Track review: At The Gates - "The Fever Mask"

Writing about this is not easy. No one should feel comfortable confronting loss like this. At the Gates’ video for their latest single, “The Fever Mask,” goes far beyond the typical performance video format, cutting much deeper on an emotional level. Compiled by longtime collaborator Patric Ullaeus, the clip serves as a moving visual tribute to the late Tomas “Tompa” Lindberg, who passed away in September 2025 after a battle with cancer. Lindberg completed work on the album before his death, leaving behind one final gift. The Ghost of a Future Dead marks the band’s first posthumous release and their first album since 2021’s The Nightmare of Being.

Lindberg’s loss extends far beyond the Swedish melodic death metal scene; it resonates across the global metal community. His voice, presence, and influence helped define melodic death metal, while his life outside music, as a teacher balancing work and art, only deepened his legacy. He leaves behind eight remarkable records and a legacy within extreme music.

“The Fever Mask,” the first track released from the upcoming album, arrives as dark, ruthless, and merciless as fans would hope. Its lyrics are potent and philosophical: “Amorphous the deceptions masked in illusive death. Abominations rise. Condemned to oblivion, we’ll die. Die.” Chaotic riffs collide with haunting melody, capturing At The Gates in true form while setting a somber tone for what lies ahead.

The Ghost of a Future Dead is scheduled to arrive on April 24, 2026, via Century Media Records. The album was recorded and mixed by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden, with artwork by Robert Samsonowitz. You can count on this album landing in our year-end list, that’s for sure.

Here’s what the band had to say:

“We are proud to finally share some news about our eighth studio album, ‘The Ghost of a Future Dead’. The album will be released on April 24, 2026 – more than two years after it was completed in the studio. As you all know, Tomas Lindberg passed away last year due to complications from his cancer treatment. Over the past few years, we worked closely with Tomas, discussing and refining every detail to ensure nothing was left to chance. In accordance with Tomas’ wishes – including the album title, sound mix, track order, artwork, and overall presentation – ‘The Ghost of a Future Dead’ remains true to form. It combines the ferocious energy and hard-hitting powerful melodies that is the essence of At The Gates. This album is Tomas’ legacy.

‘The Fever Mask’ was one of the final songs written for the album and quickly stood out as the natural choice for both the opening track and the first single for ‘The Ghost of a Future Dead’. It perfectly captures the essence of At The Gates, blending raw energy, strong melody and beautiful lyrics by Tomas.”

Watch the clip below and pre-order the album here:

Track List:

01) The Fever Mask
02) The Dissonant Void
03) Det Oerhörda
04) A Ritual of Waste
05) In Dark Distortion
06) Of Interstellar Death
07) Tomb of Heaven
08) Parasitical Hive
09) The Unfathomable
10) The Phantom Gospel
11) Förgängligheten
12) Black Hole Emission