In Flames’ Anders Friden Names Band’s Best Entry Point Album

In Flames have been through a variety of lineup changes and stylistic shifts over the years, but frontman Anders Friden feels the band’s latest album, Foregone, is perhaps the best entry point for new listeners just discovering the band.

“For me, it’s the perfect blend of everything,” Friden told Full Metal Jackie for her weekend radio show. “So I think that is a good entry point. Then if that’s your first album, then go and search and find your own, journey through the catalog back in time and see what you think. But I think Foregone is a perfect mix.”

He also pointed to another, older In Flames album as the one most closest to his heart. Friden also opened up to Jackie about the positive responses to the new album and how he feels the band’s current lineup might be their strongest yet, while also delving into some of the specifics about making their latest effort.

Plus, Friden shares his thoughts on the band’s current touring partners Gatecreeper and Creeping Death and the vibe he’s getting from the tour openers. Check out more of the chat below.

It’s Full Metal Jackie. With us this week, it’s Anders Friden from In Flames. In Flames gave us one of 2023’s best albums with Foregone, which takes on a darker worldview. Anders obviously pandemic world events helped set the tone, but how much do you allow yourself into the mindset of a world seemingly falling apart? And do you personally fear for our future, or is it more creative license?

I don’t fear for your or mine, but maybe our kids and their kids. I think it’s tilting a little bit too much towards the dark side of things. Sure, I’m a little bit worried. I think about these things, especially when it’s time to write lyrics in between albums, I’m m trying my best to stay away and try to stay positive and look ahead and have a good time.

You mentioned the pandemic. I feel like I have a life before and now after. I try to enjoy every moment because I remember those those two years. They were really bleak and boring. I was stuck in my home, missing my friends and our fans and being on tage and having a good time with everyone.

So, yeah, trying to stay positive, but it’s difficult.

In Flames, “State of Slow Decay”

Anders, you’ve previously mentioned revisiting older songs such as “Moonshield” and “Gyroscope” while working on some of the Foregone material. Was this specific to this album, or do you frequently look to past releases for inspiration in creating new music?

I don’t generally listen to our own stuff. I hear it enough when we record and write and stuff like that. But, every tour I try to look back at our catalog and listen and decide what songs we’re going to bring back. And then I stumble on a few songs here and there. We’re like, “Oh, that would be cool and nice.”

But on Foregone especially, that was kind of a reset for us, I feel, at least from my perspective, it was a fresh start and a look at ourselves and where we are and where we were and where we’ve been and where I want this band to head for, where we’re going, really. I feel maybe we lost a little bit of the track here and there, and I wanted to bring it back. But yeah, I feel with this album, it’s a good bridge between the past and the future.

On the recent tour, we played “Food for the Gods” from Whoracle, “An Ordinary Story” from Colony, and “Graveland” from The Jester’s Race. That was really fun to revisit those songs, and they work extremely well next to “State of Slow Decay” or “I Am Above” or something newer like that.

In Flames, “Food for the Gods” (Live in Tokyo, February 2024)

Anders, by most accounts, the reviews for Foregone have been some of the best for the band in some time. At 14 albums in, how much does it excite you personally that especially through different eras, lineup changes and stylistic shifts, that fans are still on this journey with you and embracing the newer stuff with such enthusiasm?

I’m happy when people like it, but especially when we’re out playing and see the reaction in people’s faces and how they go off to new songs from the new album, it’s awesome. I read a review here and there when it’s thrown in front of me, and I like to see a positive one instead of a negative one.

But at the end of the day, it’s the fans that count and how they react when we play. It’s extremely rewarding to feel the warmth now after you mentioned 14 albums out and knowing where we are and we still feel the hunger and it’s still there. There’s still the melody and it’s still the aggression, and it’s as evident as ever. So yeah, I feel very happy for In Flames where we are right now in 2024.

With the lineup of that we have, I don’t think we’ve ever sounded better. And I don’t mean to say anything bad about anyone who’ve been in the band previously, but this lineup with Chris and Liam and Tanner and Bjorn and myself, I feel very, very strong about it.

In Flames, “Meet Your Maker”

It’s Full Metal Jackie, Anders from In Flames with us. Anders, there’s plenty of lively discussions on Reddit about the best In Flames era and favorite albums. Colony and Claymen have gotten a lot of love, and there’s discussion of which album from your catalog should serve as an entry point. Now I wanted to ask from a personal point of view, given how the albums turned out and what was going on in your life that was good at the time, do you have a favorite In Flames album cycle?

That’s really difficult. I think The Jester Race is closest to my heart, I guess, because that was the first one for me. I joined the band in 95 after Lunar Strain and EP Subterranean. So that album is extremely important to me. But I think, we’ve gone through so many lineup changes and then musical directions, it’s difficult.

I mean, Foregone, for me, it’s the perfect blend of everything. So I think that is a good entry point. Then if that’s your first album, then go and search and find your own, journey through the catalog back in time and see what you think. But I think Foregone is a perfect mix.

In Flames, “The Jester’s Dance”

Anders, before we go, we should mention that In Flames have a killer tour. You’ve got Gatecreeper and Creeping Death joining you on this run. What do you typically look for in bands to tour with, and what are your thoughts on the bands you’re taking out?

Yeah, I’m very far off picking bands and what bands? Sometimes I get, management agents to supply bands and tell me, “Listen to these ones.” But I really pick them because I think it has to be a good night for both of us, because I want to get psyched before I go onstage, but also for the fans, I want them to have a good night. They have to pay so much money for a ticket anyway, so it’s very important.

READ MORE: In Flames Singer Names ‘Probably the Best Album That Ever Was’

These bands specifically really remind me of what I listened to when I got into death metal, and I think they bring a new twist. I think both bands, they don’t sound exactly the same, but they come from that style. Like I said, it really reminds me of old school death metal that I got into. I think that’s very cool what I’m hearing from new bands, with a great production and a cool attitude. So I’m looking forward to watch these bands every night. And I think the fans are too, Come early because it’s going to be a good evening.

Thanks to In Flames’ Anders Friden for the interview. The Foregone album is out now and the band is currently touring with dates and ticketing information available through their website. You can also stay up to date with the band through their Facebook, X, Instagram and Spotify accounts. Find out where you can hear Full Metal Jackie’s weekend radio show here.