Lunar Strain

Lunar Strain
Studio album by In Flames
Released	1 April 1994
Recorded	Autumn - Winter 1993 Studio Fredman
Genre	Melodic death metal, death metal
Length	Original: 36:43 Remastered re-release: 49:15
Label	Wrong Again Regain Candlelight
Producer	In Flames
In Flames chronology
Demo '93 (1993) Lunar Strain (1994) Subterranean (1995)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Lunar Strain is the debut album by Swedish melodic death metal band In Flames. In this release, vocals were sung by Mikael Stanne, the vocalist of Dark Tranquillity, who was a session musician for In Flames at the time. The album is known for its "folky elements" with the inclusion of violins and acoustic guitars. Three of the songs are re-recorded versions of tracks from the band's 1993 demo.^[2][3] In 1999, it was re-released in Japan and included all the tracks of the Subterranean album, under the title Lunar Strain & Subterranean.

In the 2003 Regain Records version of the re-release, the songs order differs slightly with "Clad in Shadows" being the second track shifting the rest down by one. However, the discrepancy is not apparent in album track listing, being mislabeled as the below.

The album was re-released, and remastered with bonus tracks in 2005 under Regain Records and Candlelight Records USA with the same artwork but the more modern logo seen from the album Reroute to Remain to Come Clarity. The bonus tracks are actually from In Flames' 1993 Promo, which contained "alternative mixed versions of the album recordings."

Track listing

1994 Original release
No.	Title	Lyrics	Length
1.	"Behind Space"	Stanne	4:55
2.	"Lunar Strain"	Stanne	4:05
3.	"Starforsaken"	Stanne	3:10
4.	"Dreamscape"	(Instrumental)	3:45
5.	"Everlost (Part I)"	Stanne	4:17
6.	"Everlost (Part II)"	Stanne	2:57
7.	"Hårgalåten"	(Instrumental)	2:26
8.	"In Flames"	Stanne	5:33
9.	"Upon an Oaken Throne"	Stanne	2:49
10.	"Clad in Shadows"	Stanne	2:49

2005 Rerelease/Remastered
No.	Title	Lyrics	Length
1.	"Behind Space"	Stanne	4:55
2.	"Clad in Shadows"	Stanne	2:49
3.	"Lunar Strain"	Stanne	4:05
4.	"Starforsaken"	Stanne	3:10
5.	"Dreamscape"	(Instrumental)	3:45
6.	"Everlost (Part I)"	Stanne	4:17
7.	"Everlost (Part II)"	Stanne	2:57
8.	"Hårgalåten"	(Instrumental)	2:26
9.	"In Flames"	Stanne	5:33
10.	"Upon an Oaken Throne"	Stanne	2:49
11.	"In Flames" (1993 Promo Version)		5:49
12.	"Upon an Oaken Throne" (1993 Promo Version)		3:05
13.	"Acoustic Piece" (1993 Promo Version)		0:38
14.	"Clad in Shadows" (1993 Promo Version)		2:47

(Note: Track 10 on the original release "Clad In Shadows" became Track 2 on this re-release (this was not shown on the tracklist)so each track after track 2 ended up being credited as the track before, it, e.g. "Clad In Shadows", Track 2, was still credited as "Lunar Strain", "Lunar Strain" was credited as "Starforsaken", and so on).

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
Japan	1999	CD	Toy's Factory
World	2003	CD	Regain Records / Candlelight Records
World	2005	CD	Regain Records / Candlelight Records

Personnel

In Flames

• Mikael Stanne – lead vocals
• Jesper Strömblad – guitar, keyboards, drums
• Glenn Ljungström – guitar
• Johann Larsson – bass
• Carl Näslund - Guitar

Guests

• Ylva Wåhlstedt – violins, viola
• Jennica Johansson - vocal appearance
• Oscar Dronjak – vocal appearance

Production credits

• All music by Jesper Strömblad and Glenn Ljungström (except "Hårgalåten", traditional song).
• All lyrics by Mikael Stanne.
• Produced by In Flames.
• Engineered by H. Bjurkvist, Fredrik Nordström and J. Karlsson.
• Mixed by In Flames and Fredrik Nordström.
• Premastered by StageTech.
• Cover art and photos by Kenneth Johansson.
• Earth photo by NASA.
• Additional photos by Henrik Lindahl.
• Sculpture by M. Olofgörs, installed at Näsholmen, Gotland, 1993.
• Layout by Local Hero Music.
• Distribution in Scandinavia by House of Kicks.

References

1. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r447331
2. ^ In Flames - Lunar Strain review - Metal Storm
3. ^ http://www.metalcoven.com/review_inflames_lunar.html

External links

• Lunar Strain information