Search - In Flames :: Jester Race: Reloaded

The definitive In Flames album, re-reissued

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 06/19/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Originally released in 1995, The Jester Race was the third album from Swedish death metal band In Flames. If you only know the band from their recent work, you may be surprised to hear what they sounded like back in the 90's, when they played melodic death metal and were regarded as one of the best at it.



I actually enjoy the band's newer albums, but they don't remotely compare to the perfection they unleashed in the few short years between The Jester Race, Whoracle and Colony. Devastating rhythms were paired with Maiden-esque melodies for a completely accessible, but completely heavy brand of death metal. These are melodies that will be running through your head days after you hear the album, and not in an annoying way.



The Jester Race is really the point where what you'd consider the Gothenburg sound was crystallized. The album is just a level beyond where In Flames was at with Lunar Strain (Dig) and Subterranean, in terms of melodies and songwriting as well as the vocals. Anders Friden was one of the best death metal vocalists because he never really had that Cookie Monster sound. It's less brutal than those first two albums, but I still think what the band was doing at this point is legendary.



Even though I prefer Whoracle (it was my first death metal album), The Jester Race really is the definitive In Flames album, and has to be considered the benchmark for melodic death metal (at least post-Slaughter of the Soul). It's a must-have In Flames album, a must-have melodic death metal album, and one that most metal fans really need to own.



Edition Notes: Nuclear Blast reissued The Jester Race in 2002, adding the Black Ash Inheritance EP as bonus tracks and remastering the sound. Other than the very cheap-looking digipack, it's an ideal reissue.



Edition Notes 2: Nuclear Blast reissued The Jester Race yet again in 2009 as part of their Re-gouged, sorry - Re-loaded, series. It's essentially the same as the 2002 reissue, only now it comes in one of those weird "super jewel cases" instead of the digipack. If you already have the 2002 reissue, there's no reason to replace it."