At the Gates is a melodic death metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden. They are one of the forebears of the Gothenburg sound of heavy metal along with other bands of the Gothenburg metal scene such as Dark Tranquillity and In Flames.
History
Early career
The band was formed in 1990 after the break-up of the band Grotesque. They recorded a debut EP, Gardens of Grief for the Dolores record label. The EP led to seminal metal label Peaceville Records signing the band, and releasing their debut LP The Red in the Sky Is Ours in 1991. The thin production of the album made the already quite advanced technique and song structure of At the Gates hard to access, nonetheless the band gained recognition through touring.Following the release of their second album, With Fear I Kiss the Burning Darkness, original member and guitarist Alf Svensson left the band and was replaced by Martin Larsson. The band continued touring Europe, and were filmed for a Headbangers Ball special on a tour date in the UK.
Success and breakthrough
In 1994, they released 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, both in terms of playing and production 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 arguably 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. 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 left the band in 1996. The remaining members decided it would be impossible to continue without them, so the band was broken up.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.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, Now Until the Hour, and Killswitch Engage were influenced by their sound.
Reunion
On October 18, 2007, At the Gates announced several reunion shows for mid-2008, including Roskilde Festival, Ruisrock, Wacken Open Air, Graspop Metal Meeting, Sweden Rock Festival, Gods of Metal, Castle Festival, and Bloodstock Open Air. They will also tour with The Dillinger Escape Plan and Mayhem for a small Japanese tour this upcoming May.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:
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On the official band's 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."
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.Line-up
Last known line-up
- Tomas Lindberg − vocals (1990–1996)
- Anders Björler − guitar (1990–1996, 2007–present)
- Martin Larsson − guitar (1993–1996)
- Jonas Björler − bass guitar (1990–1992, 1993–1996)
- Adrian Erlandsson − drums (1990–1996, 2007–present)
Former members
- Alf Svensson − guitar (1990–1993)
Touring members
- Tony Andersson − bass guitar (1992)