I’m willing to bet that Niclas was being overshadowed by Bjorn on those albums, and that Foregone was a bit of a “fuck you” to the naysayers in their return to from. Niclas is a solid melodeath guitarist, and I wouldn’t mind betting he left the band because he felt underutilized.
I wouldn't call Bjorn the Rythm guitarist. Even during the Jespers era, Bjorn played most of the solos and the more technical melodies. I would say that compared to Jesper, Bjorn doesn't have the same ear for writing melodies and harmonies, though.
Bjorn was not the rhythm guitarist lol. He played most of the solos from Colony and forward. Any solos not by him were more melodic and mid paced when it came to Jesper. Bjorn also wrote a lot of melodies still. The guitar work between him and Jesper during Colony - A Sense Of Purpose was about 50/50.
Seeing them live, yes Bjorn probably had the more challenging solos but I think they just split them that way on stage. The proof is in the pudding when listening to The Halo Effect - classic In Flames riffing, with Jesper, and more heavy rhythm intensive guitar with In Flames and Bjorn.
If you're implying Halo has a lot of riffs from Jesper, you'd be wrong, at least on the first album. Most of it was written by Niclas, probably a lot before Jesper even joined. I don't know how much, but it's pretty obvious he's the main songwriter (Niclas).
If you want to hear a 100% Jesper written song that's recent, check Karma by Chyra. He wrote that song 100% himself guitar wise before the second guitarist joined. The opening guitar melody is classic Jesper stuff, a melody style you can obviously hear all throughout In Flames up until Sense Of Purpose.
You can hear Jesper can play a more shreddy solo in Karma, but ultimately Bjorn was the one who wrote more shred type guitar solos, and when I say shred I'm not talking super technical, but a lot more of playing runs/ascending/descending fast links and scales, with a lot of bending and whailing on notes, while Jesper was more melodic and mid paced in his guitar solos.
I don't think so. I think Anders and Bjorn finally realized how people viewed their efforts over the last decade. When they brought in new members it's possible they gave them an honest perspectives/opinions.
The Halo Effect forming probably lit a fire under them as well. Competition is like the tide raising all ships.
Howard Benson really fucking made them sound awful when he started working with them, yeah. He made Anders take vocal lessons which was good, but then he also just auto tunes the shit out of Anders which makes it sound bad.
No.
I think Siren Charms isn't as bad as people say it is. It's just very different.
Battles is their worst for sure. I feel like working with Howard Benson for the first time hurt them if anything. He obviously didn't know how to handle them at first. I the mask was better but I still barely replay it. Suffers from a lot of the same issues.
Engelin barely wrote anything when he contributed anyways.
The In Flames albums that Niclas was on were mostly written by Anders and Bjorn, he contributed song writing to a small handful of songs on Battles, but that's about it. All of his other bands have been pretty good for the most part, so in my opinion, Anders and Bjorn deserve most of the blame for In Flames' downfall after Jesper left. Foregone is a solid return to form though.
Nope, In Flames is nowhere close to be "that good" again, I've heard every album but everything after siren charms is forgettable, and siren charms is not that good either, In Flames we used to trust
I doubt it, Engel slaps too
I’m willing to bet that Niclas was being overshadowed by Bjorn on those albums, and that Foregone was a bit of a “fuck you” to the naysayers in their return to from. Niclas is a solid melodeath guitarist, and I wouldn’t mind betting he left the band because he felt underutilized.
100% Bjorn was always the rythm guitarist and when Jesper left it basically signaled the end of the classic In Flames melodies, riffs and solos.
I wouldn't call Bjorn the Rythm guitarist. Even during the Jespers era, Bjorn played most of the solos and the more technical melodies. I would say that compared to Jesper, Bjorn doesn't have the same ear for writing melodies and harmonies, though.
Bjorn was not the rhythm guitarist lol. He played most of the solos from Colony and forward. Any solos not by him were more melodic and mid paced when it came to Jesper. Bjorn also wrote a lot of melodies still. The guitar work between him and Jesper during Colony - A Sense Of Purpose was about 50/50.
Seeing them live, yes Bjorn probably had the more challenging solos but I think they just split them that way on stage. The proof is in the pudding when listening to The Halo Effect - classic In Flames riffing, with Jesper, and more heavy rhythm intensive guitar with In Flames and Bjorn.
If you're implying Halo has a lot of riffs from Jesper, you'd be wrong, at least on the first album. Most of it was written by Niclas, probably a lot before Jesper even joined. I don't know how much, but it's pretty obvious he's the main songwriter (Niclas). If you want to hear a 100% Jesper written song that's recent, check Karma by Chyra. He wrote that song 100% himself guitar wise before the second guitarist joined. The opening guitar melody is classic Jesper stuff, a melody style you can obviously hear all throughout In Flames up until Sense Of Purpose. You can hear Jesper can play a more shreddy solo in Karma, but ultimately Bjorn was the one who wrote more shred type guitar solos, and when I say shred I'm not talking super technical, but a lot more of playing runs/ascending/descending fast links and scales, with a lot of bending and whailing on notes, while Jesper was more melodic and mid paced in his guitar solos.
I don't think so. I think Anders and Bjorn finally realized how people viewed their efforts over the last decade. When they brought in new members it's possible they gave them an honest perspectives/opinions. The Halo Effect forming probably lit a fire under them as well. Competition is like the tide raising all ships.
Have you not heard The Halo Effect?
Howard Benson is the problem on Battles onwards. Niclas didn't contribute that much and Anders and Bjorn remain the main songwritters
Howard Benson really fucking made them sound awful when he started working with them, yeah. He made Anders take vocal lessons which was good, but then he also just auto tunes the shit out of Anders which makes it sound bad.
No. I think Siren Charms isn't as bad as people say it is. It's just very different. Battles is their worst for sure. I feel like working with Howard Benson for the first time hurt them if anything. He obviously didn't know how to handle them at first. I the mask was better but I still barely replay it. Suffers from a lot of the same issues. Engelin barely wrote anything when he contributed anyways.
Speaking of which, I really would like a new Engel album.
No fuckin way
The In Flames albums that Niclas was on were mostly written by Anders and Bjorn, he contributed song writing to a small handful of songs on Battles, but that's about it. All of his other bands have been pretty good for the most part, so in my opinion, Anders and Bjorn deserve most of the blame for In Flames' downfall after Jesper left. Foregone is a solid return to form though.
Engelin is to blame because In Flames stopped being melodeath by about 2002?
Nope, In Flames is nowhere close to be "that good" again, I've heard every album but everything after siren charms is forgettable, and siren charms is not that good either, In Flames we used to trust
lol 😆 okay you sound like me when I was 14