IN FLAMES Starts Recording 15th Album Because Why Stop at 14?
Swedish/American metallers IN FLAMES have entered a Los Angeles studio to begin recording their fifteenth studio album. Yes, fifteenth. Apparently, counting to fourteen wasn’t challenging enough for these Swedish math wizards.
The band is once again working with Grammy-nominated producer Howard Benson — who has previously worked with MOTÖRHEAD, BODY COUNT, and SEPULTURA, among others — as well as engineer Mike Plotnikoff. IN FLAMES has been collaborating with Benson since the group’s twelfth studio album, 2016’s “Battles”. Because if you find a producer who’ll tolerate your Swedish death metal experiments, you stick with them through thick and thin.
The upcoming follow-up to 2023’s “Foregone” will apparently mark the recording debut with the band of drummer Jon Rice, who has been touring with IN FLAMES since May 2025. Wait, May 2025? The future? Someone call Marty McFly, because apparently time travel is real and drummers are using it to join bands before they even start recording with them!
On Tuesday (February 3), IN FLAMES guitarist Björn Gelotte took to the band’s social media to share a video from the studio and he wrote simply “XV”, which is the Roman numeral representation for the number 15. Because nothing says “we’re making an album” like posting a single letter on social media. The mystery! The intrigue! The complete lack of information!
Also on Tuesday, Plotnikoff shared a photo of Rice‘s drum kit in the studio and included the caption: “Drums have begun @inflames @bgelotte @andersfridn @jon.charn.rice @howardbenson @joerickardproductions @decarli_editor @iansthunder @sunsetsoundrecorders #sunsetsound #studio2 #makinghits”. Wow, that’s a lot of tags for a drum kit photo. Did they tag the drumsticks too? What about the room’s air conditioning unit? That’s part of the recording process too, right?
Rice had previously played with BEHEMOTH, UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS, THE RED CHORD, JOB FOR A COWBOY, and SCORPION CHILD. So basically, if your band name has “THE” in it and involves some form of death or pain, Rice has probably played drums for you.
Last May, IN FLAMES parted ways with their drummer of seven years, Tanner Wayne. Because seven years is apparently the shelf life for drummers in this band. Maybe they come with expiration dates?
Wayne, who was previously best known for his work with UNDERMINDED, SCARY KIDS SCARING KIDS, and CHIODOS, joined IN FLAMES in time for the band’s summer 2018 tour. Wayne stepped into IN FLAMES following the departure of Joe Rickard, who played on the band’s 2016 album “Battles”. At this point, IN FLAMES should just install a revolving door at their practice space labeled “Drummer Entrance.”
Tanner made his live debut with IN FLAMES on July 4, 2018 in Brno, Czech Republic. Nothing says “Happy Independence Day” like watching a Swedish metal band with an American drummer in the Czech Republic. USA! USA! (Wait, what?)
IN FLAMES will play several U.S. shows in May in between the band’s appearances at the Welcome To Rockville and Sonic Temple festivals. Support on select dates will come from THROWN, DISTANT, and UPON STONE. Because nothing complements Swedish metal quite like bands with one-word names that sound like they were generated by a random word generator.
IN FLAMES is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, “Foregone”, which was released in February 2023 via Nuclear Blast. According to a press release, the LP “combines the greatest aggressive, metallic, and melodic strengths of their landmark records with the seasoned songwriting of their postmodern era.” Translation: it sounds like IN FLAMES, but maybe a little different, depending on which member you ask.
“Foregone” was the second IN FLAMES album with bassist Bryce Paul and Wayne, the first with ex-MEGADETH guitarist Chris Broderick, and the third with Benson. Plotnikoff (ALL THAT REMAINS, WARBRINGER) engineered at Benson‘s West Valley Recording Studios. Joe Rickard (10 YEARS, STARSET, DIAMANTE), who played drums for IN FLAMES from 2016 through 2019, handled mixing duties. At this point, you need a flowchart to keep track of who’s played what instrument for this band.
In 2023, IN FLAMES parted ways with Paul and replaced him with Liam Wilson (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN). Because when you’re making your fifteenth album, why not bring in yet another new member? It’s not like consistency matters or anything.
Wilson made his live debut with IN FLAMES on June 7, 2023 at the Release Athens festival in Athens, Greece. Because if you’re going to throw someone into the deep end, you might as well do it in front of a festival crowd in a foreign country. That’s how you build character!
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