The Jester Race
Encyclopedia
The Jester Race is the second album by melodic death metal
band In Flames
. It is the first album to feature Anders Fridén
as the band's vocalist and Björn Gelotte
as the drummer. A video for the song "Artifacts of the Black Rain" was also released. It was also the first album to feature the Jesterhead, the band's mascot.
After releasing The Jester Race, the band then toured with Samael
, Grip Inc.
and Kreator
. The album was the band's second full-length album released following the more mainstream success of the 1994 EP, Subterranean. The Jester Race was recorded at Studio Fredman
by Fredrik Nordström
, who also contributed keyboards for the album.
The Jester Race is considered one of the greatest metal albums of all time. It ranked #79 on the website Metal Rules' list of 100 Greatest Metal Albums. It is also considered a classic album of the Gothenburg
style of metal, along with At the Gates
' Slaughter of the Soul
and Dark Tranquillity
's The Gallery
, exhibiting the dual guitar leads, growled vocals and acoustic sections typical of the genre.
The song "Dead Eternity" is a re-recorded version of the song from Subterranean. "Dead God in Me" is also a re-recorded version of a song from Subterranean, although the song is named "The Inborn Lifeless" on the EP, only runs to 3:23 minutes and has different lyrics to "Dead God in Me".
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
band In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
. It is the first album to feature Anders Fridén
Anders Fridén
Anders Fridén is the vocalist/lyricist of the Swedish band In Flames-Early career:Fridén was originally the vocalist for Dark Tranquillity. He performed on their debut album, Skydancer, but left the band soon after. Two years later he joined In Flames...
as the band's vocalist and Björn Gelotte
Björn Gelotte
Björn Gelotte is a songwriter and guitarist for the Swedish band, In Flames. He joined the band as the drummer in 1995, and continued his position as drummer during The Jester Race and Whoracle . Gelotte switched to his current position on guitars after Niklas Engelin left the band, sharing...
as the drummer. A video for the song "Artifacts of the Black Rain" was also released. It was also the first album to feature the Jesterhead, the band's mascot.
After releasing The Jester Race, the band then toured with Samael
Samael (band)
Samael is a industrial black metal band formed in 1987 in Sion, Switzerland.-Biography:Although much of their music from the mid-1990s onwards has incorporated electronic sounds which would best define their genre as industrial metal, they are an early 2nd Wave black metal band and an innovator for...
, Grip Inc.
Grip Inc.
Grip Inc. is a groove metal band and a side project of drummer Dave Lombardo. The band was formed in 1993, and they are currently signed to SPV Records...
and Kreator
Kreator
Kreator is a thrash metal band from Essen, Germany, formed in 1978, but formalized in 1982 under the name Tormentor. They originally performed a speed metal style with Venom influences. Their style of music is similar to their compatriots Destruction and Sodom, the other two big German thrash metal...
. The album was the band's second full-length album released following the more mainstream success of the 1994 EP, Subterranean. The Jester Race was recorded at Studio Fredman
Studio Fredman
Studio Fredman is a recording studio in Göteborg, Sweden, owned and operated by producer Fredrik Nordström.It is popular among Swedish metal bands, with artists such as At the Gates, Deathstars, Nightrage, Dimmu Borgir, Arch Enemy, Soilwork, Dark Tranquillity, Amon Amarth, In Flames, Zonaria,...
by Fredrik Nordström
Fredrik Nordström
Björn Tom Fredrik Nordström, born on 5 January 1967, is a Swedish record producer and guitar player for the heavy metal band Dream Evil. Nordström is one of the leading melodic death metal producers in Sweden, and he has worked with some of the genre's top acts, including At the Gates, Arch Enemy,...
, who also contributed keyboards for the album.
The Jester Race is considered one of the greatest metal albums of all time. It ranked #79 on the website Metal Rules' list of 100 Greatest Metal Albums. It is also considered a classic album of the Gothenburg
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
style of metal, along with At the Gates
At the Gates
At the Gates is an extreme metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden, and a major progenitor of the Gothenburg death-metal sound. Their early albums lean towards a death metal sound, but later albums sound more like melodic death metal.Initially active from 1990 to 1996, the band reformed in 2007 for a...
' Slaughter of the Soul
Slaughter of the Soul
Slaughter of the Soul is the fourth and final studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band At the Gates before their reunion in 2011. It is considered a genre classic by many fans, and was largely responsible for establishing the Gothenburg scene...
and Dark Tranquillity
Dark Tranquillity
Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg. They are one of the longest-standing bands from the original Gothenburg metal scene, and are one of the most integral pioneers of the melodic death metal genre of music....
's The Gallery
The Gallery (album)
The Gallery is the second full-length studio album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity, released on November 27, 1995. It was the first full-length release to feature Mikael Stanne on lead vocals, while passing down his position of guitarist to Fredrik Johansson...
, exhibiting the dual guitar leads, growled vocals and acoustic sections typical of the genre.
The song "Dead Eternity" is a re-recorded version of the song from Subterranean. "Dead God in Me" is also a re-recorded version of a song from Subterranean, although the song is named "The Inborn Lifeless" on the EP, only runs to 3:23 minutes and has different lyrics to "Dead God in Me".
Track listing
Bonus tracks
- These tracks are from the Black-Ash InheritanceBlack-Ash Inheritance-Personnel:*Anders Fridén - vocals, percussion*Glenn Ljungström - guitar*Jesper Strömblad - guitar, keyboards, percussion*Johan Larsson - bass*Bjorn Gelotte - drums, percussion...
MCD.
- These tracks are from the 2007 re-release of the SubterraneanSubterraneanSubterranean or The Subterranean may refer to:* Subterranea , underground structures, both natural and man-madeIn literature:* The Subterraneans, a novella by Jack Kerouac...
EP.
In Flames
- Anders FridénAnders FridénAnders Fridén is the vocalist/lyricist of the Swedish band In Flames-Early career:Fridén was originally the vocalist for Dark Tranquillity. He performed on their debut album, Skydancer, but left the band soon after. Two years later he joined In Flames...
− vocals - Jesper StrömbladJesper StrömbladClas Håkan Jesper Strömblad is a Swedish musician who is currently the guitarist for the bands Dimension Zero & The Resistance...
− lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
s, acoustic guitars & keyboards - Glenn LjungströmGlenn LjungströmGlenn Ljungström was the original guitarist of the Swedish melodic death metal band In Flames along with the band's founder, Jesper Strömblad. He was a member of In Flames from 1993 until 1997, after which he quit In Flames to support his family with a more stable job. He was fired from multiple...
− lead guitars - Johan LarssonJohan LarssonJohan Larsson is a former bassist of the Swedish melodic death metal band In Flames. He was a member of In Flames from 1993 until 1997. Johan was also the original bassist of the Swedish power metal band HammerFall, but quit before the band ever released a studio album.-Album appearances:* Lunar...
− bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
& backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Björn GelotteBjörn GelotteBjörn Gelotte is a songwriter and guitarist for the Swedish band, In Flames. He joined the band as the drummer in 1995, and continued his position as drummer during The Jester Race and Whoracle . Gelotte switched to his current position on guitars after Niklas Engelin left the band, sharing...
− drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
& lead guitars
Guest appearances
- Fredrik NordströmFredrik NordströmBjörn Tom Fredrik Nordström, born on 5 January 1967, is a Swedish record producer and guitar player for the heavy metal band Dream Evil. Nordström is one of the leading melodic death metal producers in Sweden, and he has worked with some of the genre's top acts, including At the Gates, Arch Enemy,...
− keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Oscar DronjakOscar DronjakOscar Fredrick Dronjak is the rhythm and lead guitarist and founder of the Heavy Metal band HammerFall. Prior to the success of HammerFall, he also played and released albums with the death metal acts Ceremonial Oath and Crystal Age....
− vocal appearance on Dead Eternity - Fredrik JohanssonFredrik Johansson (guitarist)Fredrik Johansson is a former member of melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity, joining in 1993. While in Dark Tranquility, he performed lead guitar on the In Flames song "December Flower" from the album The Jester Race. He is not to be confused with the other Gothenburg-based guitarist of the...
− lead guitar on December Flower - Kasper Dahlqvist − keyboards on Wayfaerer
Production and composition
- Produced by Fredrik NordströmFredrik NordströmBjörn Tom Fredrik Nordström, born on 5 January 1967, is a Swedish record producer and guitar player for the heavy metal band Dream Evil. Nordström is one of the leading melodic death metal producers in Sweden, and he has worked with some of the genre's top acts, including At the Gates, Arch Enemy,...
and In FlamesIn FlamesIn Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
. - Lyrical concept and song titles collaborated by Niklas SundinNiklas SundinNiklas Sundin , is a musician best known as the guitarist of bands Dark Tranquillity and Laethora. He also wrote some of the lyrics for the first three and recent two Dark Tranquillity albums and In Flames' album The Jester Race, and...
and Anders FridénAnders FridénAnders Fridén is the vocalist/lyricist of the Swedish band In Flames-Early career:Fridén was originally the vocalist for Dark Tranquillity. He performed on their debut album, Skydancer, but left the band soon after. Two years later he joined In Flames...
. - Lyrics on Dead Eternity by Jocke Göthberg.
- Engineered by Fredrik NordströmFredrik NordströmBjörn Tom Fredrik Nordström, born on 5 January 1967, is a Swedish record producer and guitar player for the heavy metal band Dream Evil. Nordström is one of the leading melodic death metal producers in Sweden, and he has worked with some of the genre's top acts, including At the Gates, Arch Enemy,...
and Patrik Hellgren. - Mastered by Staffan Olofsson.
- Logo by Glenn LjungströmGlenn LjungströmGlenn Ljungström was the original guitarist of the Swedish melodic death metal band In Flames along with the band's founder, Jesper Strömblad. He was a member of In Flames from 1993 until 1997, after which he quit In Flames to support his family with a more stable job. He was fired from multiple...
. - Artwork by Andreas Marschall.
- Photos by Kenneth JohanssonKenneth JohanssonKenneth Johansson is a Swedish Centre Party politician, member of the Riksdag since 1998.-References:...
. - Layout by M&A Music art.