1.-Reroute To Remain
2.-System
3.-Drifter
4.-Trigger
5.-Cloud Connected
6.-Transparent
7.-Dawn Of A New Day
8.-Egonomic
9.-Minus
10.-Dismiss The Cynic
11.-Free Fall
12.-Dark Signs
13.-Metaphor
14.-Black & White

  

   The follow-up to Clayman, Reroute To Remain, although experimental, is clearly the result of the band's work and, to some extent, it went in a foreseeable direction. Since Colony, they have been constructing their songs around good choruses, lessening the quality in the rest of the track (a thing never done in The Jester Race, if you ask me.) Reroute To Remain is a clear example of this songwriting style. Do not be frightened, In Flames fans, there are still interesting songs in this album, it's just that it certainly can't be compared to Lunar Strain or to The Jester Race. Those classics I stil hear with melancholy of better times. But what can we do as fans except to watch how a band's name is slowly soiled? Because even if this new album surpasses by far Clayman (any other In Flames album would do it, I think) they have strayed too far from the original intent. Yes, I accept it, I liked it the first time I heard it, and liked it a lot, actually. But as I continued to hear it, the songs wore off on me and they sounded repetitive. In the end, just a few still appeal to me. The novelty in their songs this time is the attempts that the vocalist do with his clean voice. Very good attempts if you ask me. Songs like "System" or "Trigger" make this album worth hearing. There are melodic cuts like "Dawn Of A New Day" and "Metaphor" that are very nice too. So what the hell went wrong? First of all, and of all the things I miss from the old In Flames I think this I do the most, the fine and beatiful guitar work is no longer here. They have conformed with mediocre solos and poor riffage, without innovation. The songs move predictably. And not all songs are good. "Egonomic" is horrible and it seems that the chorus from "Dismiss The Cynic" was reused in "Cloud Connected" and "Dark Signs". And we still face the same problem. Even if there are songs with good things in them (keyboards, riffs, but mainly choruses) the rest of the song seems written for it, around it, not with it.
Also, "Transparent" has a riff that could have been produced by any Nu-metal band. That was really unacceptable.

  

   Melodic voices, lots of keyboards and riffs that would impress a new In Flames fan wasn't enough in saving this album; at least, it wasn't for me. In my humble opinion, In Flames reached their perfection in The Jester Race and we won't see that perfection again. It's not pessimism, it's just where the band decided to go.

 

64 OUT OF 100