Swedish melodic death metal pioneers AT THE GATES have released the official music video for “Spectre Of Extinction”, the first single from their upcoming studio album, “The Nightmare Of Being”. The disc will arrive on July 2 via Century Media Records. The track features a guest lead-guitar appearance by KING DIAMOND guitarist Andy La Rocque.
AT THE GATES frontman Tomas Lindberg states: “It is always very hard to choose which song to release to the public first, especially with this album having so many layers and textures. We did feel, however, that this, the opening track of the record, represented the overall feel of the album. It has the musical depths that you would expect from an AT THE GATES track, and still carries that intensity and urgency that we have always tried to get across with our music.
“For the video, it was wonderful to be able to continue the work with the mighty Patric Ullaeus, as he understands our vision with the music and is willing to go all the way to portray the song’s inner dimensions. I think he did that excellently with this one and I’m very proud of the result. The lyrics deal with humanity’s will and how that clashes with our consciousness, and our knowledge of our mortality. Enjoy!”
While main parts for “The Nightmare Of Being” were recorded in several different Swedish studios (drums at Studio Gröndal with Jens Bogren, guitars and bass with Andy La Rocque at Sonic Train Studio and vocals at Welfare Sounds with Per Stålberg), the album was mixed and mastered at Fascination Street Studios (Amon Amarth, Opeth, Kreator, etc.) by Jens Bogren, who previously worked with AT THE GATES on their 2014 comeback album “At War With Reality.‘ The album’s visual concept and album cover was developed by artist Eva Nahon.
“The overall theme deals with the topic of pessimism, and I have been diving deep down in pessimistic philosophers. Trying to understand this way of looking at the world. It is not a negative album, more a gateway into new ideas for me personally, trying out different perspectives. You could call the album an introduction to pessimism as a concept, I guess. It is a very dark album, but not negative,” states AT THE GATES vocalist Tomas Lindberg Redant about the album concept.
Musically “The Nightmare Of Being” unveils a newly liberated and adventurous AT THE GATES with some of the bravest and most mesmerizing material they have ever written. Lindberg Redant adds, “It still sounds like AT THE GATES, 100 percent. It is just more of everything.”
‘The Nightmare of Being’ tracklist;
- Spectre of Extinction
- The Paradox
- The Nightmare of Being
- Garden of Cyrus
- Touched by the White Hands of Death
- The Fall into Time
- Cult of Salvation
- The Abstract Enthroned
- Cosmic Pessimism
- Eternal Winter of Reason
Further details about “The Nightmare Of Being” and its various formats will be revealed on April 30, with the start of the album’s pre-order campaign.
AT THE GATES is:
- Adrian Erlandsson / Drums
- Jonas Björler / Bass
- Tomas Lindberg / Vocals
- Jonas Stålhammar / Guitar
- Martin Larsson / Guitar
