Sweden's monstrously heavy At the Gates are often called the fathers of melodic death metal. Combining brutal riffage and guttural vocals with an uncanny sense of melody, the band's 1991 debut EP established them as a force. By their third album, '94's Terminal Spirit Disease, they were ruling the Swedish metal scene and the next year's Slaughter of the Soul solidified their global metal status. The band split in '96 and members went on to groups like The Haunted and Cradle of Filth. They reformed in 2007 for tours, and in 2014 released a new album, At War with Reality.