In Flames's Reviews

Whoracle

This is actually my least favorite In Flames LP...

Following up the masterpiece that is The Jester Race is quite a wall to scale, and unfortunately, Whoracle doesn't quite live up to the impossible standards achieved on the aforementioned Jester Race (my all time favorite album, BTW.) In Flames does, however, manage to keep the quality high throughout this excellent disc.

First off is a classic. Jotun opens Whoracle with some excellent melodies that constitutes every classic In Flames number. Gyroscope, the most recognizable song from this set, features more of Jesper Stromblad's damn fine guitar work (a songwriter in a class with such metal luminaries as Adrian Smith and Dave Mustaine.) Track 4, Dialogue with the Stars, is my favorite instrumental from these Swedes, aching of classic metal in the vein of Iron Maiden, Rainbow, and Judas Priest. After Jester Script Transfigured, the album slows down a bit as the material weakens a little on Morphing into the Primal and Worlds Within the Margin. The title track wraps things up nicely, though, to end an overall awesome record, no filler, just a couple of weaker spots.

Whoracle saw In Flames enter a new era in which they lightened up on the folk elements of their sound from Lunar Strain to The Jester Race to streamline their music a bit. They would master this on the coming albums Colony, Clayman, and Reroute to Remain. Whoracle is more than a worthy addition to the catalog, but In Flames can and has done better.

Buy this album on Amazon at $14.99