Something lurks in humanity that afflicts all of our best efforts. When we create something, and then start seeing it as a tool or means to an end, the principle of its greatness is lost. It seems to occur because when the object is directed at humanity, it attends to what we think and wish were true instead of what is. Thus metal bands go from creating vast fantasy to creating ludicrous self-prostituting visions of excess to make their audience feel important, and the beauty of the music itself is lost.
This gauntlet looms over every death metal band that makes a “comeback” album two decades on and claims it is returning to the old style. Recently At the Gates made such a claim, and in face of public skepticism and vast anticipation, released a teaser. This contains about 45 seconds of music amidst the visuals and branding, so any assessment of it speaks only to that portion. The album could vary from it, although smart money says that such a turn would be anomalistic given that this snippet is what the band chose to promote the album. Nonetheless, this tiny window into the soul of At the Gates may tell us what to expect, and showcases the phenomenal production and art direction this record has received. Clearly Century Media intend to make this the metal event of the year and have every chance of succeeding.
The excerpt provided shows us At the Gates using the type of melodies they used on Terminal Spirit Disease and the second half of With Fear I Kiss the Burning Darkness which would be at home on a 1970s jazz-infused stadium rock album but in power chords take on a more sinister mood. However, these are presented with the type of frenetic riffing using internal texture to bolster the otherwise sparse melodic pattern that we see on Slaughter of the Soul and the first album from The Haunted. The result suggests some promise but lacks the developmental depth of Terminal Spirit Disease due to the intensified speed and desire to keep phrases short and hookish in a conventional manner as was used on Slaughter of the Soul.
As noted above, this track shows us only part of the album but it reveals the part that the band, label and management likely think will most appeal to the audience they are targeting. It seems that their attempt is to make a version of Slaughter of the Soul which embraces the rhythmic frenzy of The Haunted and the slightly more musical approach of mid-period At the Gates, which taps into both metalcore and Opeth audiences and should produce a best-seller for this band.
Tags: At the Gates, death metal, metalcore, progressive metal, Swedish Death Metal
No more kumbaya cumbacks. This album will be 100% fellatio for fat teen mallgoth girls whose angst in life is that mommy wont let them date some guy who is 35 and lives Iin a van down by the river (could be prozak, he is life dropout patient zero). At the gates became The Haunted for a reason. An effete bad reason but a reason none the less and now they pinkie swear this cream pie of an album will be totaaly fvckin kvlt bitches and you get trolled if you buy the fucking thing UNLESS you are 400lb mallgothess who lives on digiornios and drama.
Wow, this is going to be at least as good as Surgical Steel!
the sample’s bad. I know it’s only 30 seconds, but let’s be real, they didn’t just happen to pick the one bad part to show us. Go back in time to the early 90s and give me a random 30 second sample from The Red in the Sky or early Burzum and I’d think “holy shit,incredible”
i approve of this album !!! right now.
sounding modern, sterile, flat. Keep us updated on the albums progress with any new teaser pics or vids. thanks for the inspiration man.
Wishful thinking: maybe the band has 2 really good songs up their sleeve and recorded 11 abominations to give Century Media a product to promote. Of course there will be Slaughter of the Soul styled material in there – it’s the only way Century Media will sell all that merch.