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The Nightmare of Being
Metal · 2021 · 10 tracks · 45m

The Nightmare of Being

At the Gates

A cinematic expansion of melodic death metal. Orchestral strings, jazz saxophones, and existential dread collide with the band's signature sharp riffing.

July 2, 2021 · Century Media (2)

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A sophisticated, cinematic descent into existential dread and philosophical inquiry.

Tracklist · 10 Tracks · 45m
01
Spectre of Extinction
4:49
02
The Paradox
4:43
03
The Nightmare of Being
3:49
04
Garden of Cyrus
4:25
05
Touched by the White Hands of Death
4:07
06
The Fall Into Time
6:45
07
Cult of Salvation
4:24
08
The Abstract Enthroned
4:26
09
Cosmic Pessimism
4:31
10
Eternal Winter of Reason
3:38
Moments Worth Listening For
The jarring but brilliant transition into a noir-ish saxophone solo during Garden of Cyrus.
The cinematic, orchestral swell that opens The Fall Into Time before the blast beats arrive.
The spoken word delivery on Cosmic Pessimism that feels like a lecture from the end of the world.
Reviews
AllMusic
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Metacritic
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albumoftheyear.org
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plattentests.de
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laut.de
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Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does The Nightmare of Being sound next to the rest of At the Gates's catalogue?

Midnight+2.1σ

Midnight saturates this record far more than the artist's norm.

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