At the Gates - "At War With Reality"

[ChaosLee]

Sounds pretty damn tasty... <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzjshF0TFm8">YouTube Link</a>

I enjoyed that track. Definitely sounds like the 20 year later extension of SotS but I have no problems with that

NP: Bathory "Blood on Ice"

 

[Krilons Resa]

That song wasn't very good at all, tbh.

 

[MFJ]

That song wasn't very good at all, tbh.

My least favorite track... Kind of a weak opener I think. The intro is also pretty cliche/pointless. If they had eliminated both of these and opened with the title track... Seems to me like a better place to begin. Definitely had some of these songs stuck in my head today. As an album by itself, a solid 7/10 atm

 

[Krilons Resa]

Yeah, I gotta check out the album in it's entirety.

 

[Tranquillian]

Y'er all a bunch of negative Nancys.
FOAD.

 

[Plastic Nathrakh]

i know it's gonna be pretty bad, like everything else is

it sounds a lot like a bunch of fairly old people who were once in at the gates, but have not been for a very long time, sat down and thought hard about what they recall at the gates probably sounded like back in the day and then did their best to mimic that.

i don't think even the band expects to live up to their legacy if they were truly honest with themselves

If you go and listen to an album with the kind of grimace you have for new music, you're always going to be disappointed. I mean, you knew it was gonna be bad. How much of a chance did they have to sway you with that attitude? Had to have been some pretty ground-breaking stuff eh?

You only listened to the album because of their history and to hopefully relive a piece of what metal offered us as kids. I'm sorry to say that as you get older, the spark and excitement you'd get as a young chap anticipating a new album kind of dwindles out. So let's be a little less cranky. I mean really, how much did that download hurt you in the long run. Even if you were to have purchased the album, would you have paid them the 8 bucks asking price for them to produce an album? I would. Just to hear it. For academia's sake.

To the other argument about the $$$$, I know you hate the corporations and money-makers (we get it), but maybe they're just a bunch of dudes who like writing music and wanted to make something new? Is that a possibility? That's what should excite you if you'd just be a bit less curmudgeonly . They made some great music and the passion may still be there, bud....even if you dislike it before pressing play.

 

[General Zod]

I've never really been an ATG fan. When SotS came out, I wasn't paying attention to extreme music. When I finally checked it out (many years later), I wasn't blown away. I enjoyed a few of the tracks, but never truly appreciated what made the record special. So unlike most of you, I have a very different context for this record, free from high expectations, or ever stylistic expectations. With that said, I real likely the new album. The songs are really strong, I like the overall feel of the record, and the production is just as I like it; clean and balanced.

 

[ChaosLee]

I dig it. It works well for me, and is one of the more solid releases this year.

 

[einride]

How much of a chance did they have to sway you with that attitude? Had to have been some pretty ground-breaking stuff eh?

yes

is that supposed to be some kind of attack

"haha you want ground-breaking? fuck you bro, you should totez accept this mediocre bullshit because it's the LONG AWAITED NEW ALBUM BY WORLD FAMOUS RECORDING ARTISTS"

metal sucks in 2014 but that doesn't mean i'm going to lower my standards and accept and laud stupid crap

if it's not better than tritsio, it's not better, and that's it

you can't tiptoe around this with "oh but it's good for a comeback album" "oh but it's one of the best albums of 2014" and things like that

sorry all this can be true and the album can still be bullshit

I'm sorry to say that as you get older, the spark and excitement you'd get as a young chap anticipating a new album kind of dwindles out.

i know this

but that doesn't mean i'm suddenly incapable of analyzing or judging new music

To the other argument about the $$$$, I know you hate the corporations and money-makers (we get it), but maybe they're just a bunch of dudes who like writing music and wanted to make something new? Is that a possibility? That's what should excite you if you'd just be a bit less curmudgeonly . They made some great music and the passion may still be there, bud....even if you dislike it before pressing play.

i don't hate the act of making money

i don't hate a lot, actually. but i do think money is one of the worst reasons for creating art.

so is it a possibility that they did this just for the love of music and the desire to create something new as atg? i don't doubt that they still have songwriting left in them and some things to say, but why does it have to be under the atg banner?

is it a possibility? let me ask you this: if everyone in the world, including all those 50000 boring bands with rehearsal rooms full of big honkin' xerox machines, hadn't posthumously slobbered all over sots, placing it all over all the "best albums ever" lists; if they hadn't demanded and begged for a reunion; if record labels hadn't been waving comedy-size cheques around, do you think the former members of atg (most of them now members of other "successful" bands) would have cared enough to reunite and release a new album? as at the gates? eighteen years later?

they even said a couple of years ago they were reuniting just to tour and a new album would just taint their legacy

then $omething happened and i $imply do not under$tand what that might have been

it is a POSSIBILITY, but it's not really looking that way

 

[Plastic Nathrakh]

is that supposed to be some kind of attack

No.

if it's not better than tritsio, it's not better, and that's it

you can't tiptoe around this with "oh but it's good for a comeback album" "oh but it's one of the best albums of 2014" and things like that

The question shouldn’t be “is this better than” their earlier stuff. The question should be “is this good” regardless. That’s all I’m saying. I’ve seen so much of this over the years, and it’s so blah. Like, gag me with a spyoon.

but that doesn't mean i'm suddenly incapable of analyzing or judging new music

No one is saying you can’t, just trying to help you smile is all. Everything doesn’t have to suck.

do you think the former members of atg (most of them now members of other "successful" bands) would have cared enough to reunite and release a new album? as at the gates? eighteen years later?

Absolutely, I do think so. Us fellas can do crazy things when we hit 40. Think ‘City Slickers’ with guitars. And I’d rather listen to this midlife crisis than another The Haunted record, but that’s just me….not sure how you feel.


.

 

[Reign in Acai]

I just gave it a once over. An obvious cash grab, but it's done respectfully enough. I doubt I'd shell a kopeck for it, especially considering that I paused half way through to check out some other new music.

Kudos to these cats, no shame in liking this.

 

[J.]

"Good" doesn't cut it anymore and neither does being a completist. I was never a huge atg fan anyway. Tsd still rocks though

It's very obvious it's a cash grab. I guess the haunted wasn't paying the bills.

 

[Tranquillian]

Cash-grab? fuck off if any of you think so.

 

[General Zod]

Albums aren't a "cash grab" for anyone, least of all underground metal bands. Moreover, if tour money was what the band was after, they didn't need to write an album to fill North American venues or be included in European festivals. If At the Gates was seeking a quick cash influx, they could have simply announced they're going on tour and performing Slaughter the Soul from beginning to end. Finally, there are a good number of early reviews calling this an AOTY contender. You can disagree with those reviews if you wish. However, good music is always good music. If it also happens to make money, that's merely as it should be.

 

[J.]

Albums aren't a "cash grab" for anyone, least of all underground metal bands.

see dimmu's re-recording of stormblast

Finally, there are a good number of early reviews calling this an AOTY contender.

again, i have not heard it nor desire to, but this doesnt surprise me in the least. lots of bands get great press, but suck

im not opposed to any band making music, reunion or otherwise, but lets call a spade a spade

 

[MFJ]

see dimmu's re-recording of stormblast

amen brother

 

[Dick Sirloin]

Just the fact that people are actually arguing about what ATG are doing in 2014 is fucking

 

[einride]

No one is saying you can’t, just trying to help you smile is all.

just because i don't like bad music doesn't mean that i am unhappy or that you need to help me with it

i'm posting on a music forum about music

 

[dorian gray]

Im listening to Taylor Swift's new album while reading this thread

 

[Plastic Nathrakh]

i'm posting on a music forum about music

Party on, Garth.