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Promotional pic - left to right - Daniel Svensson, Peter Iwers, Bjorn Gelotte, Anders Friden, Jesper Stromblad

A brief look at the formation of -

Formed in 1990, In Flames took flight when Jesper Stromblad left his band Ceremonial Oath, and teamed up with then Dark Tranquillity singer Anders Friden and Anders Iwers of Tiamat. Bass guitarist Johan Larsson was quickly found, and guitarist Glenn Ljungstrom rounded out the fledgling quintet.

For a brief while, Friden's voice was only temporary in the group, and the singing for their first release, "Lunar Strain", was done by Mikael Stanne of Dark Tranquillity. LS was an underground success, and promoted a loyal following in central Europe. Still, without a permanent singer, In Flames cut an MCD, their second release, called "Subterranean". This record was In Flames' first so-called "ground breaker", as it catapulted them out of the musical basement of heavy metal. Frustrated with having to borrow members from other bands to play live or in the studio, In Flames finally asked Anders Friden and drummer/guitarist Bjorn Gelotte to join the band permanently. They accepted, and a deal with Nuclear Blast records ensued.

In Flames then released their landmark "The Jester Race" album, which received critical acclaim from metal listeners all over the world. After exposure was gained through more shows and festivals, "Whoracle" was released, and the touring continued. Unfortunately, the ensuing touring led to another lineup change. Guitarist Glenn Ljungstrom and bassist Johan Larsson wished to put their priorities into other musical endeavors, and subsequently announced they were leaving. This didn't prove an obstacle for In Flames, as bassist Peter Iwers and guitarist Niklas Engelin helped the band conclude the Whoracle recordings, and then accompanied them on the following tour.

When the band returned to Sweden, Niklas decided to leave, siting musical differences as the reason for departure. Always innovative, In Flames moved on. Long-time drummer Bjorn Gelotte switched to guitar (his original instrument) and Daniel Svensson, from Sacrilige, took over percussion duties. This group blended well, and "Colony" was released. This proved to be In Flames' largest success to date, and took the band on a worldwide tour of many sold out shows. Experience and attention kept building, and after a three month recording session, "Clayman" was released on Nuclear Blast records. This album shattered sales records set with Colony, and the band set out to play festivals with the likes of Dream Theater, Slipknot, and Testament.

The year 2000 saw more gigs for In Flames, including a headline show in their hometown, Gothenburg, Sweden, which was broadcasted live over 4 television channels and over the radio.

Next summer included In Flames playing Wacken Open air festival, and the release of their live CD, "The Tokyo Showdown".

More information as I am able to research it...

Note- This is a somewhat condensed version of In Flames' history. For the longer version, check out their homepage. It's link, as well as many others, will be given on my credits/links page.

In Flames recording lineups
A look at their albums
My Credits/Links
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