FasterLouder.com.au > Australia's leading independent live music hub. Stock up on music and tour news, reviews, gig photos and idle gossip, or bitch to your heart's content in the forums.

After their stint at 2005’s Ozzfest playing on the main stage alongside Slipknot, Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath, In Flames left the audience captivated for more of the Gothenburg melodic death metal sound that they conceived in the early nineties.

They have always had a stable stream of support, but after Ozzfest, the band realised their full potential and have decided to leave their label Nuclear Blast in the US for the American-based hardcore/metalcore/punk label Ferret Music, owned by Nora vocalist Carl Severson, in order to give their new album ‘Come Clarity’ more of a presence in a dominating market. “It’s always risk taking to sign on to a label,” explains guitarist Jesper Strömblad, “cause when they’re talking, every label is the best label in the world! But with Ferret they are genuinely interested and genuinely try to think of whatever it takes to make this album accepted, and it really did work.”

‘Come Clarity’ had an overwhelmingly satisfying response in the US, at the same time as when In Flames were on tour. In the past they have been on the road with Metallica, Slipknot, Slayer, Dream Theatre, Killswitch Engage, Trivium, Devil Driver, and now Sepultura. But their hectic schedule doesn’t leave much time for self-reflection for a job well done on their new album, let alone time spent on their own. “We all have girlfriends, family and kids, and this year we’re going to be on the road more or less the whole year, and when you do come home, the kids don’t even remember who you are, cause they’re so small, so that’s really hard,” reveals Strömblad, “but we’re kind of use to it now, and we just have to take it one day at a time… try to lock that part somewhere in the back of your heads, and just try to enjoy what you’re doing!”

Although their demanding touring schedule leaves them little personal time, Strömblad does not see it as an excuse to feel sorry for himself, rather as a positive experience that he believes is the motivating factor behind the reason that he has chosen this particular profession. “I had a guy come up to me and say that, you were the reason I picked up the guitar… your music makes me go on with my life.” He says enthusiastically, “I got letters from a woman that said her son passed away and she says, thanks to my music she made it, you know?” He pauses, “you could live off that for years…all the appreciation and all the joy it gives to people…”

In Flames’ new album ‘Comes Clarity’ is out now on Nuclear Blast/Riot.