In Flames in Seraing: 17 songs and a scorching best-of set

On Thursday, 13 August 2026, I headed to OM in Seraing, Belgium, with Young Apath, Lightman and Ghor’mak. On the bill: Employed to Serve, followed by In Flames and more than thirty years of melodic death metal. Musically, it was a night to remember, even though it began with a genuine disappointment concerning accessibility for people with reduced mobility.

Before the music: seriously inadequate accessibility arrangements

Let us begin with the negative point — I promise that, after this, we will dive into the actual concert review :-).

Because of the current state of my knee, I need to request accessible seating and provide a medical certificate. I had completed every step with the organisers: my request had been approved and my name was supposed to be on a list. Yet when I arrived, it was not there.

I was quickly told that it would not be a problem and was allowed to reach the reserved area: a small platform. The moment I saw it, I knew I could not bring myself to use it. I certainly have a serious mobility problem, but I could not reasonably take one of the few available places away from people facing even greater difficulties, particularly wheelchair users.

Looking back, that dilemma reveals the real issue: a properly designed accessible area should never force anyone to wonder whether they are “disabled enough” to deserve a place there.

Thankfully, my friends had spotted a balcony with wide steps. They formed a large protective square around me so that I could remain seated while still seeing the stage. I had also remembered to bring my pain medication — and, unfortunately, I needed it very quickly.

I then realised that several other people in similar situations had also requested accessible seating, but had decided not to use the reserved area because there was not enough room and the arrangements were not genuinely suitable. Several of us therefore spent the night in pain; some people eventually had to leave.

Employed to Serve: the show I could not appreciate as it deserved

I have to be honest: Employed to Serve, the opening band, did not really work for me that night. But that absolutely does not mean the British group played badly — quite the opposite. The fierce response from the pit showed just how effective their performance was.

The simple truth is that all the earlier complications had left me in the wrong frame of mind, while the pain was taking up more and more space. In those circumstances, it was difficult to let the music carry me away.

I still heard a particularly convincing metalcore band, with certain rhythms reminding me of Machine Head’s first two albums. That is no small compliment. I therefore recommend listening to Employed to Serve on Spotify and making up your own mind.

Before moving on to the stars of the evening, two more details. The air conditioning was clearly unable to keep up — it had been over 35°C outside — and the light above our balcony was never switched off. Both made it harder to lose yourself in the atmosphere, especially from an already improvised viewing spot.

In Flames: from Colony, the room erupts

I have been listening to In Flames since 2003 or 2004, when the band was preparing Soundtrack to Your Escape. The album was even mixed at Galaxy Studios in Mol, Belgium, not far from the Graspop Metal Meeting site. Quite a symbol.

I still remember the controversy among fans at the time: some felt that the group’s sound was becoming too “nu metal”. Personally, whenever I listen to that album today, I still struggle to understand what it supposedly has in common with Korn.

In Seraing, the show begins with an absolutely iconic song: Colony, from the album of the same name. The atmosphere becomes wild immediately. Deliver Us follows and, at that point, I realise that we are in for a genuine best-of set spanning a large part of the band’s discography.

In total, 17 songs are played. Three come from the latest album, Foregone, and already feel like modern In Flames classics: Meet Your Maker, Foregone Pt. 2 and State of Slow Decay. Even so, I miss The Great Deceiver and Foregone Pt. 1. That says a lot about how highly I rate their latest record.

Voices is the third song of the night. I recorded a short clip, although a safety rail appears in the frame because I was seated. It will also be the only video I share.

Anders Fridén, good humour and metal as a family affair

Despite the intense heat, the band barely stops and delivers an exceptionally solid performance. Anders Fridén acknowledges the children in the audience and even dedicates Meet Your Maker to a little boy sitting on his father’s shoulders.

Metal is a family affair too. In Flames have existed since the early 1990s, and you can see it in the room: parents — perhaps even grandparents? — and children are sharing the same show. It is genuinely heart-warming. Metal crowds are often known for their warmth and kindness, which contrasts delightfully with the circle pits, crowdsurfing and walls of death :-).

Anders Fridén also seems to have mixed feelings about one particularly muscular male fan who goes crowdsurfing while showing the singer his chest. It leads to some good-natured banter, along with a few smiling “shut up” remarks whenever Anders tries to speak over the crowd’s unstoppable enthusiasm.

The Chosen Pessimist, then no more breathing room

The only true moment of respite comes with The Chosen Pessimist. Anders sits close to the audience to perform this slower, more atmospheric song. After that, there is no downtime: Cloud Connected — raaaahhh! —, Artifacts of the Black Rain, Trigger and Only for the Weak carry the OM audience through more than twenty-five years of In Flames history.

The final stretch is just as formidable. Alias and The Mirror’s Truth, both from A Sense of Purpose, lead into I Am Above from I, the Mask. Then Take This Life, from Come Clarity, closes the evening without an artificial encore: just a pure concert, right down to the final note.

The prominence given to A Sense of Purpose is especially fitting. Will Ramos, the excellent and charismatic vocalist of Lorna Shore, has explained that this In Flames album literally changed his life.

A tremendous performance that deserved better conditions

What should we take away from the evening? Despite the promises made regarding accessibility, the venue’s arrangements fell short, with real consequences for several people — some were even forced to leave. Add the intense heat and the light that remained on above the balcony, and the conditions were far from ideal.

Musically, however, the sound was excellent. Young Apath and I discussed it at length: the accuracy and control of Anders Fridén’s voice were astonishing. The same was true of Björn Gelotte’s solos, played with remarkable precision.

Given the heat, we quickly went for a soft drink after the show — except Ghor’mak, obviously ;-). Young Apath, wearing a beautiful Kamelot shirt from the Karma era, even met his own fan, who came over and asked him for a selfie. You could not invent a better ending.

Finally, a special dedication to my friends. Despite my temporary health problem, they still make it possible for me to enjoy a good concert from time to time, get out of the house and clear my head. Big up, guys.

And a very special mention for Lightman, who drove us there and back in his car from the future — the one that almost seems to drive itself. After an In Flames show, travelling home aboard a small autonomous spaceship felt strangely perfect. Thank you, our interstellar driver :-).

Full In Flames setlist at OM in Seraing

1. Colony
2. Deliver Us
3. Voices
4. Paralyzed
5. The Quiet Place
6. Meet Your Maker
7. The Chosen Pessimist
8. Cloud Connected
9. Artifacts of the Black Rain
10. Trigger
11. Only for the Weak
12. Foregone Pt. 2
13. State of Slow Decay
14. Alias
15. The Mirror’s Truth
16. I Am Above
17. Take This Life

The setlist is also available on Setlist.fm.