At The Gates vocalist Tomas Lindberg has died aged 52.
The singer’s death was announced earlier today (September 16) by David Isberg, former vocalist of fellow Swedish death metal band Opeth, and has been confirmed in a statement from his bandmates.
The news follows At The Gates’ revelation in August that Lindberg was “being closely monitored around the clock” after setbacks in his battle with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a cancer of the mouth and pallet.
The band wrote this afternoon: “Tomas passed away this morning following complications related to his ongoing cancer treatment. Despite intensive medical efforts, his life could not be saved.”
They go on to call Lindberg “an inspiration to us all”, as well as a “true friend, both compassionate & sympathetic”. “You will always be remembered for your generosity and your creative spirit,” they add.
Lindberg was diagnosed with cancer in December 2023, but did not inform the public about his condition until last month. In a statement that the singer wrote in March and published on August 15, he admitted, “It has been a very tough year,” and said that he may have to undergo “some form of chemotherapy to keep the cancer in check”.
Lindberg was a founding member of At The Gates, who formed in 1990 after the dissolution of Lindberg and guitarist Alf Svensson’s death metal band Grotesque. They released their debut EP, Gardens Of Grief, in 1991 and debut album, The Red In The Sky Is Ours, in 1992. Their early material was noted for its complexity, while Lindberg’s lyrics were existential and poetic compared to other extreme metal vocalists’. The band started to transition towards more immediate songwriting on 1993’s With Fear I Kiss The Burning Darkness.
In 1993, Svensson was replaced by guitarist Martin Larsson, chosen due to his past work in thrash metal band The House Of Usher, as At The Gates composers Jonas (bass) and Anders Björler (guitars) wanted to pursue an even more direct sound. This classic lineup’s first release was 1994 mini-album Terminal Spirit Disease, followed by 1995’s full-length Slaughter Of The Soul.
Slaughter…, released via UK label Earache, marked At The Gates’ international breakthrough, with critics lauding its genre hybridity and intensity, as well as Lindberg’s vocals. The album became a key inspiration on the New Wave Of American Heavy Metal, with some of its biggest stars – such as Killswitch Engage, Trivium and Shadows Fall – acknowledging its impact. However, At The Gates split up in 1996 due to the departure of Anders, who was fatigued by the heavy metal touring lifestyle.
Following At The Gates’ break-up, Lindberg joined multiple bands and supergroups, including Disfear, Skitsystem and Lock Up. At The Gates reformed in 2007 and released three further albums – At War With Reality (2014), To Drink From The Night Itself (2018) and The Nightmare Of Being (2021) – and Lindberg recorded vocals for a fourth post-reunion album before he died. Outside of music, he was a social studies teacher to English-speaking students.
Lindberg spoke little about his private life during interviews, but said in 2010 that he had a son and a then-teenage daughter.
Posted by AtTheGatesOfficial on
