Going to school where I do, I have to commute there once every fall. Also, being the fact that about 90% of the land in this area is forest, autumn becomes a truly awe-inspiring experience. I have discovered that the At The Gates, and this album in particular, are the perfect musical accompaniment for the wilderness I live in. Darkly haunting and emotional, this album is overflowing with riffs of redness and orange; the smell of burning leaves in a not too distant fire. The bleak death of life and the coming of winter, the last wills of a human soul traversing beyond it's own body. Whether this music pulls as much emotion for you as it does for me could be debated. However, no one can deny the amazing musicianship and power of this masterful release. Aggressive melodies and harmonies a dispersed throughout the entire album, as well as a few acoustic bits that add the quiet evilness of the calm autumn before the destructive season of winter. The drumming is quite frankly amazing, no where near as simple as it is in more recent At The Gates releases. Over the top of this musical carnage are the throat-ripping vocals. Listening to them, I myself cannot stop myself from out-right screaming along, as I shiver and feel my skin crawl with chills. Buy this or suffer my wrath.

© 1998 grotesque