Anders Friden Responds to Comments About In Flames Returning to Roots – ‘I Never Felt That I Ran Away’
On Feb. 10, 2023, In Flames released their 14th studio album, Foregone. It was met with critical acclaim from fans and critics alike — in fact, Loudwire named it one of the best albums of the year.
One thing that Loudwire noted — as well as many others — was that Foregone was largely a "return to form" for longtime In Flames fans.
On Friday's Loudwire Nights (May 3), host Chuck Armstrong asked In Flames frontman Anders Fridén about fans' reception to Foregone.
"I hear this here and there," Fridén admitted about people saying Foregone is a return for In Flames, "but I've stopped reading what people are saying online. It doesn't help me in any way."
Fridén said it's difficult for him to relate to how fans have responded to Foregone for a very simple reason.
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"I never felt that I ran way. The music we're doing is the music that we want to do, so it was never, 'Oh my God, we're lost. What do we do?!' But sure, we are known for melody and aggression — that's our DNA."
As Fridén described how the pandemic played a role in the development of In Flames' latest record — and why he felt 2016's album, Battles, was more laid back — he came back to his previous reflection on Foregone.
"It's where we want it to be."
What Else Did In Flames' Anders Fridén Discuss on Loudwire Nights?
- Which band first inspired him to want to get into rock and roll: "I fell in love with the Scorpions when I was 10."
- In Flames' upcoming American tour and why fans shouldn't miss it: "It will be awhile until we're back in the U.S."
- What keeps him focused on In Flames' continued growth nearly 30 years into it: "I just love music and I love being part of this scene. That's what got me here in the first place ... We wanted to be part of the scene. We just don't want to be outsiders looking in. We want to be in it. And I still feel that hunger and that passion."
Listen to the Full Interview in the Podcast Player Below
Anders Fridén joined Loudwire Nights on Friday, May 3; the show replays online here, and you can tune in live every weeknight at 7PM ET or on the Loudwire app; you can also see if the show is available on your local radio station and listen to interviews on-demand.
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