Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt has released a detailed and heartfelt tribute to his friend and fellow Swedish metal pioneer, the late Tomas “Tompa” Lindberg, vocalist of At The Gates, who passed away earlier today. In a moving eulogy, Åkerfeldt shared his “overpowering shock” and recounted the story of their first meeting in the early 1990s, a moment that left him “mind-blown” by the power of Lindberg and his then-fledgling band.
The At The Gates vocalist died on Tuesday, September 16, at the age of 52 following complications from a courageous battle with a rare form of oral cancer. As the metal world began to process the devastating news, Åkerfeldt shared his personal remembrance of his longtime friend.
His full statement reads:
“Goodbye Tomas ”Tompa” ”Goatspell” Lindberg.
It’s with overpowering shock that I write this, having just received the news that he has passed on.
I first met with Tomas in the early 90’s when Opeth had a show (our second show ever) in Gothenbourg. Appearing on the bill was (I believe) ourselves, Therion and an minor arsenal of bands with period names such as Mega-slaughter, Sarcazm, Desercrator. Also appearing was a band with a yet more curious name, At the gates.
We made our way from Stockholm to be greeted at the GBG central station by none other than Tomas Lindberg himself. He looked ragged and…untamed? Long frizzy blonde hair, huge blonde/ginger beard. An intimidating character in appearance, yet incredibly kind and welcoming in person.
At the gates blew my mind that night. Their music was unlike anything I’d heard, and the performance a study in controlled technical violence. Yet with soaring melancholic melodies. I feel tempted to use the term ”progressive” here, although I doubt I knew what that meant at the time. As a frontman, Tomas was just beyond anything I’d seen. He was awesome, plain and simple. Wild! He appeared so immersed in the music that it seemed to take utter and complete control of him. It was a joy to see (and hear), and from that day ATG became one of my favorite bands.
We’d run into each other now and then over the years. Intellectually, he seemed to be a step above and beyond your generic metal musician. You could talk to Tomas about anything. Perhaps his job as a teacher played a role, I don’t know, but he had a keen ear to whatever topic was brought up.
I can’t believe that he’s gone….
Tomas, my friend. You were a pioneering musician. A fantastic frontman and singer. A lovely human being! You’ve always had my endless respect. A respect that will flow effortlessly, even now that you’re no longer with us.
Tomas Lindberg
October 16, 1972 – September 16, 2025
Rest in peace.
Courtesy of Dan Swanö I’ve included a photo below of Tomas, together with Dan, myself and Jens Prueter (Nuclear blast records). A well needed happy memory, as you can clearly see!
On behalf of the band I want to extend our warmest condolences and sympathies to his family, friends, fans and colleagues.”
Tomas Lindberg was a key architect of the “Gothenburg sound” and one of the most influential vocalists in the history of extreme metal. His band At The Gates’ 1995 album, Slaughter of the Soul, is widely considered a landmark, genre-defining masterpiece. Just last month, he had publicly revealed his cancer diagnosis, detailing a “long hard path towards recovery” that included major surgery and radiation therapy.
