Early Days:

In Flames was formed in 1990 when Jesper Stromblad left the band Ceremonial Oath and teamed up with Johan Larsson and Glenn Ljungström. The first incarnation of In Flames recorded the album The Lunar Strain which wasn't released for a few years. After using musicians from several other bands on vocals and drums the band recruited vocalist Anders Friden and drummer Bjorn Gelotte to record the album The Jester Race, which was released in 1995.

Upheaval:

The Jester Race was successful and In Flames began touring the world. After their third album, Whoracle, was released in 1997 Larsson and Ljungström left the band. They were replaced by bassist Peter Iwers and guitarist Niklas Engelin. Engelin departed shortly thereafter. That's when Bjorn Gelotte switched from drums to guitar and they recruited drummer Daniel Svensson.

Success:

After the lineup solidified, the band's next two albums were 1999's Colony and 2000's Clayman. They both sold very well and In Flames soon became one of the most popular and most respected metal bands in the world. Reroute To Remain (2002) and The Soundtrack To Your Escape (2004) increased the visibility and prowess of In Flames.

Lineup Change:

After battling alcohol issues and missing several tours, longtime guitarist Jesper Stromblad left the band in 2011. The band recorded Sounds Of A Playground Fading with just Bjorn Gelotte handling guitars, but added tour fill-in and former member Niclas Engelin as a permanent member in 2011.

The Band's Sound:

In Flames were pioneers of what became known as the "Gothenburg Sound," named after their hometown. It's also called melodic death metal, a combination of the guttural death metal vocals with melodic music. They paved the way for a whole generation of Scandinavian bands that followed in their musical footsteps.

Current In Flames Lineup and Their Former Bands:

Here's the current lineup of In Flames. Their former bands and/or current side projects are also listed:
Björn Gelotte - Guitar (All Ends)
Daniel Svensson - Drums (Dimension Zero, Sacrilege)
Peter Iwers - Bass Guitar(Chameleon)
Niclas Engelin - Guitar (Engel, Passenger)
Anders Fridén - Vocals (Ceremonial Oath, Dark Tranquility, Passenger)

Former Members:

Johan Larsson - Bass, vocals (1990-1997)
Jesper Strömblad - Guitar (1990-2010)
Glenn Ljungström - Guitar (1990-1997)
Niklas Engelin - Guitar (1997-1998)
Mikael Stanne - Vocals (1993-1994)
Anders Jivarp - Drums (1995-1995)
Anders Iwers - Guitar (1990-1992)
Henrik "Henke" Forss - Vocals (1995)
Carl Näslund - Guitars (1993-1994)

In Flames Discography:

1994 Lunar Strain (Wrong Again)
1995 Subterranean EP(Wrong Again)
1996 The Jester Race (Nuclear Blast)
1997 Black Ash Inheritance EP (Nuclear Blast)
1997 Whoracle (Nuclear Blast)
1999 Colony (Nuclear Blast)
2000 Clayman (Nuclear Blast)
2001 The Tokyo Showdown(live) (Nuclear Blast)
2002 Reroute To Remain (Nuclear Blast)
2004 Soundtrack To Your Escape (Nuclear Blast)
2005 Used & Abused - In Live We Trust DVD (Nuclear Blast)
2006 Come Clarity (Ferret)
2008 A Sense Of Purpose (Koch)
2011 Sounds Of A Playground Fading (Century Media)
2014 Siren Charms (Sony)

Essential In Flames Album:

The Jester Race
Their second album, released in 1995, is a great combination of thrash influenced death metal. You'll also hear some NWOBHM influences.