At War with Reality

After breaking up in 1996, At the Gates announced on 18 October 2007 that they would reunite for several reunion shows in the summer of 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/it-s-official-at-the-gates-to-reunite-for-select-shows/ |title=It's Official: At The Gates To Reunite For Select Shows |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=18 October 2007 |accessdate=27 January 2014}} Throughout July 2008, they toured the US and Canada on what was dubbed the "Suicidal Final Tour", and the last date of the tour took place in Athens, Greece, with guest The Ocean on 21 September 2008. Despite playing a handful of successful reunion shows, members of at the Gates stated that they would not record a new album,{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/at-the-gates-frontman-discusses-reunion-touring-plans/ |title=At The Gates Frontman Discusses Reunion, Touring Plans |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=30 October 2007 |accessdate=27 January 2014}} suggesting that it would be "pointless to release something more than ten years after Slaughter of the Soul."{{cite web|url=http://www.restassuredzine.com/tours/1031-at-the-gates-octnov-australian-tour |title=At The Gates Oct/Nov Australian Tour |publisher=restassuredzine.com |accessdate=27 January 2014}}

After a two-year hiatus, At the Gates announced their second reunion in December 2010, and that they would do a "limited run of select shows" in 2011. They also announced that they would "stick to the initial promise of not making any more music."{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/at-the-gates-confirmed-for-sweden-s-metaltown-festival/ |title=At The Gates Confirmed For Sweden's Meltdown Festival |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=6 December 2010 |accessdate=27 January 2014}} Asked in October 2012 about the possibility of new at the Gates material, frontman Tomas Lindberg replied, "Well, basically, I've learned never to say never. We said we'd never do any more shows whatsoever and now we're doing shows [again]. 2008 was the last tour we were going to do and now we are doing more [shows]. I learned not to say never you know."{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/at-the-gates-frontman-on-possibility-of-new-studio-album-i-ve-learned-never-to-say-never/ |title=At The Gates Frontman On Possibility Of New Studio Album: 'I've Learned Never To Say Never' |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=15 October 2012 |accessdate=27 January 2014}}

On 21 January 2014, At the Gates released a distorted video on YouTube showing lines of lyrics on it, followed by text saying "2014", possibly hinting toward possible lyrics for an upcoming album. Six days later, the band revealed on Facebook via a new cover photo and profile picture, that they had signed to Century Media Records, and would begin recording their fifth album At War with Reality in June/July for a tentative October/November 2014 release.

On 14 August, the band announced they had completed the album and that it would be released on 28 October.

In a November 2014 interview, Lindberg was asked whether At War with Reality was at the Gates' final album or the band would continue recording. His response was, "We can't say really. We have no plans of stopping but we've broken promises before so it's best not to say anything."{{cite web|url=http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=108082 |title=Interview With At The Gates Vocalist Tomas Lindberg |publisher=Metalunderground.com |date=18 November 2014 |accessdate=23 November 2014}}

The band concluded the At War with Reality world tour in August 2016, which had run for almost two years following its release.

The quote on the track "El altar del dios desconocido" is taken from the novel On Heroes and Tombs written by Argentine writer Ernesto Sabato.

{{Album ratings

| MC = 77/100{{cite web|title=At War with Reality – At the Gates|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/at-war-with-reality/at-the-gates|website=Metacritic|accessdate=18 May 2018}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|last=Monger|first=James Christoper|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/at-war-with-reality-mw0002744732|title=At The Gates – At War With Reality Album Reviews, Songs & More|work=AllMusic|date=28 October 2014|accessdate=8 June 2023}}

| rev2 = Alternative Press

| rev2Score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|last=Pratt|first=Greg|date=7 November 2014|url=http://www.altpress.com/reviews/entry/at_the_gates_at_war_with_reality|title=At The Gates – At War With Reality|work=Alternative Press|accessdate=4 January 2015}}

| rev3 = Blabbermouth

| rev3score = {{Rating|8.5|10}}{{cite web | url = http://www.blabbermouth.net/cdreviews/at-war-with-reality/ | title = CD Reviews: At War with Reality | date = 29 October 2014 | accessdate = 30 October 2014}}

| rev4 = Exclaim!

| rev4score = {{rating|10|10}}{{cite web | url = http://exclaim.ca/Reviews/Metal/at_gates-at_war_with_reality_2 | title = 'At War With Reality' Review | accessdate = 24 October 2014}}

| rev5 = MetalSucks

| rev5score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite web | url = http://www.metalsucks.net/2014/10/07/gates-war-reality-addictive/ | last = Rosenberg | first = Axl | title = At the Gates' At War with Reality is Mercilessly Addictive | date = 7 October 2014 | accessdate = 12 October 2014}}

| rev6 = Pitchfork Media

| rev6Score = 6.9/10{{cite web|last= Heller|first=Jason|date=3 December 2014|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20022-at-the-gates-at-war-with-reality/|title=At the Gates: At War With Reality|publisher=Pitchfork Media|accessdate=4 January 2015}}

| rev7 = Punknews.org

| rev7Score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|author=thepopeofchili-town |date=18 November 2014|url=http://www.punknews.org/review/13013/at-the-gates-at-war-with-reality|title=At The Gates – At War with Reality|publisher=Punknews.org|accessdate=4 January 2015}}

| rev8 = Rock Sound

| rev8Score = 8/10{{cite web|last=Sayce|first=Rob|date=20 October 2014|url=http://www.rocksound.tv/reviews/read/at-the-gates-at-war-with-reality|title=At The Gates – At War With Reality|work=Rock Sound|publisher=Freeway Press Inc.|accessdate=4 January 2015}}

| rev9 = Sputnikmusic

| rev9score = 2.5/5{{cite web|last=Thomas |first=Adam|date=28 October 2014|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/64837/At-the-Gates-At-War-with-Reality/|title=Review: At the Gates – At War with Reality|publisher=Sputnikmusic|accessdate=4 January 2015}}

| rev10 = Wondering Sound

| rev10Score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Wiederhorn|first=Jon|date=28 October 2014|url=http://www.wonderingsound.com/review/at-the-gates-at-war-with-reality-century-media/|title=At the Gates, At War With Reality|publisher=Wondering Sound. eMusic|accessdate=4 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104081115/http://www.wonderingsound.com/review/at-the-gates-at-war-with-reality-century-media/|archive-date=4 January 2015|url-status=dead}}

}}

Upon release, At War with Reality was received positively by critics. On review aggregator Metacritic, the album received an average score of 77 out of 100 based on 7 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Ray Van Horn Jr. of Blabbermouth.net rated the album eight-and-a-half stars out of ten, and called it "probably the most anticipated metal album" of 2014. He finished his review by saying that, "At the Gates make mincemeat out of this album and efficiently plot most of their songs to wrap in far less time than their acolytes. The average song on At War with Reality clocks in between two-and-a-half and four minutes, yet all feel like far more has transcended. That's something special. Inadvertently and unfairly credited for the ascension of metalcore, At the Gates releases a demonstrative comeback album that's simply metal, forget the 'core-rellations."

At War with Reality was at the Gates' first album to chart in multiple countries. It peaked at number three on the Swedish chart Sverigetopplistan and reached number 53 on the US Billboard 200.

{{Track listing

| total_length = 44:16

| all_lyrics = Tomas Lindberg except where noted

| all_music = Anders Björler and Jonas Björler{{cite book|title=At War with Reality liner notes (9984389)|year=2014|publisher=Century Media Records}}

| title1 = El Altar del Dios Desconocido

| note1 = "The Altar of the Unknown God"

| lyrics1 = Ernesto Sabato

| length1 = 1:06

| music1 = A.Björler

| title2 = Death and the Labyrinth

| length2 = 2:33

| music2 = A.Björler

| title3 = At War with Reality

| length3 = 3:09

| music3 = A.Björler

| title4 = The Circular Ruins

| length4 = 4:28

| music4 = A.Björler / J.Björler

| title5 = Heroes and Tombs

| length5 = 3:59

| music5 = A.Björler / J.Björler

| title6 = The Conspiracy of the Blind

| length6 = 3:19

| music6 = J.Björler / A.Björler

| title7 = Order from Chaos

| length7 = 3:26

| music7 = A.Björler / J.Björler

| title8 = The Book of Sand (The Abomination)

| length8 = 4:28

| music8 = A.Björler

| title9 = The Head of the Hydra

| length9 = 3:38

| music9 = J.Björler / A.Björler

| title10 = City of Mirrors

| note10 = instrumental

| length10 = 2:06

| music10 = J.Björler / A.Björler

| title11 = Eater of Gods

| length11 = 3:51

| music11 = A.Björler

| title12 = Upon Pillars of Dust

| length12 = 2:39

| music12 = A.Björler

| title13 = The Night Eternal

| length13 = 5:37

| music13 = J.Björler / A.Björler

}}

{{tracklist

| headline = Limited digipak and mediabook edition

| total_length = 52:38

| title1 = El Altar del Dios Desconocido

| note1 = "The Altar of the Unknown God"

| length1 = 1:06

| title2 = Death and the Labyrinth

| length2 = 2:33

| title3 = At War with Reality

| length3 = 3:09

| title4 = The Circular Ruins

| length4 = 4:28

| title5 = Heroes and Tombs

| length5 = 3:59

| title6 = The Conspiracy of the Blind

| length6 = 3:19

| title7 = Order from Chaos

| length7 = 3:26

| title8 = The Book of Sand (The Abomination)

| length8 = 4:28

| title9 = Language of the Dead

| note9 = bonus track

| length9 = 4:10

| music9 = A.Björler

| title10 = The Skin of a Fire

| note10 = bonus track

| length10 = 4:14

| music10 = A.Björler

| title11 = The Head of the Hydra

| length11 = 3:38

| title12 = City of Mirrors

| note12 = instrumental

| length12 = 2:06

| title13 = Eater of Gods

| length13 = 3:51

| title14 = Upon Pillars of Dust

| length14 = 2:39

| title15 = The Night Eternal

| length15 = 5:37

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Limited artbook edition bonus disc

| total_length = 15:50

| title1 = Language of the Dead

| length1 = 4:09

| music1 = A.Björler

| title2 = The Skin of a Fire

| length2 = 4:14

| music2 = A.Björler

| title3 = Re-Animation

| note3 = Sacrifice cover

| length3 = 3:38

| title4 = Eater of Gods

| note4 = demo

| length4 = 3:49

}}

{{tracklist

| headline = Japanese edition

| total_length = 56:16

| title1 = El Altar del Dios Desconocido

| note1 = "The Altar of the Unknown God"

| length1 = 1:06

| title2 = Death and the Labyrinth

| length2 = 2:33

| title3 = At War with Reality

| length3 = 3:09

| title4 = The Circular Ruins

| length4 = 4:28

| title5 = Heroes and Tombs

| length5 = 3:59

| title6 = The Conspiracy of the Blind

| length6 = 3:19

| title7 = Order from Chaos

| length7 = 3:26

| title8 = The Book of Sand (The Abomination)

| length8 = 4:28

| title9 = Language of the Dead

| note9 = bonus track

| length9 = 4:10

| title10 = The Skin of a Fire

| note10 = bonus track

| length10 = 4:14

| title11 = The Head of the Hydra

| length11 = 3:38

| title12 = City of Mirrors

| note12 = instrumental

| length12 = 2:06

| title13 = Eater of Gods

| length13 = 3:51

| title14 = Re-Animation

| note14 = bonus track, Sacrifice cover

| length14 = 3:38

| title15 = Upon Pillars of Dust

| length15 = 2:39

| title16 = The Night Eternal

| length16 = 5:37

}}

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.

{{col-begin}}

{{col-3}}

;At the Gates

• Tomas Lindberg – vocals
• Anders Björler – guitar
• Martin Larsson – guitar
• Jonas Björler – bass
• Adrian Erlandsson – drums

{{col-3}}

;Production

• Costin Chioreanu – artwork, design
• Jens Bogren – mixing, mastering
• Fredrik Nordström – producer, recording, engineering
• Henrik Udd – recording, engineering
• Johan Henriksson – recording, editing

{{col-3}}

;El Altar del Dios Desconocido

• Anton Reisenegger – spoken word
• Danny Biggin – recording
• Charlie Storm – mixing

{{col-end}}

{{Reflist|2}}

{{At the Gates}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2014 albums

Category:At the Gates albums

Category:Century Media Records albums

Category:2010s concept albums