Band:	In Flames
Album:	Whoracle
Style:	Gothenburg metal
Release date:	October 27, 1997
A review by:	Dream Taster

01. Jotun
02. Food For The Gods
03. Gyroscope
04. Dialogue With The Stars
05. The Hive
06. Jester Script Transfigured
07. Morphing Into Primal
08. Worlds Within The Margin
09. Episode 666
10. Everything Counts [Depeche Mode cover]
11. Whoracle
12. Clad In Shadows '99 [deluxe version bonus]
13. Jotun [video] [deluxe version bonus]

1997's Whoracle was a huge step for the Swedish band In Flames as it was really a change in their peculiar sound. Even if you can hear it a little bit throughout their previous release, The Jester Race, this change is obvious on Whoracle.

First of all, I want to point out that Bjorn Gelotte played both guitars and drums on this album, which is unchanged compare to The Jester Race and a real performance. At this time, the line-up included three guitar players with Glenn Ljungstrom, Jesper Stromblad and Bjorn Gelotte.

The big difference if you compare Whoracle to The Jester Race is the production, obviously cleaner on this album. Plus I have to warn you that there are at least 3 different versions of Whoracle [?!?]: the original 1997 version, the Japanese version [,which includes the entire EP Black Ash Inheritance!!] and the 2002 re-release with as a bonus track 'Clad In Shadows' re-recorded in 1999. The fact is that apparently the original has never been re-mastered nor re-mix, and seeing that the original already has a perfect sound, that's not a surprise. To sum things up, each different version has the same production but, of course, the Japanese version is the best because it's basically two albums in one... So for these extra bonus tracks, have a look at my review of the Black Ash Inheritance EP.

Now, every single track has a different soul but the best songs are clearly the opener 'Jotun' [kind of comparable to 'Embody The Invisible' on Colony], 'The Hive' and 'Episode 666'. Apart from these three masterpieces, the instrumental 'Dialogue With The Stars' and 'Everything Counts' [a really good Depeche Mode cover!] are worth pointing out for theirs originality. And that's a real pleasure if you're a fan of Depeche Mode to recognize some lyrics ["everything counts... in large amount"]. I almost forget to mention the title track, which is a acoustic song, kind of an ethnic/tribal dance that is pretty strange closing track for a Death Metal album [even a Melodic Death Metal album...].

Whoracle is the first piece of a trilogy of splendid albums [with 1999's Colony and 2000's Clayman]. Unleashed melodic rage driven by technique on a solid rhythmic layer, a recipe mastered by In Flames on this very good album.