Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The Flames of the End - And a New Beginning


In 1996, legendary Gothenburg death metal act, At the Gates split up with no warning. In 2008 they reformed and got the farewell they deserved. Since then they reunited for sporadic appearances. They are still one of the best bands in the history of metal. The "Flames of the End" DVD is a fantastic celebration of their legacy.


The "Flames of the End" DVD is an amazing box set commemorating the rise, fall and return of one of the most celebrated bands in the history of the genre. They helped pioneer the infamous "Gothenburg" sound so many bands are after. The three disc box set features the complete history of At the Gates, their return performance at Wacken 2008 and live material thorughout the years, complete with footage from the 2008 world tour and all of the music videos the band released. There is nothing short of perfection on this set. The live performance is one for the ages, as favorites such as "Nausea," "Slaughter of the Soul," "Blinded By Fear," and "Kingdom Gone" are executed with absolute synchronicity. For a band that broke up 12 years before the concert took place, they seem like they had remained active. This is At the Gates at their finest. This is their golden ticket. The absolute best performance they have ever given in their entire career.


The history of At the Gates is a remarkable documentary. You can see the pain and joy that the band experienced over the years and which phases of their career really stood out to them. It doesn't just speak for the music, but it seems like the music is another person in the room as well. This chronicles everything from the "Gardens of Grief" demo to their infamous breakup in 1996. This has everything.


The "Flames of the End" box set is a kick ass package that gives the ultimate At the Gates fan everything they could have ever wanted to know about this group. It is as accurate as having Thomas Lindburg in your room telling you the story of the history of his band. It shows the fan the true hardships of being in a touring band so far away from home. Gallons of blood, sweat, and tears went into the making of this DVD. It's a wonderful way of At the Gates telling their fans "Thank you" from the bottom of their hearts. In short, there is no reason not to own this piece of metal history.


Written by Chris Butera

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