Album Rating: 4.0

But I'm afraid casavir will be disappointed in me : (

Album Rating: 1.0

Why?

Album Rating: 4.0

I really don't know honestly. Didn't think that one through lol

Album Rating: 1.0

I just don't get the appeal of how this band writes at all.

Album Rating: 4.5

This doesn't sound like a copy of colony at all really

Album Rating: 1.0

"They were good before this, and Jester Race is kind of a ground breaking release in melodeath"



By what standard? The Gallery, which not only came out the prior year but was also better in every way?

Album Rating: 4.0

"I just don't get the appeal of how this band writes at all."



They are just very simplistic but effective

Album Rating: 1.0

Yeah, and it's why DT haven't had an album as good as The Gallery since. Albums like Turbo and Point of Entry can be pretty easily filed under pop metal but unlike most In Flames, especially albums like this one, they have a pulse.

Album Rating: 4.5

"Bullet Ride is definitely Ordinary Story Part II."



Not hearing the connection between these two at all. They sound nothing alike to me

Album Rating: 1.0

"Jester Race and The Gallery sound nothing alike, they were two totally different takes on the same genre. A genre can have more than a single ground breaking release, especially when they approach the genre from such different angles."



And what exactly is TJR's angle? They are both really the same type of album: trad/power metal performed with the extreme metal's aesthetic trappings. By that standard, Dark Tranquillity obviously did their homework unlike In Flames. One band obviously listened to, say, Maiden and had a more in-depth understanding of what makes them good other than just leas harmonies. Not to mention some of the other more obvious qualities in The Gallery's favor like a bassist that feels like participating and a drummer that's awake.

Album Rating: 4.5

Drums are solid on both TJR and the Gallery. TJR drums sound a little more solid but probably due to higher production quality. Drums suit the music overall better on TJR for me. There are some awkward moments on the gallery. As for the maiden influence, TJR sounds a lot more maiden influenced whereas the Gallery leans a lot more heavily into the Swedish dm take on the gothenburg sound. Bass is louder and more interesting on the Gallery, but guitars are more layered and thicker on TJR which I prefer. The one thing I've never liked about the Gallery is the paper thin production

Album Rating: 1.0

The only real instance them leaning too overtly into Swedeath is The One Brooding Warning. Otherwise, much of the riffing isn't death metal at all. As for production, The Gallery's is pretty good and has a lot of clarity. Plus, the thinner guitar tone is fine since there's more actual interplay between both than there ever is on TJR.

Album Rating: 4.5

I think it's not so much the style of the writing for me but the guitar tone and drumming style just kinda have the swedeath sound a little more

Album Rating: 4.5

"The vocals, too, are less harsh than what Mikael was doing on The Gallery."



Idk anders vocals are pretty harsh on TJR

Album Rating: 1.0

"the guitar tone and drumming style just kinda have the swedeath sound a little more"



I guess in some of The Gallery's more up-tempo moments, you could say that but there's just as much mid-tempo drumming that owns just as much to trad/power metal that's far more interesting than what Bjorn was doing on TJR.





"To me, The Gallery is the raw, aggressive, album that adheres more closely to extreme metal and is also the more emotive of the two. It's definitely better at eliciting emotion from its melodies. It's definitely the harsher and more musical of the two."



I don't think it's that much more aggressive. It being more musical though (and just willing to take risks relative to most of the albums in its style that would follow) is what makes it stand the test of time for me. I easily remember more of The Gallery off the top of my head for that reason. In Flames' aim to be as catchy as possible just results in them streamlining out the best parts of every genre they dabble in (death metal, alt metal, etc.)

Album Rating: 2.5

sup

Album Rating: 1.0

"There are some awkward moments on the gallery."



I'd love to know what these moments are, exactly.

Album Rating: 4.5

I could listen and do timestamps but I don't really want to lol. It's just because the song structures have some unconventional changes really at times

Album Rating: 4.5

I like all records discussed here :3

Album Rating: 4.0

All the new singles have really grown on me btw. Def feels like Colony-ish for the most part.