I want people to take out their own messages. The cover is done by Nicolas (p.s. Sundin) again and it’s just open to take out your own meanings.

What is your part in the composition of the songs?
A: From the beginning to the end, I mean we all help for the songs. Of course I’m not the one who writes most of the riffs but I’m there to say I want this-I want that or I want this atmosphere and then I write all the melodies and do all the lyrics. A lot of people use to think that Jesper is the main songwriter but this was happening in 94....Nowadays it’s more a group’s work.

What kind of music has inspired you and had it’s part in the creation of your new album?
A: I listen to such a big spectrum of music so I can’t point out a certain group. When I’m on tour and I have metal around me all the time I don’t listen to metal so much. I prefer to listen to something more soft; bands like MASSIVE ATTACK and PORTISHEAD and generally soft music that helps me to relax. However I don’t think that I have any influence from that, found in our new album. When we write the album we are totally focused to write an IN FLAMES album, not a PORTISHEAD one.

Tell me some words about your new video clip for the song “The Quiet Place”.
A: It’s just a clip that reflects the lyrics a little bit and it’s pretty dark as the rest of the album. We didn’t want to do a performance where the whole band stands there and play together; we wanted to something different. The demons in my head are shown in this white room and they are played by the other guys of the group.

After creating albums with Fredric Nordstrom and Daniel Bergstrand, witch do you prefer as a sound engineer?
A: Well, Daniel of course because he is the last one we worked with. If we wanted to work with Fredric again we would do it. We’ve done that several times…If we were not happy with our latest album we would never release it so this is the best we’ve done till now. Then it’s up to other peoples’ choice. Maybe you like a certain period of IN FLAMES and that’s up to your taste. We did the best we could do back then but we’ve grown since then. We are totally different people, we write from a different angle… In 1996 the “Jester Race” was the best we could have done, in 2000 “Clayman” was the best we could have done and now “Soundtrack…” is certainly the best we’ve done. There are certainly different periods in our lives and Fredric is a person that works with a specific way as Daniel works with another.

Which are the steps that you tale before you enter studio?
A: We are trying to focus and get together to write music. We do everything as a group and go for a pre-production somewhere… The last two times we’ve rented a house in different locations and we stayed there for two weeks on total, just writing music. This house is outside the town so we can get away from all the people that can come and disturb us.

During the previous year you have extensively toured in the States. Which are today your impressions from this touring experience and make a comparison between the american and the European metal scene.
A: I believe that the fans in the States are more open-minded to different kinds of music. It seems like in Europe it’s so important who you are and if you play true-metal or whatever; this is what I hate cause this word doesn’t mean anything. If you are true in yourself you are true in yourself and that’s it…. whatever music you play. It was great to tour in america because it’s such a big country and you can go to several places. We toured with bands like SLAYER there and that’s of course something very big for us, something I never thought I would be doing if you’ve asked me ten years ago.

Recently Regain records re-released some very special albums coming from a very special label called Wrong Again records. This label contributed to the rise of New Wave Of Swedish Death Metal with some very basic albums. Would you like to make a comment for that and tell us your memories from this company as you were also included to one of it’s compilations with CEREMONIAL OATH.
A: It was a great period for bands like us to grow up in Gothenburg and in Sweden. A lot of friends who just started to make different kind of music and tried to get out playing music all the time. They found interesting bands that were doing something unique and of course it has had an impact. However I don’t have a very good relationship with that label and I never had. On the other hand I don’t like the fact that Regain records releases the IN FLAMES albums again without asking the band and I don’t like that they take advantage of the promotion we are doing. These albums are a statement of ours but it can be really confusing for the one that gets now into IN FLAMES, thinking that this is the latest IN FLAMES album. He can be really confused…

* What about CEREMONIAL OATH? Are you interested in re-releasing any older album, perhaps in the future?
A: No, not at all. It’s fine that they are the way they are…

* Have you reconsidered doing a project, apart from IN FLAMES, that will have a non-metal direction and orientation?
A: Yeah, I don’t mind but I don’t have any time. I have a band called PASSENGER that I play but even for that it’s hard to find time. I’m not against different kind of music and I like to create… As for its musical direction, it would be something very mellow, not as pop as DEPECHE MODE but something really soft.

*Unfortunately we all grow older and as they use to say “what starts finally ends”. One day, probably, you’ll stop working as a collective unit with the rest of the band and IN FLAMES won’t go on. Have you reconsidered what you’ll do then?
A: Yes, I mean I have a studio of my own and I’ll probably continue to work in the music business with one way or another. However, we have a lot of things to say more as a band and when we’ll lose that feeling or we don’t feel that we enjoy this any more then we will stop. Hopefully, I guess I’ll produce other bands.

Which is the place worldwide that you haven’t visited yet and you’d like anyhow to go?
A: I’d like to go to New Zealand. Of course I’ve seen the “lord Of The Rings” movie but not only because of that. I’ve heard that it’s supposed to be really nice.

Lastly, tell me when are you planning to start touring?
A: In 16th of April we start at Gothenburg and then we’ll do a short European tour.

Are you planning to pass from Greece?
A: If the promoters want us….Nobody wants us so far (!). We’ve been here a few years ago (p.s. 2000) and it was one of the greatest experiences we ever had. To be honest the whole band wants to come here again but for some reason nobody calls us.

 Interview by  Alexander Sultatos
(Except from questions denoted by * made by Manolis Amolochitis)