In Flames Singer Anders Friden Talks Social ‘Masks’ He Wears

If you've ever poured through In Flames' lyrics, you know that singer Anders Friden consistently returns to the well of questioning identity and existence. He's a generally reserved person who is content to keep to himself, but we wanted to know more behind it all — behind the "masks" he wears, as he sings on the title track to the band's new album, I, The Mask.

With the understanding that this topic — the question of one's identity — is universal, Friden feels this helps to create a stronger, more emotional connection with In Flames fans. The singer stressed that in a number of varying situations, he tends to feel pretty relaxed, even onstage. The "mask" he wears does come into play when performing though, as he explains there's a persona and level of cockiness that comes with the territory of fronting a band.

Going a bit deeper, we presented lyrical snippets from "I, The Mask," "Pinball Map" and "Wallflower," inviting Friden to reflect on what aspect of his personality these words resonate with. At the heart of it, the singer feels like he's "just a simple musician" and while he testifies that he's generally been writing about the same thing throughout his career, the fact that he's still searching for the answers proves there's more to this than just simplicity.

Watch the video above for our interview with Friden and get your copy of I, The Mask here.

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