Customer Reviews

Terminal Spirit Disease (Dig)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you haven't heard At the Gates, this isn't the one to start with. That would be their next album, "Slaughter of the Soul". However, once you've absorbed that one, make sure to get this one, too. At the Gates set a standard for Swedish death metal bands, basically breaking the constraints of traditional death, for a more melodic, exciting sound. This is sort of an EP, padded out with a few live tracks. Good stuff, but the band's masterpiece would be it's next one.

This album is so painfully beautiful. Don't let tags like NWSDM put it down. It is unique and doesn't need the reference of a genre for its appreciation. Tomas Lindberg lets out such an anguished heart-rending scream that I believe he feels the same inside. For some reason, he reminds me of Ricky Fitz in American Beauty who sees all `the beauty in this world' and feels `like he can't take it.' To provide a further masochistic twist to the experience, the guitars are also incredibly beautiful and sing like tortured angels. This is one album that makes me foolishly believe in an eternity- of space, time or melancholic beauty. Terminal Spirit Disease, the song, numbs me every single time I hear it and makes me a spectator of things. I feel wise, cursed and beyond redemption every time I hear it. Again, Lindberg's soaring scream sears my heart and I suspect I actually bleed inside on hearing it. This music is as dangerous as mind-bending drugs.

I'd recommend putting it on a spaceship for Extra-Terrestrial life

This is a great example of how Swedish Death Metal should sound, grim, harsh, and as cold as the worst nordic winter. This is technical death metal at it's best and a milestone for this band. Contrary to popular belief, I feel this is this bands last great release as the later stuff gets a bit too melodic and a tad on the weak side. This album and The Red in the Sky..... are the epitome of At the Gates' material.

At the gates is ALWAYS good.And this album is one of the best album they have recorded.Every songs are beautiful in this album.In my opinion if you haven't this album you must buy it immediately.

This album by "At the gates" does not compare to "Slaughter of the Soul" so if you are trying to decide which to get.. there you go. But.. everyone should own all of their cd's and their are some incredible melodic riffs on this disc including an acoustic that involves to acoustics, a chelo and a violin.. and if you are familiar with "At The Gates" you know this one will be good. Thanx

If you havn not purchased this yet, and you are an At The Gates fan then SHAME ON YOU!!! Must own cd for your collection. "Terminal Spirit Disease" was when At the Gates changed their tune and became more melodic with their riffs. This was a turning point leading to the great "Slaughter of the Soul"!

Its called "melodic death", but thankfully its sound is unlike anything else out there. This band should never be classed with IF, DT, or AE(not insulting those bands). At The Gates has a more innovative and expressive style than those bands do(or ever did). Thomas Lindberg's heartwrenching screams are so expressive, he sounds like a man who has lost all faith and hope in this world.

The first song has simple Cello and violin playing a very bleak but building harmony, with ocean waves crashing in the background. The first real guitar riff is such a perfect progression on this, its sounds kind of epic, and very apocalyptic. Great riff. The short solo is executed very purposefully, there is no pointless technicality, just a perfect shot of melody. All the solos on this album are like this, and they come and go so quickly it makes them seem even more beautiful and melancholic.

Overall it sounds angry and bleak, with a kind of vain hopelessness barely coming through which is what makes it so interesting. The screams stab you right in the heart, as do the guitar solos. The mysterious instrumental is complete mastery, at one point there is six acoustic instruments playing!

Not alot of music hits me like this did. I know alot of CD's get five star reviews with people who say its the best music they've ever heard, but this is for real. You can't afford to miss this

If you're not a death metal connoiseur or an At the Gates purist, then this is most likely the album at which you feel At the Gates really hit their stride. I have to assert that sentiment myself; all the elements that trademarked early At the Gates come together to form the album that I would recommend as the first buy for anyone looking to get into At the Gates or Gothenburg metal in general. The first track fades in which some violins playing a rather melancholic melody, this is cross-faded into guitars and that's where the assault begins. At this point in their development, the band was still highly progressive, playing unorthodox riffs with an uncanny knack for combining catchiness with technicality and odd rhythms. Track three, "And the World Returned" is a refreshing clean guitar piece. Tomas Lindberg screams with fierce abandon throughout the rest. The production is not as polished as it is on "Slaughter of the Soul" but it is still good. The drums sound a bit airy and the guitars could use a bit more punch, but there is little, if any, to ask for here.

The style has changed a little since with fear.. But you can still recognice the atg sound. The major difference is the more thrashier direction on this one. Some songs are shorter and the drums are more ordinary paced than the strange rythms that appeared on the previous albums. The sound on the next album is a little more delicate but on the other hand this sound matches this album. A true favourite even if the next one is even better. Wow!

if you havent heard at the gates then you havent heard nothin. this band will take you there and back! this disc is a great example of how all death music should be! if you like the dark brooding stuff then this is the one to buy!