In Flames helped pioneer melodic death metal along with fellow Swedish bands At the Gates and Dark Tranquillity.

[2] This decision was criticized by fans of the group's heavier metal sound; however, it increased the band's mainstream audience and bolstered their album sales.

In Flames has been nominated for ten Swedish Grammis Awards[3] winning seven of them; including “Hard Rock/Metal Album of the Year” category in 2005 for Soundtrack to Your Escape, 2007 for Come Clarity, 2009 for A Sense of Purpose, and most recently in 2024 for Foregone.

In Flames was founded in 1990 by Jesper Strömblad as a side project from his then-current death metal band, Ceremonial Oath.

[8] Many other session musicians participated in the recording as well, including guitarists Anders Iwers, Karl Näslund, and Oscar Dronjak (the latter of which provided backing vocals), vocalist Jennica Johansson, and violinist Ylva Wåhlstedt.

[4] Niklas Engelin and Peter Iwers were recruited to fill in the vacant spots on guitar and bass respectively, during a tour with Dimmu Borgir.

[13] Afterwards, In Flames toured Europe, Japan, and played their first show in the United States during the Milwaukee Metal Fest.

Reroute to Remain represented a major stylistic shift for In Flames music, in the addition of clean vocals, catchier choruses and less growling.

[16] Four music videos were filmed: "The Quiet Place", "My Sweet Shadow", "F(r)iend" and "A Touch of Red", all of which were directed by Patric Ullaeus.

Also in 2005, In Flames decided to sign with an additional record label, Ferret Music, so future releases could have better distribution in North America.

[20] In Flames were featured on the Gigantour 3 North American tour with Megadeth, Children of Bodom, Job for a Cowboy, and High on Fire.

On 18 February, the band announced their United Kingdom and Ireland tour would not go ahead as planned due to Strömblad's alcohol rehabilitation and the birth of Iwers's child.

The band joined with Killswitch Engage, Dead by April, Every Time I Die and Maylene and the Sons of Disaster for the UK leg of the Taste of Chaos 2009 tour in November 2009.

[citation needed] On 11 October 2010, In Flames entered IF Studios in Gothenburg to start recording their new album, tentatively titled Sounds of a Playground Fading.

In an interview at Canada's Heavy MTL festival on 12 August 2012, frontman Anders Fridén revealed that In Flames will "start thinking about" recording their next studio album in 2013.

Bassist Håkan Skoger, who previously worked with Friden on his side project 'Passenger', played live with the band on their first UK tour date in Scotland.

[44] The music video for "I Am Above" features Swedish actor Martin Wallström lyp syncing the entire song in one shot against a black backdrop and does not show any members of the band.

The lyric video released for "(This Is Our) House" features live concert footage from the Borgholm Brinner music festival in Sweden.

[45] On 10 January 2019, the lyric video for "I, the Mask", the title track of the album, was released via the Nuclear Blast Records' YouTube channel.

[47] Due to international visa issues caused by the pandemic, In Flames was later forced to withdraw from the tour and were replaced by Hatebreed.

Jesper Strömblad formed In Flames to write music that combined the melodic guitar style of Iron Maiden with the brutality of death metal, something which he stated he had never heard any band do.

[67][68] In Flames' musical style is characterized by the constant use of harmonized lead guitar melodies and screaming-style singing along with death growl.

[64][75] Since Siren Charms and the subsequent studio album Battles, they have more extensively used clean vocals as opposed to screams and growls and have played a softer overall sound, putting more emphasis on a melodic alternative metal direction.

[citation needed] Fridén's clean singing style has altered drastically as it is now more prominent and he has taken on a higher-pitched vocal range.

They have also influenced a number of subsequent melodic death metal bands, including Insomnium,[86] Omnium Gatherum,[87] and Blood Stain Child.

Swedish ice hockey goaltender, Robin Lehner, who is also from Gothenburg had the Jester Head painted on several of his protective face masks.

[95] As the band were without an official vocalist, their 1994 debut Lunar Strain featured contributions from Dark Tranquillity guitarist Mikael Stanne, as well as several guest musicians.

[96] The 1995 EP Subterranean featured vocals by Dawn's Henke Forss,[97] as well as drums by Daniel Erlandsson of Eucharist and Anders Jivarp of Dark Tranquillity.

[100] In February 2010, founding member Strömblad announced that he was leaving In Flames, with the band admitting that "in order to keep a very dear friend this is probably for the best".

[104] In late 2015, long-term drummer Svensson also left In Flames, explaining that he wanted to "spend more time with ... [his] wife and three daughters".