| At the Gates |
|
| Background information |
| Origin |
Gothenburg, Sweden |
| Genre(s) |
Melodic death metal |
| Years active |
1990-1996, 2007-2008 |
| Label(s) |
Earache, Peaceville |
| Associated acts |
The Haunted, Cradle of Filth, Liers in Wait, Grotesque, Nightrage, The Crown, Disfear, Skitsystem, Lock Up, The Great Deceiver, Oxiplegatz, House of Usher |
| Website |
www.atthegates.se |
| Members |
Tomas Lindberg
Anders Björler
Jonas Björler
Adrian Erlandsson
Martin Larsson |
| Former members |
Alf Svensson
Jesper Jarold |
At the Gates was a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg. They are a progenitor of the Gothenburg sound of heavy metal along with other bands of the Gothenburg metal scene such as Dark Tranquillity and In Flames. Initially active from 1990 to 1996, the band reformed in 2007.
History
Early career
At the Gates were formed in 1990 in Gothenburg, Sweden after the break-up of the pioneering death/black metal band Grotesque. The band recorded a rehearsal on August 26, 1991, containing a rough version of "Souls of the Evil Departed".
They went on to record a debut EP, Gardens of Grief for the Dolores record label, and sold cassettes, vinyls, and XL t-shirts to promote the recording. The EP led to seminal metal label Peaceville Records signing the band, and releasing their debut full-length album The Red in the Sky Is Ours in 1992.
A sea of changing tempos, Alf's atonal riffs flowing into Anders' neoclassical melodies, and unconventional song structures committed to tape in typically thin Sunlight Studios production made The Red in the Sky Is Ours a pioneering album. This eclectic sound was compounded by then-violinist Jesper Jarold , who contributed a neoclassical arrangement to the title track, as well as a climactic string solo in „Within,“ among other tracks.
A demo containing early takes on -The Architects- and -Ever-Opening Flower- was distributed at some point between albums. These tracks became available on the Peaceville-s remastered pressings of With Fear I Kiss the Burning Darkness and The Red in the Sky is Ours, respectively, as well as the Suicidal Final Art compilation.
After the recording of their second studio album album, With Fear I Kiss the Burning Darkness, founding member and guitarist Alf Svensson departed the band to pursue tattoo artistry, comic illustration and his solo electronic-opera-black metal project Oxiplegatz.
He was soon replaced by former House of Usher axeman Martin Larsson, whom the band got to know during their early tours. The band continued touring Europe, and were filmed for a Headbangers Ball special featuring a tour date in the United Kingdom.
Success and breakthrough
In 1994, At the Gates released their third album, Terminal Spirit Disease, which was hailed as a breakthrough album. It contained only six new songs, but showed that the band's sound had progressed immensely in only one year, in terms of playing and production[1][2] This would be the last album on Peaceville, as they were signed by one of the largest metal labels, Earache Records.
The band continued touring and in 1995 they took yet another step forward releasing their most commercially and critically successful album, Slaughter of the Soul. This album firmly rooted the band as one of the leaders of the Swedish metal scene, and is considered a benchmark album in the Gothenburg sound.[3][4]
The band received international attention for the album, gaining them a U.S. tour and heavy rotation of the music video for "Blinded by Fear" on MTV in America. Despite the success and acclaim the band had garnered, the Björler brothers departed in 1996. The remaining members decided it would be impossible to continue without them, so the band was broken up.[5]
Post-breakup
When At the Gates broke up in 1996, drummer Adrian Erlandsson, bassist Jonas Björler and guitarist Anders Björler formed The Haunted. Tomas Lindberg has worked with many bands including Skitsystem, The Crown, Lock Up, and Nightrage and is currently in The Great Deceiver and Disfear. Adrian Erlandsson left The Haunted to join Cradle of Filth. In 2001, Peaceville Records released a career retrospective called Suicidal Final Art.
Reunion
On October 18, 2007, At the Gates announced several reunion shows for mid-2008 including Getafe Electric Festival, Roskilde Festival, Ruisrock, Wacken Open Air, Graspop Metal Meeting, Sweden Rock Festival, Gods of Metal, Hellfest, Castle Festival, and Bloodstock Open Air,[6] as well as touring Japan with The Dillinger Escape Plan, Into Eternity, Pig Destroyer, and Mayhem in May 2008.[7]
Anders' comments on the reunion:
"Well, it felt like the timing was right for once. We have been talking about a possible reunion for years now, but this was the first time everything fell into place. For me personally, it feels like getting closure. The break-up over ten years ago was abrupt and left a bad vibe between us that took years to get over. We have a better relationship today and a more relaxed approach to who we are and what we do. The time is right to get together and play some shows. Try to catch us live in the summer 2008. It could be your last chance"
When asked in October 2007 if the band was planning on writing a new album, Lindberg replied:
| - |
No new record will be recorded. The legacy of Slaughter of the Soul will remain intact. It would be fun to write together, but not under the name of At the Gates. |
- |
| |
- Tomas Lindberg, Earache Records[8]
|
At The Gates played their final UK show at Bloodstock Open Air on Sunday the 17th of August 2008.
On the band's official website, Q&A Anders declared that "it would be pointless to release something more than ten years after Slaughter of the Soul" and "would just disappoint people."[9]
Throughout July 2008, they toured the US with opening acts Darkest Hour, Municipal Waste, Toxic Holocaust, and Repulsion. It was dubbed the "Suicidal Final Tour".[10]
They finished their last show in Athens, Greece on September 21, 2008 with The Ocean as the opening act.
Influence
The band's legacy is far reaching because of their influence on the metalcore and melodic death metal genres. Many bands such as Darkest Hour, The Black Dahlia Murder, and Killswitch Engage were influenced by their sound.[11][12]
Awards
At the Gates were nominated for the Swedish Grammy Awards for Slaughter of the Soul in 1995 along with Fireside's Do Not Tailgate, Meshuggah's Destroy Erase Improve, and Yngwie Malmsteen's Magnum Opus.
Members
Last known line-up
Former members
Touring members
- Tony Andersson - bass (1992)
Discography
Studio albums
Compilation albums
EPs
Other albums
Singles
- "Kingdom Gone" (1992)
- "The Burning Darkness" (1993)
- "Terminal Spirit Disease" (1994)
- "Blinded By Fear" (1995)
References
External links
|
