At The Gates - Ghost Of A Future Dead

This latest At The Gates album is a very bittersweet affair. The passing of frontman and iconic metal legend, Tomas "Tompa" Lindberg, represents a massive loss for the music world.

That he recorded all of his vocals in a single day — right before undergoing surgery for throat cancer — adds even more emotional weight to the record. Luckily, the material stands on its own; this album is getting a lot of good press and it's justified — no one's lying to avoid being disrespectful to a beloved figure in the community.

It is impossible for any new output to match the genre-defining impact of Slaughter Of The Soul, but this album serves a reminder that the At The Gates baseline is still very high. I've been hot-and-cold on the new material, with At War With Reality being a decent if somewhat forgettable release.

This is very much At The Gates doing what they do best: dishing out massive riffs perfectly balanced with melodic lines and some tasteful soloing. Lindberg's voice sounds good, considering the circumstances, although there is a noticeably high amount of reverb / slap back on his tracks. It's understandable given the circumstances and doesn't detract from the songs, it's just different than what I've grown accustomed to over decades of listening to Lindberg's work.

Very few people in this world get to "go out on a win." Tomas Lindberg and the boys came about as close as you can get.