Figure Number Five

Infobox Album
Name = Figure Number Five
Type = studio
Artist = Soilwork


Released = flagicon|EUR April 22, 2003
flagicon|USA flagicon|CAN May 5, 2003
Recorded = December 2002 - February 2003
Genre = Alternative metal
Melodic death metal
Length = 40:52
Label = Nuclear Blast
Producer = Soilwork
Reviews = * Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:4t68mpsk9fco link]
Last album = "Natural Born Chaos"
(2002)
This album = "Figure Number Five"
(2003)
Next album = "The Early Chapters"
(2004)

"Figure Number Five" is the fifth full-length album released by the Swedish melodic death metal band Soilwork. On this release, the band introduces more alternative metal influences into their melodic death metal style.

A few different editions of this album existed upon release. The normal release with eleven tracks, as well as a limited edition release with a second CD of their 1997 demo. The limited vinyl version of the album features two vinyls with this album and "Natural Born Chaos", black and the other a white-colored vinyl. The Japanese version of the album includes one bonus track, entitled "Bursting Out."

This album marked keyboardist Sven Karlsson's first attempts at songwriting for the band. While it is not necessarily interconnected with the keyboardist songwriting, this album features more use of the keyboard and lighter melodies. The album is considered a more commercial sound by most fans of Swedish death metal, but it arguably gives the music a broader appeal. However, vocalist Björn Strid has said the album has good melodies but lacks in intensity and could've been better composed; many fans and critics considered the album "rushed". [ [http://www.rockdetector.com/interviews/artist,8263.sm?id=146 SOILWORK | Interviews | Rockdetector ] ]

Music videos were made for the songs "Rejection Role" and "Light the Torch." In Flames appeared in the "Rejection Role" video, and on the In Flames video of "Trigger" Soilwork appeared and were made interchangeably as a joke to the fans that either band had any indifferences with each other.

Track listing

CD 1 and regular version - "Figure Number Five"
# "Rejection Role" − 3:35
# "Overload" − 3:44
# "Figure Number Five" − 3:12
# "Strangler" − 3:48
# "Light the Torch" − 3:41
# "Departure Plan" − 4:24
# "Cranking the Sirens" − 3:26
# "Brickwalker" − 3:45
# "The Mindmaker" − 3:32
# "Distortion Sleep" − 3:46
# "Downfall 24" − 3:55
# "Bursting Out" (Japan bonus track)

CD 2 exclusively for the limited edition - Demo 1997

# "Bound to Illusions" − 2:49
# "My Need" − 2:55
# "In a Close Encounter" − 3:02
# "Skin after Skin" − 3:23
# "Wake Up Call" − 3:45
# "Steel Bath Suicide" − 2:56

Personnel

Band members

* Björn "Speed" Strid − Vocals
* Peter Wichers − Guitars
* Ola Frenning − Guitars
* Ola Flink − Bass guitar
* Sven Karlsson − Keyboards
* Henry Ranta − Drums

Guest musicians

* Jens Broman − Guest vocals on "Figure Number Five"
* Richard Larsson − Tambourine on "Brickwalker"

References