IN FLAMES Signs With CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS

Swedish metallers IN FLAMES have inked a deal with Century Media Records. The band's tenth album, "Sounds Of A Playground Fading", will be released on the following dates:

Sweden - June 15
Germany - June 17
Rest Of Europe - June 20
North America - June 21

The first single will be out in early May.

13 songs were laid down for the CD, which was recorded at the band's IF Studios in Gothenburg with engineer Roberto Laghi (HARDCORE SUPERSTAR, LOK, SONIC SYNDICATE).

In an exclusive interview with the Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet, IN FLAMES vocalist Anders Fridén, 38, revealed that "Sounds Of A Playground Fading" will almost certainly challenge the band's fans' musical expectations.

"We have some songs that pretty much go against the hard rock formula," he said. "There's a song called 'The Attic' where we have an accordion playing the chorus instead of me singing it. Another song begins with a spoken-word part that evolves into a kind of hard DEPECHE MODE-type thing. We also have some really fast, typical IN FLAMES tunes.

He added, "We've never denied where we come from, but at the same time we like to challenge our listeners."

"Sounds Of A Playground Fading" is the first IN FLAMES album to be recorded without founding guitarist Jesper Strömblad, who quit the band in February 2010 in order to continue receiving treatment for his alcohol addiction.

"It's a really sad situation," Anders said. "We're talking about a friend whom we've known for a really long time. It's like a relationship that has burnt out. It just didn't work out anymore. He's a really great guy in many ways, but it's important that everybody can get along. If they don't, it affects a lot of people."

He continued, "We've lived with this for many years, and it's really sad that things are the way they are. I wish they weren't."

Fridén also talked about the often dark lyrical content on "Sounds Of A Playground Fading".

"Some people I know have passed away, and then you have kids being born," he explained. "I've got two kids myself and, of course, it has affected the songwriting. Suddenly you're not alone anymore."

IN FLAMES recently officially recruited Niclas Engelin from fellow Swedes ENGEL as its new second guitarist.

The first official photo of the new IN FLAMES lineup can be viewed below.

IN FLAMES's latest album, "A Sense of Purpose" (2008),shifted 20,000 copies in the United States during its first week of release. This was slightly less than the opening tally of "Come Clarity" (Ferret),which sold just under 24,000 copies in February 2006 to debut at position No. 58.

Good Fight Music is the new North American label home for the classic IN FLAMES catalog, starting with "The Jester Race" through "Soundtrack To Your Escape". These titles, which until recently were unavailable in the marketplace, were put back on music retailers' shelves and made available at digital stores (iTunes) on November 22, 2010.