The Jester Race is the second studio album by Swedish heavy metal band In Flames, released in February 1996. It is the first album to feature Anders Fridén as the band's vocalist, Björn Gelotte as the drummer, and Jester Head as the band's mascot.
| The Jester Race | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 20 February 1996[1] | |||
| Recorded | November 1995[2] | |||
| Studio | Studio Fredman, Gothenburg | |||
| Genre | Melodic death metal[2] | |||
| Length | 40:12 | |||
| Label | Nuclear Blast | |||
| Producer | Fredrik Nordström and In Flames | |||
| In Flames chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  [2] |
| Chronicles of Chaos | 8/10[3] |
The album was the band's second full-length album released following the more mainstream success of their 1995 EP, Subterranean. The Jester Race was recorded at Studio Fredman by Fredrik Nordström, who also contributed keyboards for the album.
The song "Dead Eternity" was originally on the Subterranean (EP) and the song "Dead God in Me" was also originally on the Subterranean (EP) but with a different title, "The Inborn Lifeless". Although, the version on The Jester Race has different lyrics, a different ending, and a slightly different solo.
The Jester Race ranked No. 79 on Metal Rules' list of the Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums.[4] It is considered a classic album of the melodic death metal genre,[5] along with At the Gates' Slaughter of the Soul and Dark Tranquillity's The Gallery,[6] exhibiting the dual guitar leads, growled vocals and acoustic sections typical of the genre.
A remixed version of the song "Moonshield" was released on the EP Trigger. A video for the song "Artifacts of the Black Rain" was also released.
Trivium frontman Matthew K. Heafy said in an interview with Wall of Sound that The Jester Race is "the one metal album you should have heard by now."[7]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Moonshield" | Jesper Strömblad | 5:04 |
| 2. | "The Jester's Dance" (instrumental) | Strömblad, Johan Larsson | 2:11 |
| 3. | "Artifacts of the Black Rain" | Strömblad, Björn Gelotte | 3:17 |
| 4. | "Graveland" | Strömblad, Glenn Ljungström | 2:48 |
| 5. | "Lord Hypnos" | Gelotte, Strömblad, Ljungström | 4:03 |
| 6. | "Dead Eternity" | Ljungström, Strömblad | 5:03 |
| 7. | "The Jester Race" | Ljungström, Strömblad | 4:53 |
| 8. | "December Flower" | Strömblad, Ljungström | 4:12 |
| 9. | "Wayfaerer" (instrumental) | Strömblad, Gelotte | 4:42 |
| 10. | "Dead God in Me" | Strömblad, Ljungström | 4:19 |
| Total length: | 40:12 | ||
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Goliaths Disarm Their Davids" | Ljungström, Strömblad, Gelotte | 4:55 |
| 12. | "Gyroscope" | Strömblad | 3:23 |
| 13. | "Acoustic Medley" (instrumental) | Strömblad | 2:32 |
| 14. | "Behind Space" (live) | Ljungström, Strömblad | 3:36 |
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dead Eternity" | Ljungström, Strömblad | 5:03 |
| 2. | "The Jester Race" | Ljungström, Strömblad | 4:53 |
| 3. | "Graveland" | Strömblad, Glenn Ljungström | 2:48 |
| 4. | "Moonshield" | Jesper Strömblad | 5:04 |
| 5. | "The Jester's Dance" (instrumental) | Strömblad, Johan Larsson | 2:11 |
| 6. | "December Flower" | Strömblad, Ljungström | 4:12 |
| 7. | "Artifacts of the Black Rain" | Strömblad, Björn Gelotte | 3:17 |
| 8. | "Dead God in Me" | Strömblad, Ljungström | 4:19 |
| 9. | "Wayfaerer" (instrumental) | Strömblad, Gelotte | 4:42 |
| 10. | "Lord Hypnos" | Gelotte, Strömblad, Ljungström | 4:03 |
| 11. | "Dead Eternity (Demo)" | 5:02 | |
| 12. | "The Inborn Lifeless (Demo)" | 3:22 |
Personnel
editIn Flames
edit- Anders Fridén − lead vocals
- Jesper Strömblad − lead guitars, acoustic guitar, keyboards
- Glenn Ljungström − lead guitars
- Johan Larsson − bass, backing vocals
- Björn Gelotte − drums, lead guitars
Guest appearances
edit- Fredrik Nordström − keyboards
- Oscar Dronjak − vocal appearance on "Dead Eternity"
- Fredrik Johansson − lead guitar on "December Flower"
- Kaspar Dahlqvist − keyboards on "Wayfaerer"
Production and composition
edit- Produced by Fredrik Nordström and In Flames
- Lyrical concept and song titles collaborated by Niklas Sundin and Anders Fridén
- Lyrics on "Dead Eternity" by Jocke Göthberg
- Engineered by Fredrik Nordström and Patrik Hellgren
- Mastered by Staffan Olofsson
- Logo by Glenn Ljungström
- Artwork by Andreas Marschall
- Photos by Kenneth Johansson
- Layout by M&A Music art
References
edit- ^ a b "In Flames - The Jester Race - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives". metal-archives.com. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
- ^ a b c Huey, Steve. "In Flames - "The Jester Race"". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
- ^ "In Flames - The Jester Race". Chronicles of Chaos. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
- ^ "The Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums". Metal-Rules. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
- ^ "In Flames". BNR Metal, Version 3. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
- ^ "Melodic Death Metal". About.com. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
- ^ Story, Ebony (16 November 2021). "Educate Ebony Episode 22 Feat. Matthew K. Heafy (Trivium)". Wall Of Sound. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- ^ "In Flames = イン・フレイムス* - The Jester Race = ザ・ジェスター・レース". Discogs. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
- ^ "In Flames - The Jester Race - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives". metal-archives.com. Retrieved 14 October 2020.