AT THE GATES — Slaughter of the Soul (review)

AT THE GATES — Slaughter of the Soul album cover Album · 1995 · Melodic Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
The Angry Scotsman
One of the pillars of melodic death metal, this album is more intense then In Flames' "The Jester Race" or Dark Tranquility's "The Gallery". I suppose depending on how much "melodic" or "death metal" you like will determine which of the 3 is your favorite. This album is the most intense of the 3 by far, while TJR is the lightest, and "The Gallery" is a good middle ground, maybe with the best songwriting.

I personally like this one the best. It is a good blend of the two, but still maintains outright death metal intensity. Intense is what this album is. There are two completely melodic songs, and the rest are quite fast...maintained by lots of blast beats. The slower parts are often backed by double bass drumming even. The riffing is fast and frantic, though simple. This is what does make it more melodic then normal death metal.

The solos are also very melodic, opposed to shred, there are slower melodic sections, and even some non metal sections. Also, there is no growling on this album but instead a more high pitched, (kind of raspy) screaming. There is real emotion behind them. OK, a lot of metal heads cringe at the thought of emotional lyrics...but really a real power and intensity is conveyed behind them. At the end of "Cold" when he yells "I FEEL MY SOUL GO COLD!" try not to get shivers.

Call it death metal lite if you want. Fast paced, simple riffing pushed by straightforward and intense drumming and topped off with soul wrenching yelling. This album may sacrifice the complexity and technicality, (and maybe some brutality) of regular death metal...but it does not sacrifice intensity and has some great twin guitar work. Only real downside is there is not really a standout song, and at times it can be a bit uninspired sounding.

Overall, great album. My favorite of the 3 classic melodeath albums, and probably the best of the entire sub genre. Four and a Half Stars
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

The Goblin Sessions Heavy Metal
THEM
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tormenta De Arena Metalcore
VORAGO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Infinite Metalcore
FUTURE GHOST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Heretic Melodic Death Metal
SUNCINDER
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Skull Burned Wearing Hell Like A Life Vest As The Night Wept Mathcore
FRONTIERER
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Future Ghost - Wolves (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Future Ghost - Nemesis Game (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Harrowed TwentyTenVideo
HARROWED
Bosh66· 3 days ago
Sunmancer - Realms of Dilemma (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 8 days ago
Sunmancer - Lower Cavalier (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 8 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed