(Melodic Death Metal) The Cold Existence - Sombre Gates - 2009, FLAC (image+.cue+scans) lossless

REM GENRE Metal
REM DATE 2009
REM DISCID B90D3E0E
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.99pb5"
PERFORMER "THE COLD EXISTENCE"
TITLE "SOMBRE GATES"
FILE "The Cold Existence - Sombre Gates.flac" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "ORACLE"
PERFORMER "THE COLD EXISTENCE"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "HERETIC"
PERFORMER "THE COLD EXISTENCE"
INDEX 01 01:45:55
TRACK 03 AUDIO
TITLE "CORRUPTION"
PERFORMER "THE COLD EXISTENCE"
INDEX 01 06:06:39
TRACK 04 AUDIO
TITLE "PURGATORY"
PERFORMER "THE COLD EXISTENCE"
INDEX 01 10:18:01
TRACK 05 AUDIO
TITLE "RUINS OF DESPAIR"
PERFORMER "THE COLD EXISTENCE"
INDEX 01 14:39:02
TRACK 06 AUDIO
TITLE "APOCALYPSE"
PERFORMER "THE COLD EXISTENCE"
INDEX 01 19:30:72
TRACK 07 AUDIO
TITLE "SPAWN OF EVIL"
PERFORMER "THE COLD EXISTENCE"
INDEX 01 24:49:74
TRACK 08 AUDIO
TITLE "CRAWLING"
PERFORMER "THE COLD EXISTENCE"
INDEX 01 28:01:57
TRACK 09 AUDIO
TITLE "THE HELLFIRE"
PERFORMER "THE COLD EXISTENCE"
INDEX 01 29:40:29
TRACK 10 AUDIO
TITLE "MADNESS"
PERFORMER "THE COLD EXISTENCE"
INDEX 01 33:47:26
TRACK 11 AUDIO
TITLE "UTOPIA"
PERFORMER "THE COLD EXISTENCE"
INDEX 01 38:10:72
TRACK 12 AUDIO
TITLE "SEEDS OF AGGRESSION"
PERFORMER "THE COLD EXISTENCE"
INDEX 01 43:39:16
TRACK 13 AUDIO
TITLE "FORSAKEN"
PERFORMER "THE COLD EXISTENCE"
INDEX 01 47:42:02
TRACK 14 AUDIO
TITLE "WRATH OF SEKHMET"
PERFORMER "THE COLD EXISTENCE"
INDEX 01 51:28:58

Among the Lords I’m mostly known for my love for traditional heavy metal and the eighties and usually get records from that direction on my monthly metal plate. But I have also never denied my love for aggressive metal! It just doesn’t happen very often that I totally get blown away by a new death metal release.
This month however, that’s totally different! The Swedish formation around singer/guitarist Jan Sallander, The Cold Existence is about to release it’s second album ‘Sombre Gates’ later this month. These gentlemen proved their abilities in 2006 with their debut album ‘The Essence’, but with the new album they bring their well thought-trough, technical, detailed and highly gifted metal to a higher level. For those who are not familiar with this band; TCE plays a combination of death, black and thrash metal done in the Swedish tradition and that means aggressive metal with a healthy overdose on melody and emotion.
Generally put ‘Sombre Gates’ continues where ‘The Essence’ left off. But was it death metal that had the upper hand on the debut, the combination of death and black metal sounds more balanced on the new album and especially the black influences are more justified. Heavy death metal riffs and rough, mighty Viking grunts are diversified with fast, yet melodic and ice-cold black riffs, supported with exciting double-bass work, blast beast and hellish screams. The band succeeds in keeping the legacy of fellow countrymen Dissection alive and there where Jon Nodtveidt (R.I.P.) and co. couldn’t manage to capture the magic of their earlier work on ‘Reinkaos’, TCE knows to summon that feeling and make it endure. And that is not an easy task! They also know to come up with the dark atmosphere their other countrymen Lord Belial and Swedish extreme metal would not be complete without at least a bit of At The Gates. But TCE is more than that, because their technical approach and influences from unexpected corners also reminds of bands like Nile and Behemoth.
The remarkable and definitely not the least important thing is the fact that despite the in the abovementioned influences and comparisons, the band shows an own identity and cannot be compared to any other immediately. This is yet another proof that extreme metal can be intelligent and is more than brainless beating, as some simple souls would like to (make) believe. The music is also filled with interesting details and contains different layers, so that every listening turn is a new experience.
And finally Andy La Roque has again done a tremendous job with the production and has give the album a great sound, with eyes for details, but without losing sight on the power of the whole picture. Altogether make ‘Sombre Gates’ one of the better extreme metal releases and a beautiful addition for every fan of this genre.
NB: Lord Belial guitarist Thomas Backelin has recently joined forces with The Cold Existence!
[lordsofmetal.nl, 90/100 rating]

In the summer of 1998 Jan Sallander started a band under the name "Cold".
Jan brought with him a bass player from his old band Esmony and found a drummer
who lived in Stenungsund, where they rehearsed.
With just three band members Jan Sallander felt that it was not enough for the music he created. It needed two guitars.
At the end of Dec 1999 Jan Hellenberg joined the band, and it was then the band took the name 'The Cold Existence'.
In the end of year 2000 the drummer and bass player quit the band, but the band quickly found a new drummer Björn Eriksson and a new bassplayer Patric Syk.
After this, the band had a solid crew!
At the same time The Cold Existence moved to a descent rehearsal room in Gothenburg.
In the year 2001 the band wrote 15 songs and recorded a couple of demos for personal use,and they also started to perform live more often.
The year 2003 The Cold Existence recorded their first official demo 'Beyond Comprehension' at studio Los Angered with Andy La Roqcue behind the mixer board!
The demo got a good heavy sound and was met by a really good response from media and audience.
In late 2004 the bassplayer Patrik Syk left the band and Peter Laustsen from the band "Maleficio" did not only have the spot as bassplayer, he also has a lot of musical contacts which helped The Cold Existence a lot.
After that the band inked a record deal with USA label Khaosmaster Productions on a release of their demo “Beyond Comprehension” as a MCD which was released in USA and Europe.
The MCD got a very good response. In Europe the band got a lot of Good reviews, the magazine Close Up wote them as best band in 2005, in all metal genres.
In late November, early December 2005 The Cold Existence started to record their first full length album, “The Essence” in studio Los Angered.
After recording “The Essence” Björn Eriksson left the band.
But he was soon replaced by hungry youngster Jimmie Olausson.
With offers to play in concerts such as Metal Mania Open Air Fest in Slovenia, not to mention the offers from Germany, Netherlands and Serbia, the band felt stronger than ever before. Then it happened again, Jan Hellenberg left the band in cause of lack of time to play in a band. A few guitar players rehearsed with The Cold Existence in hope to become a new guitar player.
But noone was suited for it so Wictor Lindström from the band "Garm" became the lead guitarist for a short period of time, and then Jimmie Olausson thought that his friend Robert Persson would suit as the lead guitarist..
After some rehearsals they knew that Robert was a guitar player that suited The Cold Existence and the lead guitar was passed on to Robert.
In the summer of 2007, Jimmie Olausson was replaced with a new drummer named Joakim Antonsson from the band "Vindicate".
Now, the members are very happy with the line-up and are eager to show their new music to the world.
The Cold Existence new material is still Swedish deathmetal, but with a more brutal and atmospheric sound. They have taken the Swedish deathmetal to a new level.