2011 studio album by In Flames
Sounds of a Playground Fading | ||||
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Studio album by In Flames | ||||
Released | 15 June 2011 (2011-06-15) (see release dates) | |||
Recorded | 11 October 2010 – 25 January 2011 | |||
Studio | IF Studios, Gothenburg, Sweden | |||
Genre | Alternative metal | |||
Length | 53:58 | |||
Label | Century Media, Razzia | |||
Producer | Roberto Laghi, Anders Fridén | |||
In Flames chronology | ||||
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Singles from Sounds of a Playground Fading | ||||
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Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 68/100 |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Kerrang! | |
Metal Hammer | |
Metal Storm | |
Sputnikmusic | |
Earshot.at |
Sounds of a Playground Fading is the tenth studio album by Swedish heavy metal band In Flames, released on 15 June 2011. It is the first album recorded by In Flames without founding guitarist Jesper Strömblad, who left the band in February 2010, making it also the only In Flames release not to have two guitarists. The album was reissued in 2014, featuring five additional tracks.
Background
According to Anders, this album features increasingly wide vocal registers and reduced growls. In addition, some of the album's songs "pretty much go against the hard rock formula."
The entire album was written by Björn Gelotte. The guitar solos, unlike most other albums, were able to be pre-planned out and worked much better according to the in-studio report.
Release and promotion
The band revealed the cover art, track listing and first single, "Deliver Us", on their official Facebook page in April and May 2011. Then on 3 June 2011, aol.com streamed the entire album on their music network. In Flames performed the album on their European tour with support from Noctiferia, as part of the "Defenders of the Faith III" tour, with bands Trivium, Rise to Remain, Ghost and Insense, and with Trivium in their North American Tour.
Four music videos were filmed including the lead single "Deliver Us" and "Where the Dead Ships Dwell" both released in 2011 while "Ropes" and "Sounds of a Playground Fading" were also filmed but not released until 2013.
The track "Deliver Us" was featured in the soundtrack to the 2013 video game Saints Row IV.
Reception
Sounds of a Playground Fading received generally positive reviews. Review aggregate website Metacritic gave the album a 68 out of 100 based on six professional critics.
Commercial performance
Sounds of a Playground Fading debuted at number 27 on the US Billboard 200 album chart, number 2 on the Top Hard Rock chart, number 7 on the Top Rock chart, and number 5 on the Top Independent chart. It also debuted at number 1 of the Media Control German Albums chart, and at number 12 of the Billboard Canadian Albums chart.
Track listing
All music written by Björn Gelotte and all lyrics by Anders Fridén. All songs arranged by In Flames.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Sounds of a Playground Fading" | 4:44 |
2. | "Deliver Us" | 3:31 |
3. | "All for Me" | 4:31 |
4. | "The Puzzle" | 4:34 |
5. | "Fear Is the Weakness" | 4:07 |
6. | "Where the Dead Ships Dwell" | 4:27 |
7. | "The Attic" | 3:18 |
8. | "Darker Times" | 3:25 |
9. | "Ropes" | 3:42 |
10. | "Enter Tragedy" | 3:59 |
11. | "Jester's Door" | 2:38 |
12. | "A New Dawn" | 5:52 |
13. | "Liberation" | 5:10 |
Total length: | 53:58 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
14. | "Deliver Us (Instrumental Version)" | 3:31 |
Total length: | 57:29 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Deliver Us" (music video) | 3:31 |
14. | "Darker Times (Eagleclaw Remix)" | 5:45 |
Total length: | 59:43 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Recording 'Sounds of a Playground Fading'" (studio report) | 27:28 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
14. | "Darker Times (Eagleclaw Remix)" | 5:45 |
15. | "The Puzzle (Big Chocolate Remix)" | 3:43 |
16. | "Where the Dead Ships Dwell (Casper Remix)" | 4:05 |
17. | "Where the Dead Ships Dwell (The Qemists Remix)" | 5:12 |
18. | "Where the Dead Ships Dwell (Kristof Bathory – Dawn of Ashes Remix)" | 4:46 |
Total length: | 77:29 |
Personnel
- In Flames
- Anders Fridén – vocals
- Björn Gelotte – guitar
- Peter Iwers – bass
- Daniel Svensson – drums, percussion
- Niclas Engelin – guitar (credit only)
- Production
- Anders Björler – filming, editing and directing ("In the Studio"/studio report)
- Johannes Bergion – cello on "A New Dawn"
- Roberto Laghi – producer
- Örjan Örnkloo – keyboards and samples
- Dave Correia – album cover art
Charts
Chart (2011) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA) | 50 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) | 6 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) | 73 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) | 53 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard) | 12 |
Danish Albums (Hitlisten) | 24 |
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) | 4 |
French Albums (SNEP) | 47 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) | 1 |
Italian Albums (FIMI) | 67 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) | 10 |
Japanese Albums (Oricon) | 24 |
Scottish Albums (OCC) | 82 |
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) | 41 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) | 2 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) | 12 |
UK Albums (OCC) | 74 |
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) | 6 |
US Billboard 200 | 27 |
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard) | 2 |
US Independent Albums (Billboard) | 5 |
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard) | 12 |
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) | 7 |
Release dates
Region | Date |
---|---|
Sweden | 15 June 2011 (2011-06-15) |
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway | 17 June 2011 (2011-06-17) |
Europe (excluding Spain, Italy, Finland, Hungary) | 20 June 2011 (2011-06-20) |
North America, Spain, Italy | 21 June 2011 (2011-06-21) |
Finland, Hungary | 22 June 2011 (2011-06-22) |
Australia, New Zealand | 24 June 2011 (2011-06-24) |
References
- ^ "Metacritic Review". Metacritic. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- Monger, James Christopher (2011). "Sounds of a Playground Fading In Flames | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Archived from the original on 15 December 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
- "In Flames - Sounds of a Sell-Out Review". Kerrang!.
- "In Flames review". Metal Hammer. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
- "In Flames - Sounds Of A Playground Fading review". Metal Storm.
- "In Flames review". Sputnikmusic. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
- "In Flames - Sounds Of A Playground Fading Review". Earshot.at. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ "In Flames Signs with Century Media Records". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner. 28 March 2011. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
- Jesper Strömblad; Anders; Peter; Daniel; Björn (12 February 2010). "JESPER STRÖMBLAD LEAVES IN FLAMES". In Flames Myspace Blog. Archived from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
- "In Flames – Sounds of a Playground Fading (2014, Digipak, CD)". Discogs. 20 October 2014. Archived from the original on 3 July 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- Kim (14 January 2011). "Sounds Of A Playground Fading". Kim bloggar. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
- Kim (3 June 2011). "In Flames - Sounds Of A Playground Fading - Streaming". Metal CallOut. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
- "RocBloc | News: In Flames announces fall European tour". www.rocbloc.com. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- "Metal Hammer | Louder". Metal Hammer Magazine. Archived from the original on 24 July 2009. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- "In Flames, Trivium: North American Tour Dates Announced". Blabbermouth. 7 November 2011. Archived from the original on 5 January 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- "IN FLAMES - Deliver Us (OFFICIAL VIDEO)". YouTube. 20 May 2011.
- "IN FLAMES - Where the Dead Ships Dwell (OFFICIAL VIDEO)". YouTube. 28 October 2011.
- "In Flames - "Ropes"". YouTube. 30 May 2013.
- "IN FLAMES - Sounds of a Playground Fading (OFFICIAL VIDEO)". YouTube. 19 September 2013.
- ^ "In Flames Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ "In Flames Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ "In Flames Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – In Flames – Sounds Of a Playground" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ "In Flames Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- "In Flames - In The Studio Episode #2". In Flames Youtube Channel. 28 April 2011. Archived from the original on 24 June 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
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- "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
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- ^ "In Flames: New Album Artwork, Track Listing Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner. 13 April 2011. Archived from the original on 17 April 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
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