Customer Reviews

Lunar Strain

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1994's Lunar Strain was the debut release by Swedish melodic death metal legends In Flames. The band's helped define what is known as the Gothenburg style of melodic death metal, but in the early days they stuck pretty close to the formula At the Gates laid down. It's melodic, but much harsher and heavier than the band's later work. It's somewhat rougher too. In Flames was still coming together and hadn't finalized their lineup when this was released. Dark Tranquillity's Michael Stanne was enlisted as a guest vocalist for this album.

Lunar Strain isn't as essential as In Flames' later albums, but it's an important album and is still well worth hearing if you're a fan of the band or melodic death metal in general. Those who think In Flames got too accessible with The Jester Race and Whoracle: Reloaded will no doubt prefer Lunar Strain.

Edition Notes: Candlelight reissued Lunar Strain (and, separately, Subterranean) in 2005. The album has been digitally remastered (a real plus) and there are four bonus tracks. The bonus tracks are the band's 1993 demo recordings. They're interesting, but probably aren't anything you'll need to hear more than once. The liner notes are the most disappointing element of this reissue. There are no lyrics, nothing from the band on what was going on at the time, not even any songwriting credits.

Edition Notes 2: Lunar Strain was reissued yet again in 2009, this time by Regain. It's the same reissue as Candlelight's, only now it comes in a digipack.

very good music from the masters of swedish death metal, excellent disk.

the only negative thing is that the booklet has no lyrics.

In Flames' first release is certainly an interesting one. While the band are commonly considered to be pioneers of the melodic death sound along with Dark Tranquillity and At the Gates (all Swedish), their early work displayed many other facets that helped to grace the metal world with classy, intelligent death metal. Lunar Strain showcases the band at their most inventive, lacking the fear for experimentation that seems to have dulled their later releases.

After pressing play, the very first thing that enters my mind is Dark Tranquillity. Not only do they have many musical similarities, but Dark Tranquillity's vocalist Mikael Stanne is also present, making the likeness even stronger. In a strange twist of events, In Flames' later vocalist Anders Friden was at the time of this release the vocalist for none other than Dark Tranquillity. Putting the incest-like nature of the bands aside, I'll move on.

The Swedish outfit have generally riff driven tracks, yet are certainly not afraid to bring on some impressive lead-work. It's the melodies that make this album so catchy and it's the variety that allows it to still sound fresh even today. With a female vocal led ballad (Everlost Part II), a ripping thrash track (Upon an Oaken Throne), a doom-driven slab (Everlost Part I) along with their trademark Gothenburg death metal sound mean the listener never gets bored. Even if not everything they attempt on Lunar Strain works completely (the folkish "Hargalaten" a prime example), I still give them a whole lot of marks for effort.

Highlights for me include the album opener "Behind Space", "Everlost Part I" and Upon an Oaken Throne", but there's something here for everyone.

Lunar Strain is by no means their best album, but it's a great introduction to a hugely successful band, and should not be set below their more commercial work that would split their fan-base many years later.

This for me is the best In Flames album...very solid, creative, and epic. the songs made me feel as if i were in sweden...i love Everlost Part II. The female vocals are very strong. Behind Space is the best track on the album by far.