THE MANTLE

The Mantle is a big step up from the debut release, as the songwriting is more polished, and the band really refines their craft. What stands out for me, in particular, is how much in love I am with the acoustic guitar work on the album. The somber beauty it emits is well, breathtaking.

The two songs I'd like to point out in particular are The Hawthorne Passage and In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion, which I think 70's prog fans would enjoy. The Hawthorne Passage, in particular(which is almost entirely instrumental) is moving and captivating, taking you on a ride mixing folk, post-rock, and a few early prog elements. ITSOOPC is more or less the "epic" here, and combines all varieties of music here with some of the simplest and most effective chords to drive the song from start to finish.

There are however, a few drawbacks, as I feel parts of the long epic track could be removed or changed, and songs like "I am the Wooden Doors" do not particularly captivate me. But, for some reason, I always seem to play this album more than I would think, as the beauty in Agalloch is hard to find anywhere else. An album that deserves much more recognition, a stunning piece of work by the band in the beautiful northwest.