I found it on some metal site, then ensured myself by checking band's site. Holy shit.

2006-02-08 - Wins Swedish goverments exportation award
In Flames wins Swedish goverments exportation award at the Swedish grammy awards. This is the first metal band ever to win this award.

"Thanks to In Flames, Sweden now have a Metal band in the absolute world elite", Swedish economy minister Thomas Östros said.

Government's award? Good word from economy minister? For a metal band? Wow!

In my country, if government/administration shows interest in heavier music, it usually means forbiding some gig (i.e. recently - Dark Funeral couldn't play). And it probably will get worse, because of freshly estabilished government consisting conservative-national-socialistic-catholic & whatnot parties.

I saw interview with guys from Clawfinger, who said interesting things about music in Sweden - money (subsidies? grants? don't know the word) for rock bands, free rehearsal spaces, but In Flames thing is just nuts.

You lucky Swedish people. No wonder so many great bands are from Sweden.

PERSONALLY, I wouldn't count In Flames to metal anymore. I listened to Whoreacle and so on and that was metal. The last 2 releases are more pop music then Britney Spears. I don't want to offend any In Flames fan but I miss their aggressive parts, anyway. Once again, sorry if I offended any In Flames fan.

All in all I'm glad for I.F. but nothing more, the whole think should honour them so congratulation.

@BrunoN: Yeah, it seems it's a bit harder to get your foot down as a metal band, what makes me actually wonder because the great Poland has created such great bands as Behemoth, Vader, Decapitated and so on. I guess I know the reason: Wasn't Gorgoroth in Warsaw in 2004!?

It's not uncommon up here in Finland, Sweden & Norway that the government supports culture. You can even get artistic support from the government, sometimes it's a lot of money. A movie making team recently got 661 000 euros (about 800,000 $US). Bigger bands often get about 10 000 - 30 000 euros for making an album. Even smaller bands can get about 5000 euros.

PERSONALLY, I wouldn't count In Flames to metal anymore. I listened to Whoreacle and so on and that was metal. The last 2 releases are more pop music then Britney Spears. I don't want to offend any In Flames fan but I miss their aggressive parts, anyway. Once again, sorry if I offended any In Flames fan.

I'm not an In Flames fan, but it sounds like metal for me. Unless Britney started to use double bass druming and rather harsh vocals.

@BrunoN: Yeah, it seems it's a bit harder to get your foot down as a metal band, what makes me actually wonder because the great Poland has created such great bands as Behemoth, Vader, Decapitated and so on. I guess I know the reason: Wasn't Gorgoroth in Warsaw in 2004!?

Sure, but there were cool bands, who disbanded prolly because of sucky conditions for metal activity.

Yeah, Gorgoroth. That was in Krakow. As far as I know all the fuss was about poor cameramen, who felt "offended" by stage show. They should hire metalheads

Yeah, Gorgoroth. That was in Krakow. As far as I know all the fuss was about poor cameramen, who felt "offended" by stage show.

Yep, too much sheep cadavers.

Yep, too much sheep cadavers.

And that naked ladies were distracting a bit.

and exactly how was Opeth overlooked?

and exactly how was Opeth overlooked?

Ha, only Opeth?

Smaller sales, I guess.

and exactly how was Opeth overlooked?

Ha, only Opeth?

Smaller sales, I guess.

yeah true, people have a thing for bands that sell lots of records