During the band's early years, In Flames had a varying group of musicians recording with them, including many session musicians. By the release of Colony (1999), the group had established a stable lineup. Their sixth studio album Reroute to Remain (2002) showed the band moving toward a newer style of music that moved further away from melodic death metal and closer to alternative metal. 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. As of 2008, In Flames has sold over two million records worldwide.
Since the band's inception, In Flames have released thirteen studio albums, three EPs, and two live DVDs, their latest release being their thirteenth studio album I, the Mask in 2019. In Flames has been nominated for three Grammis Awards. They won two of these nominations; one for Soundtrack to Your Escape (2004) in the "Hard Rock/Metal of the Year" category, and one nomination for their following album Come Clarity (2006) in the same category.
Greatest Greed
In Flames Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I sold you twice (twice!)
I sold you a third time, and still you're backing out
I hit you once, I hit you twice
You start to scream and still it doesn't count
So here we are
What's left of us will come to an end
My head's a mess (mess!)
My broken bones (bones!)
I feel like a victim, but you're not in control
You're filled with rage, one last mistake
You are no victim, just one without a soul
So here we are
What's left of us will come to an end
So here we are
Why? Why?
Don't you walk away?
Why? Why?
Don't you walk away?
A single sound, one-two-three times
The greatest greed is just an empty thrive
So here we are
What's left of us will come to an end
So here we are
So here we are
What's left of us will come to an end
So here we are
Why? Why?
Don't you walk away?
Why? Why?
Don't you walk away?
The lyrics in In Flames's song "Greatest Greed" seem to tell a story of a dysfunctional and abusive relationship between two people. The first verse seems to be spoken by the abuser, who boasts about having sold the victim multiple times and having hit them without any consequence. The second verse, however, states that the abuser feels like a victim themselves and is suffering from physical and mental damage caused by the relationship. This paradoxical situation shows that they are both in the wrong, leading to an inevitable end.
The chorus emphasizes the fact that the relationship is coming to an end, with the repetition of "so here we are, what's left of us will come to an end." The bridge then asks a series of "why" questions, perhaps addressing the victim and questioning why they are still in the relationship despite the abuse, or maybe just highlighting the senselessness of the situation. The final verse, "a single sound, one-two-three times, the greatest greed is just an empty thrive," suggests that the entire relationship was founded on greed and is now ending in emptiness.
Line by Line Meaning
I sold you once (once!)
I betrayed you once with my actions, despite any promises or trust that existed.
I sold you twice (twice!)
I betrayed you twice with my actions, again ignoring any previous agreements or trust.
I sold you a third time, and still you're backing out
I betrayed you once more, although this time you have decided to no longer support me and instead withdraw your faith, trust and resources from me.
I hit you once, I hit you twice
I resorted to violence, both physical and emotional, in order to maintain control over you.
You start to scream and still it doesn't count
Despite your vocalizations and emotional reactions to my mistreatment and abuse towards you, it had no effect on me and I refused to stop.
My head's a mess (mess!)
I am overwhelmed and paralyzed by my own thoughts and actions in this situation.
My broken bones (bones!)
I have been physically and metaphorically beaten down by the consequences of my actions and choices.
I feel like a victim, but you're not in control
I want to view myself as a victim of the situation, but in reality, I am the one responsible for my own destructive behaviors and choices.
You're filled with rage, one last mistake
You are feeling incredibly angry and fed up with my behavior towards you, and I am proceeding to make one final mistake that will likely lead to the end of our relationship.
You are no victim, just one without a soul
Despite my attempts to paint myself as a victim of the situation, in reality, you are the one without a soul as a result of my own actions and mistreatment of you.
Why? Why? Don't you walk away?
I am pleading with you to stay and continue to endure my mistreatment and abuse, even though I know it is wrong.
A single sound, one-two-three times
A sound or noise that occurs three times, potentially symbolizing a singular event or decision that was repeated multiple times.
The greatest greed is just an empty thrive
The pursuit of power and control at the expense of others is ultimately meaningless and unfulfilling.
So here we are What's left of us will come to an end
The situation we are in will inevitably come to a conclusion, likely not in our favor.
Why? Why? Don't you walk away?
I repeat my plea for you to stay, despite knowing that it is not what is best for you or for our relationship.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Howard Benson, Niclas Ingmar Engelin, Bjorn Gelotte, Anders Friden
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jonttelyfe
Might be an unpopular opinion but this is my fave from the new Battles album :D so good!
erminrad1
LlDDSLl yea mine too, just a sick track
DESTROYEUR666
If you are a real metalhead you are not supposed to care about be unpopular or not
KittyVanWhiskas
Every time I hear this song i get goosebumps. Its so powerful and... beautiful at the same time <3
jacob reynolds
mad respect, in flames always had their own sound but turning away from their heavier sound they created something that is and can only ever be the entity that is in flames
vitun sorsat
never thought i'd enjoy metalcore this much, but here i am screaming my lungs out and headbanging like my life depended on it lol
Ozzie Perez
the intro reminds me of "Deliver us". And well, both are great songs. So either way, In Flames is awesome :)
Mogrey
in flames are in flames :) for any reason i wouldn't try to categorize them cause i can't they are not a melodic death band anymore and i can't put a tag on them. the only tag i can think is in flame :P and they are awesome no matter what they do. they are good musicians and they don't want to stick to something they want to create something new something unique ^^
erminrad1
Ozzie Perez like
Terativ
this song and Drained are my favorites. I wish the album was more consistent in terms of quality