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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Groundbreaking Band and a Groundbreaking Album, September 3, 2002
Back in the mid-90's metal was going through a bit of a dull period (not that it's any better now, come to think of it). Nothing was really special anymore, grunge had run its course, the intensity of death metal had came and went, and melody and technicality in rock music was already becoming a thing of the past. Something new and different was needed to give metal that extra punch that it once had. What could be done to do this? Apparently, five guys from Sweden had found the answer, giving birth to In Flames, and the now trademark melodic death sound. While their first album, Lunar Strain, showed great potential, it was a bit too unpolished to really be considered a classic. However, when their second full-length LP, the Jester Race, was released, it proved to be everything In Flames first album could and should have been, and a lot more.The Jester Race is a brilliant album in every sense of the word, from the crunchy rhythm guitar riffs and melodic lead guitar interplay, to the throaty, thought-provoking lyrics. Like many great albums, it'll probably require more than a few listens before you grasp the full scope of the music, but once you do, you'll realize just how much effort was put into this release. One minute you'll be listening to a brilliant acoustic melody, and the next you'll be treated to some of the greatest melodic guitar since Iron Maiden's prime. Hats off to Jesper, the main songwriter and lead guitarist, he truly has a gift for melody and catchy riffs. Each time I listen to this album, I find something new to appreciate and enjoy. The album has many, many highlights, from the unique and beautiful instrumental The Jester's Dance, (I've never heard ANYTHING like that before!) to the perfect balance of beauty and heaviness in the title track, this album just blows you away track for track. If there's anything that could really be considered disappointing about this album, it's that the band never does anything really epic here, nor have they ever afterwards (their songs all average about four minutes, and they have yet to exceed five and a half minutes in a song!) but that's really a small complaint and is only really based upon my own personal tastes anyway. I'll finish the review off with a track-by-track synopsis of the album: 1.Moonshield-a pretty good song, but probably not the best suited song for an album opener. Many people consider it one of In Flames best songs. I don't, but it's still pretty good. It only gets better from here. 7/10 2.The Jester's Dance- one of the most unique instrumentals ever crafted. It's a bit short, but that's probably why it's so good; it definitely leaves you wanting more afterwards. 9/10 3.Artifacts of the Black Rain- a faster, more rocking song with an addictive riff and great melodic guitar. Has everything you could want in an In Flames song; one of my favorites. 10/10 4.Graveland- a heavy, pounding, track. Not as good as the previous, but definitely a song that gets you moving with good rhythm. 8/10 5.Lord Hypnos- another awesome song. Starts with an extremely catchy lead riff, then gets very heavy, then towards the middle there is a great, chugging rhythm. 9/10 6.Dead Eternity- my personal favorite of the album. This song is just totally incredible from start to finish. It starts off fast, chances to a nice chugging riff once again, then fades away into the main lead riff. From there this song just goes all over the place, and every second of it is amazing! An In Flames masterpiece. 10/10 7.The Jester Race- another one of the best songs on the album. The interesting thing is this song starts off with a catchy melody somewhat resembling the melody from The Jester's Dance. The song is dominated by a very catchy and heavy main riff. One of the only songs on the album with a real chorus, and probably the catchiest song on the album. 10/10 8.December Flower- starts out with very speedy drums and guitar, at first sounding a bit like the beginning of Dead Eternity. It then changes track with great rhythm and lead guitar swapping, and a catchy melody. The lengthy solo halfway through is pure bliss! Excellent song. 9/10 9.Wayfaerer- the albums second instrumental, and much longer than The Jester's Dance. Starts off great, with some awesome tempo changes in the beginning, and a good lead riff. Once the keyboard comes in, however, it starts to get a little bit cheesy, and loses some appeal, but it's still pretty good. However, it is nowhere near as good as In Flames' later instrumentals. 7.5/10 10.Dead God in Me- some people love this song; I think it's okay. The last minute of the song, where they improve the main riff a bit, is what saves it for me, but the rest of it could have been a bit better. Overall, a decent song, and fitting for a closer, just needed a bit more fine tuning. 8/10 Buy this album whenever you have the chance. It gave birth to a whole new sound and style and is definitely one of the best albums of the 90's.
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by In Flames 
