One thing was screaming at me when I saw the artwork for In Flames’ “A Sense of Purpose” and “The Mirror’s Truth” due to the blatant lameness: Pokémon! The awesome RPG focusing on battling and raising little monsters, you know? Well, I find “The Mirror’s Truth” to be much like a battle between a very powerful Pokémon (an intelligent metalhead) facing a weak, pompous Pokémon (In Flames’ disgraceful effort) despite such difference in strength. Whether it’s Japanese video games or history itself, you should never try to play a game you can’t ever win, and In Flames have once again vomited forth another abomination in hopes of pleasing metal fans and their mainstream yuppies, yet not without secretly showing who matters the most. Let the battle begin!
In Flames used Gothenburg Roots!
But it failed…miserably.

Time and time again, In Flames is caught trying to recapture that melodic death remedy once found when the band could peacefully coexist with decency, but as usual, you can just expect failure. Jesper Strömblad and Björn Gelotte often times embrace riffs primarily injected with lethal amounts of melody, yet everything under that particular sun feels completely generic and recycled; you could honestly find better melodic tendencies in a Himsa b-side. Occasionally, there does come something appearing nice at first; however, seductive looks soon turn out disastrous for those striving at an extra view. The soloing show falls into this same category with bland formations and no texture whatsoever, but when riffs fail, leads soon will too. Good? Not in a million years. Agitating? Oh yea. As for Daniel Svensson’s percussion, everyone can safely agree on his performance being this EP’s finest quality, but that still isn’t saying much about the overall aid. Although typically using double bass and consistent patterns, fills tend to be strictly limited by focus placed elsewhere; quite a shame, because he’s the only one doing any right.
In Flames used Awful Vocalist!
Intelligent Metalhead just got REALLY pissed!

And of course, Anders Fridén continues looking worse and worse with each studio effort, and “The Mirror’s Truth” might be his final nail in the vocal coffin. Now since In Flames acquired our squeaky friend, Anders’ voice has lost all forms of aggression due to the occupation of whiny wails mostly found in nu-metal scenarios, which widely contradicts his glory days in Dark Tranquillity; that’s essentially what he does here. His “growls” are faintly portrayed by lightly going low before crying like a confused boy wondering why his Nintendo 64 just crashed. No force, power, or might at all; just feeble pleas throughout. Thanks Anders for your grand display of emotional superiority, but I’d rather have a basketball jammed up my urinary tract than listen to that pestering clash again. Jesus Christ Bananas!
Intelligent Metalhead used Refusal of Purchase!
In Flames fainted…and then exploded.

Well isn’t that a bitch? One hit did them plenty, and In Flames is officially buried in their own failed effort to successfully connect heavy metal and modernized feces. I have no will to fully experience “A Sense of Purpose” after witnessing this atrocity, because I know suicide would be my only way out of its burdens if “The Mirror’s Truth” has any familiar qualities; truly an offending mistake, and In Flames should somehow refund the fifteen minutes of individuals condemned to hear such junk. Words cannot describe how terrible our little EP is, so in the name of the almighty Arceus, pass along without regret.