With fourteen studio albums, and a career spanning two decades, it's almost impossible to play every song from your discography. Melodic death metal pioneers In Flames have done a pretty good job of performing their best tracks, but these are some they haven't played yet… and they definitely should.
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"Lord Hypnos" from The Jester Race (1996)
Hailing from In Flames' second studio release (1996's The Jester Race), "Lord Hypnos" is an instantly memorable piece in the band's catalog that I can not believe has never made its live debut. The ever-enduring, riff-heavy track features chugging guitars, Anders Fridén's notable vocals, and even a melodic breakdown.
"Dialogue With The Stars" from Whoracle (1997)
"Dialogue With The Stars" is a fan-favorite instrumental – right behind 1999's "Man Made God" – from one hell of a solid album. It has everything you could want from an instrumental including haunting melodies, and tasty guitar bits. Even without vocals, "Dialogue With The Stars" remains one of my most revisited tracks on Whoracle and would be worth at least one play on stage.
"Everything Counts" from Whoracle (1997)
In Flames covering Depeche Mode? How could this ever work? Believe me, somehow it does, and it's really good. Their take on "Everything Counts," originally from 1983's Construction Time Again, is downright masterful. This rendition wouldn't be the last time the band "metalized" new wave. The band released an entire EP of covers titled Down, Wicked & No Good in 2017 featuring a cover of Depeche Mode's "It's No Good." Picture it now… see just how… you guys could add this to the set. Pretty please?
"The New Word" from Colony (1999)
1999's Colony introduced the metal world to a slew of what would become In Flames classics (including "Ordinary Story" and the record's title track). Though, a criminally underrated track on the band's fourth release, is one of the last songs on the album – "The New Word." It's energetic, optimistic, and contains blistering lead work from Björn Gelotte. This one deserves a moment in the spotlight.
"Suburban Me" from Clayman (2000)
When I listened to the entirety of Clayman for the first time, "Suburban Me" was an immediate standout. I was shocked to find out that this is a track that hasn't made it to the stage yet. Having pioneered melodic death metal, "Suburban Me" has every element that makes In Flames great. From Gelotte and Strömblad's canorous guitar riffs to Fridén's showcase of both his clean and gritty vocals, it feels like making this a setlist staple would be a no-brainer. But, with a catalog like In Flames, I'm sure it's not easy to narrow it down.
"Condemned" from A Sense Of Purpose (2008)
Easily the heaviest and grittiest song on the album, "Condemned" is a solid addition to 2008's A Sense Of Purpose. Although it's not at the top of my list when it comes to In Flames' greatest tracks, it's got a catchy chorus that I think could get definitely a crowd going.
"Drenched In Fear" from A Sense Of Purpose (2008)
Although some may say that "Alias" or "The Mirror's Truth" is the best song from the band's ninth studio album, "Drenched In Fear" does remain one of my favorites. It's bombastic right from the start with heavy guitars and the familiar sound of Svensson beating the skins. On the flip side, I can see why the rest of the tracks from A Sense Of Purpose go unplayed; the album can get a little "emo" at times; this song especially.
"Filtered Truth" from Siren Charms (2013)
Albeit the initial catchy guitar riff, the first thirty seconds of this song sound nothing like In Flames. It's definitely a fun listen, but "Filtered Truth" lacks the famed heavy and hardened In Flames sound. With many fans viewing Siren Charms as one of the band's most tame records in their catalog, I can understand why they might not be reaching for this one yet.
"Meet Your Maker" from Foregone (2023)
After a couple of softened releases in years past, it feels like In Flames is returning to form with their latest release, Foregone. "Meet Your Maker" opens with Anders' familiar piercing growls and reminds me so much of the band's earliest releases while still tying in their sound's evolution as the song progresses… a la their transition into more of an alternative universe. Being one of the few singles from the album, I'm sure it won't be long until this one gets its live debut.
