A few years ago when I started getting into metal, Opeth were one of my favourite bands to begin with.

Although I don’t really see the similarity, a lot of people recommended In Flames to me because of it. Supposedly, ‘The Jester Race’ is an album which epitomises the ‘Gothenburg’ style of metal.

If this is seen as a classic I wouldn’t wanna know how an ‘average‘ Gothenburg album fairs.

Since everyone was making romance explosions over this album, I listened to it keenly trying to hear what exactly was so boner-enducing. Jesus, most of the time I got distracted by my grandpa gardening outside, who managed to be more arousing.

I went there.

For many bands, if the singing is poor, the instruments can occasionally carry the song to enjoyability.

For ‘The Jester Race’, neither is pleasurable. Anders whiny guttural growling is exceptionally unbearable on this album, and at times sounds like a dog yelping.

december-flower-clip-of-anders.mp3

Another supposed highlight of the album is the constant harmonization. I don’t get it, there’s a couple of interesting interludes and solos (Lord Hypnos) but overall the riffage sounds all so similair and un-original that I could hardly even pick up on it.

A lot of people seem to defend this album with how good the song ‘Moonshield’ is, which although is better than the other tracks, still appears incredibly over-rated to me. One 50 year old tranny among nine 80 year old trannies will stand out, but they’re still fucking ugly.

An artist’s depiction of ‘Moonshield’.

The best pieces on the album are the instrumental pieces, irrelevant to the fact that Anders obviously doesn’t sing on them. ‘The Jester’s Dance’ features an awesome clean riff, while ‘Wayfaerer’ is intriguing since the harmonization in the riffs are actually audible and change, with a particularly refreshing section around 2:00 through the song.

I’ve read some of the stupidest justifications for this album:

Tea_and_Crumpets writes:

This album is often put down simply because it is full of melody and is very enjoyable and easy to listen to.

Those resisting and discarding the whole melodic death metal genre are missing out on an amazing sound.

Damn, You’ve got me there. I fucking hate albums that are enjoyable to listen to!

I’m not at all discarding the genre either - I love Norther, Children of Bodom and Arch Enemy, and The Jester Race is blown out of the water by any of them. “b-b-b-but you’re an idiot miek, its, its power metal with harsh vocals you noob”. Shut up, genre elitism is stupid. Specifically, they are, but in this context it’s much easier to put those bands under the wide label of melodic-death metal that In Flames are classified as.

Back to The Jester Race, The riffs are plain and un-inspired, the drums sound thin, and Anders has one of the worst voices in metal I’ve ever heard.

In the end, a couple of delicious treats in a bowl of shit doesn’t make the meal appetizing.

The album is possibly the most over-rated of all time I’ve come across.