Review by UnhinderedbyTalent for In Flames - The Jester Race (1996)

So here's a turn up for the new year, a melodeath album that Vinny actually likes!  "Where is the real MacabreEternal?" I hear you cry, "We demand his safe return immediately!"

In terms of the Gothenburg scene At The Gate's The Red In The Sky Is Ours was my pick of the scene, with its demented vocal style being of particular note for me.  In Flames somehow passed me by until this past week and after a couple of spins of The Jester Race I am sold on this particular slab of melodeath.

What this record does so well is balance the melodic elements so very well with the death metal parts.  Whereas the Dark Tranquillity style of melodeath feels awash with keys and polished riffs, at this stage of their career In Flames has a more core death metal feel to proceedings.  It is still very melodic but it is integrated so well into the mix that it carries so much better.

There's a variety of influences present here too, ranging from progressive sounding follies to acoustic musings as well as incorporating flagrant rock riffs to boot.  The record is written with a skill that often belies a band just three years into their existence at the time.  For a bunch of guys in their early to mid-twenties there's a real maturity to proceedings over the ten tracks on display.

I have started 2020 off with a neat new discovery (albeit a 24 year old album)!  I clocked the 2014 digipak, The Jester Race + Black Ash Inheritance with bonus tracks and live tracks also.  Worth a punt.