In Flames "Whoracle (Japan, Toy's Factory, TFCK-87134)"

Whoracle is the third studio album by Swedish heavy metal band In Flames, released on 18 November 1997. The title of the album is a portmanteau of the English words "whore" and "oracle". It is the final In Flames album to feature Johan Larsson and Glenn Ljungström. It is also the last release with Björn Gelotte playing drums, as he permanently switched to lead guitar in future releases.

In 2020, it was named one of the 20 best metal albums of 1997 by Metal Hammer magazine.

Apart from "Everything Counts", which is a cover of a Depeche Mode song, all songs were composed and arranged by In Flames. The lyrics were translated by Dark Tranquillity guitarist Niklas Sundin, as Anders Fridén was not confident in his English.

Fredrik Nordström noted that it was not easy to record at times, since the band members usually preferred drinking beer and playing Tekken 3.

While some regard Whoracle as a concept album, guitarist Jesper Strömblad denied this. He acknowledged reading reports that Fridén came up with a story around the end and rebirth of the world, but recalled events differently and said the album wasn't solely about that.

Tracklist:

1. Jotun 03:54   
2. Food for the Gods 04:19  
3. Gyroscope 03:26   
4. Dialogue with the Stars 03:01  
5. The Hive 04:03   
6. Jester Script Transfigured 05:45   
7. Morphing into Primal 03:05   
8. Worlds Within the Margin 05:06
9. Episode 666 03:45
10. Everything Counts (Depeche Mode cover) 03:17
11. Whoracle 02:43  
12. Goliaths Disarm Their Davids 04:56
13. Acoustic Medley 02:32
14. Behind Space (live) 03:38

Time:  53:30  

Everything Counts by Martin Lee Gore.

All songs published by Prophecies Publishing, Hamburg, except Everything Counts, published by Grabbing Hands Music.

Tracks 12-14 appeared on the Black-Ash Inheritance EP.

Whoracle comes as a concept album, with lyrics by Niklas Sundin and synopsis by Anders Fridén. It describes the past, present and a hypothetical future of the planet Earth.

Official music videos:

- Jotun

- Food for the Gods

Recording information:

Recorded and produced by Fredrik Nordström with assistance from In Flames at Studio Fredman

Engineered by Anders Fridén and Fredrik Nordström

Mixed by Fredrik Nordström and Anders Fridén

Mastered by Goran Finnberg and Fredrik Nordstrom at the Mastering Room Gbg

The Whoracle concept conjured and verbalized by Niklas Sundin and Anders Fridén

Lyrics written by Niklas Sundin following original synopsis by Anders Fridén

All music composed and arranged by In Flames except "Everything Counts" by Martin Lee Gore of Depeche Mode

Cover artwork by Andreas Marschall

Photos by Kenneth Johansson

All songs published by Prophecies Publishing Hamburg except "Everything Counts"

"Everything Counts" published by Grabbing Hands Music Ltd, sub-published by EMI Music Germany.