#8: IN FLAMES – CLAYMAN

June 25th, 2009 at 5:00pm
MetalSucks

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21best1

clayman

We recently polled a wide array of musicians, managers, publicists, label reps, and writers from within the world of metal to find out what they thought the 21 Best Metal Albums of the 21st Century So Far have been. Eligible albums were released between January 1, 2000 and April 1, 2009. Each panelist turned in a ballot, with their #1 album worth 21 points, their #2 album worth 20 points, and so on and so forth. The ballots are now in and we’ll be counting down one album a day until we reach #1. Today we present the #8 album, coming in with a total of 170 points…

In Flames, Clayman (Nuclear Blast, 2000)
Anders Fridén – vocals
Jesper Strömblad – Guitar
Björn Gelotte – Guitar
Peter Iwers – Bass
Daniel Svensson – Drums
Produced by Fredrik Nordström

It was my senior year of college in 1996, sitting in coffee shop, reading the latest music rag (taking a break from my Old Testament studies) when I came across a review for In Flames’ The Jester Race. Something about it caught my eye as that was the time I was getting more into of the Scandinavian metal like At The Gates and Amorphis. I picked it up and was blown away how they had made “death metal” so “melodic.” I almost denounced my religion and started a cult dedicated to this semi-new genre of metal!

A couple of years later, I get the amazing Colony record, and then in 2000, In Flames release the genius that is Clayman. From the first riff on “Bullet Ride” to the last beat on “Another Day In Quicksand,” the album became the first real example of “melodic-death-metal” perfection. Not only was it a brutal record that would care the normal person walking down the street, but it also incorporated intricate acoustic guitar work, electronic samples and more. Now, I know in the year 2000 (well, the year 5760 on the Jewish calendar), there was nothing new about having all these elements in metal, but to have it connect so perfectly with fans, the press and even the industry as a whole – is something most bands will never get to experience.

The impact of this album can be shown with one of the band’s most popular songs of all time, “Only For The Weak.” I was lucky enough to see the band headline at CBGBs in 2000 (Nevermore and Shadows Fall also played the show, pretty amazing line-up, huh?) When before the new millennium, in the US, you saw a crowd jumping up and down instead of moshing during a Swedish metal band? Not only that, but to have Metal Hammer Germany name the song a Top 10 “death metal” song of all time along side Carcass, Death and Cannibal Corpse? This for a song with some clean vocals, samples and real production. The song was special, the album as a whole was special, and that is why, like Moses in the desert, Clayman will stand the test of time for centuries to come.

-Anton OyVey

THE LIST SO FAR:

#9 – Gojira, From Mars to Sirius

#10 – Opeth, Ghost Reveries

#11 – Deftones, White Pony

#12 – Tool, Lateralus

#13 – Mastodon, Blood Mountain

#14 – System of a Down, Toxicity

#15 – Nachtmystium, Assassins: Black Meddle, Part 1

#16 – Machine Head, The Blackening

#17 – Hatebreed, Perseverance

#18 – Lamb of God, New American Gospel