Music reviews

Melodic metal

‘In Flames’ is the tenth album of Swedish heavy metal band, Sounds of a Playground Fading. Even with the exit of founding guitarist Jesper Stromblad, the album does not suffer in quality. The opening title track begins with a harmonious introduction. Although starting with only a clean guitar, it shifts gear into heavy territory. Deliver us has some haunting industrial synth and soaring chorus. All for me opens with the gentle guitar and then plunges headlong into blazing guitars and thumping percussion. Fear is the weakness is a melodic powerhouse of a track with a memorable riff and impassioned vocal performance. This song, along with Enter tragedy and A new dawn, showcases the epic grandeur and melody. Darker times is rhythmically addictive. There is clarity and conviction in the screaming and singing. On the whole, this album exhibits the band’s ability to weave melody through numerous styles and moods.

MP

Some romantic tunes

Lady Antebellum’s third and latest album, Own the Night, is for die-hard
romantics and fans of country-pop with songs that speak of lost love. Its highlight is Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley’s soulful vocal chemistry. Dave Haywood’s
piano playing and some exceptional mandolin make the tracks soothing to the ears. Some have pointed out that this country-music trio came into their own with this album. It is not possible to generalise and bracket ‘Own The Night’ into a particular slot as the music and lyrics are quite good in some places, and just about average in others. Tracks like Love I’ve found in you and Wanted you more are quite insipid while others like Cold as stone, Somewhere love remains and Heart of the world really rock. The other tracks are We owned the night, Just a kiss, Dancing away with my heart, Friday night, When you were mine, Singing me home, As you turn away, plus the bonus acoustic track of Need you now.

VP