‘There's A Lot Of Stuff To Be Angry About': At The Gates

The Swedish melodic death metal veterans’ frontman Tomas Lindberg on how they channelled aggression on their new album

- Anurag Tagat

AT THE GATES WERE, AT ONE POINT, considered one of the most prolific bands in Swedish melodic death metal. They offered a raw, aggressive take on the genre in comparison to the polished delivery of their peers In Flames or Dark Tranquillity and with four albums in three-and-a-half years between 1992 and 1995, they were well on their way to greatness. It all came to an abrupt end in 1996 however, when the band decided to call it quits at the height of critical acclaim.

Which is why it’s no surprise that the Gothenburg band’s comeback album At War With Reality (2014) became one of the most lauded metal records that year. Over the phone from Germany, where he’s spending his day doing just interviews, frontman Tomas Lindberg says he wouldn’t change a single decision. “It’s always been that we appreciate where we are now. We wouldn’t try to change the past. You never know what would have happened. We’re in a super brilliant position now and we have the resources and knowledge now and grateful that we have fans who support us,” he says.

Now promoting their sixth album, To Drink From the Night Itself (out via Century Media Records), Lindberg spoke to Rolling Stone India about the pressures of a comeback and inviting heavy metal act King Diamond’s guitarist Andy LaRocque for a second time. Excerpts:

There were follow-up expectations when At War With Reality released and then it became so well-appreciated. Did the same expectations hang around when you began working on this album?