A Death Metal Masterpiece

~At the Gates – “Slaughter of the Soul” – 1995

At the Gates’ 1995 album “Slaughter of the Soul” is largely representative of and groundbreaking within its Death Metal genre. Originating from Gothenburg, Sweden, At the Gates defined the Swedish melodic death metal subgenre by taking intricate melodies and harmony parts and then combining them with the harsh, unforgiving sounds of death metal. Along with bands like Dark Tranquillity and In Flames, these pioneers of a new movement lit the initial spark for what would soon be the flaming inferno of the Gothenburg metal scene.
“Slaughter of the Soul” is considered to be one of the archetypical representations of melodic death metal in its purest form. The first song on the album “Blinded by Fear” begins with an industrial percussion loop and then explodes into a simple yet extremely effective guitar riff. The drums recall early death metal and the persistent blast beats chug away throughout the entire track. The second song, sharing a title with the album itself, leaves no doubt as to the genius behind At the Gates. A solitary guitar lays down the intro before the track unleashes an onslaught of distorted vocals and varying rhythms. “Suicide Nation” begins with the sound of a gun cocking before launching into a guitar masterpiece nostalgic of early Metallica and Slayer. The lyrics begin with “Utopia – lost in chaos” and the words “Control, control” echo upon an assault of dual-guitar riffs. My favorite song on the album is one of the lesser-known tracks on “Slaughter of the Soul.” “Need” emphasizes an extreme use of alternating time signatures and brutal guitar playing. Most central on this track is the dual electric guitars. Extensive use of palm muting and heavily distorted melodies evokes the image of a massive machine and this track is likewise equally unstoppable. At the Gates have forever etched their name into the death metal scene with this creation and I give this album 5/5 stars.