Formed in Gothenburg, At The Gates were one of the finest bands to explode out of their native Swedish death metal scene.
Formed from the ashes of Grotesque the style of the band evolved into technical brutality of the highest order. After extensive tours with the likes of Bolt Thrower and Massacre word soon spread and it wasn't long before UK underground label Peaceville Records offered them a deal.
Their debut album The Red In The Sky Is Ours was released in 1991 on Peaceville/Deaf to widespread acclaim, the inclusion of violin sounds ensured that the album scored points for originality, and was innovatively offset by the intensely brutal yet melodic sound with standout track Kingdom Gone becoming a universal favourite.
After the release At The Gates blitzed Central Europe with label mates My Dying Bride, gaining the reputation as one of the most energetic and charismatic live bands around.Front man Tomas in particular earned rave reviews for his intense and totally absorbing stage presence.
'The Red' is raw with intense aggression and questioning misanthropy, bringing to mind the ultimate killing machine that is Voivod. A must have album for anyone with even the smallest interest in the ever evolving extreme metal scene.
