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At The Gates

Slaughter of the Soul [re-issue] (2002)
Earache Records

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Contributed by: The Tommunist
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on April 27th 2004

Let me just start by acknowledging that yes, I checked these guys out because of Break The Silence's cover of the song "Slaughter of the Soul". With that said, this is a fantastic disc. As you may know, At The Gates is a now-defunct melodic death metal band that hailed from Sweden. Consisting of 11 songs, plus several bonus cuts, this album speeds by with a brutal, frenetic energy. Beginning with the opening track, "Blinded by Fear", the band destroys everything. The songs are all around three minutes each, giving most of them time for intros, verses, choruses, amazing lead guitar hijinks, and proper closings. All at breakneck pace, of course. The exception to this are tracks 5 and 11, which serve as slow, brooding instrumentals.

Singer Tomas Lindberg screams on a level that is not quite the high pitched screech of spastic screamo bands, and not quite the low growl of your typical Victory Records bands. His voice lends itself well to the music, though on a humorous note, when the music calms, Lindberg sounds as if he is gurgling. The drums, as would be expected, are fast and hard hitting, though manage to showcase enough variation so as not to sound redundant. Of course, the main attraction here is the guitars. Martin Larsson keeps the rhythm with chugga-chugga strumming while Andres Bjorler wails away on the lead guitar. His playing is at once beautifully melodic and brutally intense. As for the bass? Well, I know it's there, but I can't hear it over the pounding drums, wailing guitars and screaming.

The song titles and lyrics contain typical death metal dark, violent imagery. Ranging from "Slaughter of the Soul" to "Suicide Nation", its all evil and bloody. Standout tracks include "Blinded by Fear", "Cold", and " Nausea", though in all honesty, the whole album is great.

This is a perfect album for fans of the genre, or brutal music in general. I would say it’s like a mush harsher and slightly less melodic Break The Silence, or maybe like a more manic and less technical Botch. But do yourself the favor, and check out this album.

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mezzy (October 3, 2008)

All hail swedish melodic death metal!
It doesn't get much better than this.
Here's hoping for a Australian trip on their reunion tour ^^

Anonymous (August 15, 2005)

This disc fuckin rules

Anonymous (January 1, 2005)

Heh so ATG is getting around to ppl now! XD other bands like these guys were Dark Tranquillity who are still putting out fucking awesome CDs and this CD is fucking awesome too

plutocracy (May 4, 2004)

This record rocks.

mikeinflames (May 2, 2004)

hey now don't knock break the silence
they are (as is at the gates) one of my favourite bands

Anonymous (May 2, 2004)

none of this is important. did the not waving but drowning anthology come out? huh? I need to know.

wyzo

Anonymous (May 2, 2004)

I'm all for open minds about music and all, but what the fuck is with death metal? It's like white noise.

Anonymous (April 30, 2004)

Black Dahlia Murder has nothing on Arsis.

Best Melodic death band ever... well so far.

Anonymous (April 29, 2004)

I shit my pants with disgust upon hearing this disc

Anonymous (April 29, 2004)

this album is brilliant. this is death metal, melodic death metal. check out the black dahlia murder for more melodic death metal, that band owns me.

Anonymous (April 29, 2004)

"At the Gates...death metal? I don't think so, great band but go back to listening to your break the silence cd kid."

Of course At The Gates are death metal, maybe if you listed a couple of bands which you do consider to be death metal I'd see a significant difference and thus understand.

Anonymous (April 28, 2004)

I think the fact he picked up the disc based on a cover song is pretty fuckin rad, regardless of how he has described the album. This is a pretty sick disc, that i think everyone should hear.

Anonymous (April 28, 2004)

You really are comparing these guys to the only heavy/screamy bands you have ever heard aren't you? Comparing them to break the silence is mind boggling, and botch? They sound nothing like botch except that they scream. These guys are the biggest inspiration for every metalcore band that has ever picked up a guitar. As I Lay Dying, Unearth, and the whole lot ripped half their riffs off this band, and the other half they ripped off Iron Maiden (yes I still like AILD and Unearth, but it's the truth). Seriously, who let this kid review this cd?

Anonymous (April 28, 2004)

At the Gates...death metal? I don't think so, great band but go back to listening to your break the silence cd kid.

FortyMinutesWest (April 28, 2004)

Is the original version of this that hard to find? I have it, and I swear I've seen it around.