Tomas Lindberg Cause of Death Revealed After At the Gates Singer Dies at 52

Vocalist Tomas Lindberg’s voice defined an era of melodic death metal. As the frontman of At the Gates, his raw energy and ferocious delivery helped shape the Gothenburg melodic death metal sub-genre of music that became so widespread throughout the 1990s and inspired countless bands worldwide.

Now, the music world is remembering the man behind the microphone. Tomas died at 52 after a long and very difficult health battle, leaving behind a legacy of artistry and influence that continues to resonate across generations of heavy music. But fans are wondering what the cause of Tomas's death was. Here's what we know.

On Sept. 16, 2025, his death was confirmed by Swedish outlet SVT Nyheter.

In August 2025, the band shared on Facebook a message written by Tomas in March 2025. He wrote he had been diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma in December 2023, which is a rare and aggressive form of oral cancer.

"In December 2023, I was diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (a cancer in the mouth and palate), and have since then gone through a lot, it has been a very tough year."

Doctors performed surgery to remove part of the roof of his mouth and followed up with radiation. Despite the treatments, the cancer returned in areas that could no longer be treated surgically or with radiation. He wrote, "Now, in the beginning of 2025, they have found some remains of the cancer, and it is inaccessible by surgery or radiation."

Incredibly, he recorded his final vocals for At the Gates’ upcoming album the day before undergoing major surgery. He finished every track in a single session, ensuring his voice would live on in the band’s next release despite his illness.

Tomas explained, "The last version of the vocals, the ones that will end up on the album, were recorded in ONE day, mostly one takes, the DAY before the surgery, just to make sure we HAD the album, so to speak."

Tomas's career is not defined by his cancer battle. As At the Gates’s frontman, he became a pioneer of the melodic death metal sound, influencing bands from In Flames to Killswitch Engage. His voice carried Slaughter of the Soul into legend and kept the band’s return albums relevant decades later.

According to The Rock Revival, When At the Gates disbanded in 1996, Tomas's career continued with great success. He fronted a number of other notable projects, including Lock Up, Skitsystem, and Disfear. At the Gates reunited in 2007 for live performances and later recorded new albums.

Tomas’s story is now etched into the history of heavy metal music: a fierce performer, an outspoken creative, and an artist who chose to leave behind more than silence. Cancer may have cut his story short, but his legacy is eternal, carried forward through his recordings, the bands he inspired, and the countless fans who found strength in his voice. His influence remains a cornerstone of metal history.