Date: July 2nd, 2021
Label: Century Media Records
It took me quite a while to write a review of the new At The Gates album. The first version was written the same day the album saw the light of day. But I didn’t post it right away, I felt I wasn’t sober enough at the time. Simply At The Gates are among the top 5 bands of all time, a band I can’t be objective with. The first version was full of praise. This version is slightly different from the first one. “The Nightmare of Being” is an album that brings a lot of new things to ATG sound.
The first 2 songs from the album are a logical continuation of the previous album “To Drink from the Night Itself” and bring us what we are already used to from ATG. From the next track “The Nightmare of Being” the band is letting us know that this will not be just another ATG record. During the listening of this record, you will hear a lot of new things that you could not expect from the band: prog elements, unexpected changes of tempo, keyboards, and even solo played on the saxophone. But don’t worry, the band hasn’t changed their style. Simply, they have added some new spices to an already familiar dish, the one we have long been accustomed to. I got the impression that during this pandemic, the guys from the band entered the studio with the attitude – the whole planet is going to hell, let us play and experiment to the maximum. And the result is their most experimental album since “Slaughter of the soul”. As favorites I would single out “Cult of Salvation”, “Touched by the White Hands of Death” and the title track “The Nightmare of Being”.
If I had to describe the album in one sentence, then it would go like this – At The Gates released an album that claims to be the best metal album of 2021. I believe that a good part of the fans will look at this record with displeasure. But those, most loyal fans, who will give the record enough time for everything to fall into place, will adore him.
