Clayman

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} {{hatnote|This article is about the In Flames album. For the surname, see Clayman (surname)}} {{Infobox album | name = Clayman | type = studio | artist = In Flames | cover = In Flames Clayman.jpg | alt = | released = {{Start date|2000|7|3|df=y}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metal-archives.com/albums/In_Flames/Clayman/317 |title=Metal Archives}}</ref> | recorded = 31 January–? 2000<ref>{{cite web |url=http://inflames.com/mainpage.html |title=the official In Flames homepage |website=inflames.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001206220200/http://inflames.com/mainpage.html |archive-date=6 December 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | venue = | studio = Studio Fredman, Gothenburg | genre = Melodic death metal<ref>{{cite web |last1=Palmerston |first1=Sean |title=In Flames - Clayman |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/in_flames-clayman |website=Exclaim! |accessdate=8 February 2019}}</ref> | length = {{Duration|m=43|s=44}} | label = Nuclear Blast | producer = {{hlist|Fredrik Nordström|In Flames|Howard Benson (''20th Anniversary Edition'')}} | prev_title = Colony | prev_year = 1999 | next_title = Reroute to Remain | next_year = 2002 }}

'''''Clayman''''' is the fifth studio album by Swedish heavy metal band In Flames, released via Nuclear Blast on 3 July 2000.

== Music and lyrics == ''Clayman'' is the final In Flames album to feature their original melodic death metal sound. According to Andy O'Connor of ''Spin:'' "''Clayman'' represents a sweet spot between their deathier, more complicated beginnings and their commercial aspirations."<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Connor |first=Andy |date=2023-07-25 |title=The 15 Best Swedish Metal Records |url=https://www.spin.com/2023/07/the-15-best-swedish-metal-records/ |access-date=2025-08-28 |website=SPIN |language=en-US}}</ref>

The album's lyrics explore themes such as depression and internal struggles. The band tuned their guitars to drop A# on the songs ''Pinball Map'' and ''...As the Future Repeats Today''.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}}

== Artwork == The album's cover art is based on Leonardo da Vinci's ''Vitruvian Man'' drawing. The Jester Head appears in the background, both on the cover, and in the album booklet itself. Music videos were produced for the songs "Pinball Map" (directed by Tamara Jordan) and "Only for the Weak".{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}}

==Reception and legacy== {{music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="AllmusicReview">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/clayman-mw0000066294|title=Clayman - In Flames|website=AllMusic|accessdate=11 July 2014}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Rock Hard'' | rev2score = 9.5/10<ref>{{cite web|last=Albrecht|first=Frank|title=RockHard: Review anzeigen| url=http://www.rockhard.de/megazine/reviewarchiv/review-anzeigen.html?tx_rxsearch_pi1%5Breview%5D=11184| publisher=Rock Hard| issue=158|accessdate=22 May 2013|language=German}}</ref> }}

Matt Kantor of AllMusic gave the album four stars out of five and said: "With some of their best writing yet, they continue to tighten up a sound that could please fans of everyone from Queensrÿche to Arch Enemy to maybe even Satyricon. With their blend of speed, melody, and pensive aggression, In Flames is indeed hard to pin down. Clayman at its core, though, is invigorating, well-executed metal that, dare it be said, is a fun listen; this probably isn't far from what the band intends."<ref>{{Citation |title=Clayman - In Flames {{!}} Album {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/clayman-mw0000066294 |access-date=2025-08-29 |language=en}}</ref>

In 2005, ''Clayman'' was ranked No. 448 in ''Rock Hard'' magazine's book "The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rensen|first1=Michael|last2=Kühnemund|first2=Götz |title=Best of Rock & Metal - Die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten| year=2005|publisher=Rock Hard| isbn=3-89880-517-4|page=30}}</ref> In 2020, it was named one of the 20 best metal albums of 2000 by ''Metal Hammer'' magazine.<ref name="MHtop2000">{{cite web |title=The Top 20 best metal albums of 2000 |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-top-20-best-metal-albums-of-2000 |website=Metal Hammer |publisher=Future plc |access-date=6 March 2021 |date=29 September 2020}}</ref> In 2020, "Bullet Ride", "Pinball Map", "Only for the Weak", and the title track were re-recorded for a 20th-anniversary edition of the album. Fan responses to the re-recordings have been mixed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metalsucks.net/2020/06/08/in-flames-re-recorded-clayman-and-the-internet-loves-it/|title=In Flames Re-Recorded "Clayman" and the Internet LOVES It|date=8 June 2020}}</ref>

==Track listing== {{track listing | all_lyrics = Anders Fridén | all_music = Jesper Strömblad and Björn Gelotte | total_length = 43:44 | title1 = Bullet Ride | length1 = 4:42 | title2 = Pinball Map | length2 = 4:08 | title3 = Only for the Weak | length3 = 4:55 | title4 = ...As the Future Repeats Today | length4 = 3:27 | title5 = Square Nothing | length5 = 3:57 | title6 = Clayman | length6 = 3:28 | title7 = Satellites and Astronauts | length7 = 5:00 | title8 = Brush the Dust Away | length8 = 3:17 | title9 = Swim | length9 = 3:14 | title10 = Suburban Me | note10 = featuring Christopher Amott | length10 = 3:35 | title11 = Another Day in Quicksand | length11 = 3:56 }}

{{track listing | headline = 2005 Deluxe edition and 2008 Reloaded edition | title12 = Strong and Smart | note12 = No Fun at All cover, also in 2000 Japanese edition | length12 = 2:22 | title13 = World of Promises | note13= Treat cover | length13 = 3:49 | total_length = 49:55 }}

{{track listing | headline = 2010 re-release | title12 = Only for the Weak | note12 = Live version | length12 = 4:51 | title13 = Pinball Map | note13 = Live version | length13 = 4:30 | title14 = Strong and Smart | note14 = No Fun at All cover | length14 = 2:22 | total_length = 55:27 }} Apart from remastered versions of the original songs, the 20th Anniversary Edition features the following tracks: {{track listing | headline = 2020 20th Anniversary Edition | title12 = Themes and Variations in D-Minor | note12 = instrumental | length12 = 5:10 | title13 = Only for the Weak | note13 = Re-recorded | length13 = 4:13 | title14 = Bullet Ride | note14 = Re-recorded | length14 = 4:37 | title15 = Pinball Map | note15 = Re-recorded | length15 = 4:19 | title16 = Clayman | note16 = Re-recorded | length16 = 3:37 | total_length = 21:56 }}

==Personnel==

===In Flames=== *Anders Fridén – vocals *Björn Gelotte – guitar *Jesper Strömblad – guitar *Peter Iwers – bass *Daniel Svensson – drums

===Additional personnel=== *Charlie Storm – programming, synthesizer *Christopher Amott (Arch Enemy) – guitar solo on "Suburban Me" *Fredrik Nordström – additional programming, synthesizer, recording, production *In Flames – recording, production *Axel Hermann – artwork, layout *Tobias Lundgren – photography

==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+Chart performance for ''Clayman'' |- ! scope="col"| Chart (2020) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Austria|48|artist=In Flames|album=Clayman|rowheader=true|accessdate=10 September 2020}} |- {{album chart|Germany|16|id=12081|artist=In Flames|album=Clayman|rowheader=true|accessdate=4 September 2020}} |- {{album chart|Scotland|69|date=20200904|rowheader=true|accessdate=4 September 2020}} |- {{album chart|Switzerland|26|artist=In Flames|album=Clayman|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 September 2020}} |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20131029230517/http://inflames.com/releases/ Details about In Flames albums]

Category:In Flames albums Category:2000 albums Category:Nuclear Blast albums Category:Albums produced by Fredrik Nordström