AGALLOCH

Agalloch emerges in the late nineties from the forested depths of the state of Oregon (USA) with a musical proposal more expected from Scandinavian black or doom metal bands, and to which the North Americans add delicate homegrown folk acoustic textures, configuring a powerful and particular staging built on granitic walls of sound under a deadly and windy atmospheric mantle. And such a particular and interesting mixture is reflected in their first album, "Pale Folklore" (1990).

Using cold, depressive autumn and winter settings as a guiding thread, "Pale Folklore" traces its way from the opening, despairing "She Painted Fire Across the Skyline", a grand three-part suite dominated by John Haughm's and Don Anderson's protagonic guitar riffs that finds just the right pauses in its hypnotic half-times dramatized by Haughm's terrifying whispers, continues to flow between the deep melancholy of Shane Breyer's heartfelt piano notes and epic orchestrated keyboard backdrop on the instrumental "The Misshapen Steed", the powerful melodies of the disturbing "Hallways of Enchanted Ebony" and "Dead Winter Days", and reserves its final stretch for the precious acoustic interludes that oxygenate the spirit before the copious and distorted instrumental rispidity of the apocalyptic and heartbreaking "As Embers Dress the Sky" (recovered from Agalloch´s 1996 demo "From Which of this Oak") and "The Melancholy Spirit".

"Pale Folklore" is a splendid debut album from Agalloch, still rustic in style (some of the transitions seem a bit abrupt) but with a clearly (or darkly, rather...) delineated horizon, and which marks the beginning of the musical adventure of one of the most intense and emotive bands of the genre in one of its roughest sides.

3.5/4 stars

A beautiful masterpiece. It's for sure one of my favorite post-metal records of all time. It's considerably inaccessible, though, so it might be necessary to give it multiple listens. While there's some records that focus on atmosphere or heaviness, The Mantle is capable of focusing in both at the same. There's tracks like And The Great Cold Death Of The Earth or Desolation Song that are purely orgasmic ballads, and tracks like I Am The Woden Doors and You Were But A Ghost In My Arms that are pure ass-breaking metal tracks.

It's definitely a must for Post Metal fans, and worth a listen for anyone. Five Stars.

Agalloch is a high quality post black-metal band from Oregon with various influences. This too short performance in the black-white colours gives us on 71 minutes of music and a good balance of post-rock + black-metal influenced music with sparse doom metal elements. The atmosphere is perhaps less lively than on a typical black-metal band concert but that does not hinder quality in the music. The band is capable of showcasing raw music with sophisticaton on their own. Playing guitar in tandem is enriching. The entire set is well played without any downsides. My only complaint is the short length of the concert. As this is the only official live testament by the band, it's a good enough artifact which naturally misses cuts from their masterpiece "Marrow of the spirit" from 2010.

A nearly perfect album in a way that is hard to describe. The pinnacle of the album is the legendary song "In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion" which is both a perfect example of the best Folkloric/Atmospheric Black Metal song and one of the easiest for new ears to the realm to first experience. The rest of the album maintains the precise instrumentation and sophisticated song structure, which I liken to a luxury brand of the genre. While the type of music is "raw", nothing is "raw" about the production of this album. Instruments are clear, and no sound outshines another. As for the vocals, I really enjoy the fluctuation between low growls, soft-spoken whispers, and melodic cleans, that all are placed in the song perfectly with matching lyrics. 10/10 album and highly recommended for any prog fan, especially those looking to get into music with growling vocals and black metal- like riffs.

Agalloch's greatest work, and one of the greatest works Black Metal ever had. The Mantle is a perfect balance between beautiful atmospheric sections and hard- hitting riffs and lyrics, in such way that I simply cannot think how you could possibly improve them. The second track (Agalloch's most regarded work), In The Shadow Of Our Pale Companion, is easily one of the greatest pieces black metal ever had, and the rest of the tracklist doesn't fall too short. Hawthorne Passage is a beautiful instrumental. You Were But A Ghost In My Arms is the heaviest track of the album and it's also highly dynamic. The closer, A Desolation Song, is one of the darkest (if not the darkest) tracks Agalloch made, with bone-chilling lyrics and a melody that sets you in a dark, depressive mood. A very strong Black Metal album, and I truly recommend it.

A very strong black metal album from Agalloch. To be honest, Agalloch never made any bad albums. Marrow of the Spirit clearly is no exception and has always remained as my second favorite from theirs, beaten only by The Mantle. This album can be quite inaccessible, due to the prolonged atmospheric sections, but I still recommend you to give it a shot. If you like black metal and atmospheric music then it will definitely grow on you. Strongest track belongs to The Watcher's Monolith, a dynamic track that doesn't remain around the same theme for too long, unlike the other tracks in the album (not like it's a bad thing, but this track feels unique because of that). This and The Mantle are definitely five star albums.

Agalloch's The Mantle was a great album; one of my favorite post metal and black metal albums. A lot of other people feel this way too, and expectations were high for the follow up to such a great album. Those expectations were fulfilled, and that's why we're all happy with our lives.

Post metal? Yes. Black metal? Yes. Folk metal? Yes. Doom metal? Yes. This album is all you could ask for in an Agalloch album, mainly because the album shows the listener what they are all about. Ashes Against the Grain and The Mantle can be seen as companion albums. Why you may ask? because they are both great and they both sound the same! Actually they don't sound the same but they do sound similar, which is a good thing because Agalloch's sound and style is perfect. And they are both great of course. Acoustic guitar, folk melodies, slow tempos black metal riffage, and post metal doom and gloom, they all make for a great listen.

Agalloch puts on a show with this record; they started it on The Mantle and they continue it with this album. I say that if you've never heard this band, you should listen to them. Now, right now. Start with The Mantle and then come to this one, your ears will thank you.

Agalloch's greatest song, and unfortunately, their last great work. This EP is made up entirely of its title track, a 21-Minute song with its own movements and characteristics. It's also the longest Agalloch track (and the only one to surpass the well-known-in-prog mark of twenty minutes). This is their most complex track and arguably their darkest, featuring voice tracks (from movies, if I remember right), atmospheric sections (typical in the good ol' Agalloch), crushing black metal guitars/drums and vocals that project desperation and anger. The ending of this song (and EP) has the best, most epic ending any Agalloch track ever had! This may be a little inaccessible for those who have not yet started listening to Agalloch, but if you have... What are you waiting for? You must check this out! Faustian Echoes is easily one of the three Agalloch tracks that deserve a solid five star rating, the other two being "In The Shadow Of Our Pale Companion" and "Black Lake Nidstang". Absolute masterpiece!

Absolute masterpiece! I love this album! Wonderful atmosphere and some seriously beautiful melodies and moments spread around the album!

1. A Celebration For The Death Of Man... (7/10): A wonderful album opener that throws the main theme of the following beast of a track. Always listen ITSOOPC with this one!

2. In The Shadow Of Our Pale Companion (11/10): A Sheer and absolute masterpiece. A very dynamic black metal track that, combined with its lyrics, makes you feel in a dark, snowy road in Canada, heading to the unknown. Simply breathtaking, this track alone forces this album to have at least a 4-Star rating.

3. Odal (8/10): A dark instrumental with an atmospheric fade-out that transports you out of this world. I never think of listening specifically this track, but I never skip it when doing full album listens.

4. I Am The Wooden Doors (8.5/10): A great track, and one of the shorter ones in the album. I suppose it's supposed to be the single-type of track from the album and it's really good!

5. The Lodge (6/10): Probably my least favorite, but just like with Odal, I never skip it because it ruins the continuity of the album. Great instrumental nonetheless.

6. You Were But A Ghost In My Arms (9/10): One of the three heavyweights of the album! A very heavy track with its melodic moments and atmospheric sections, and definitely a track that makes up part of the reason why I gave this album five stars.

7. The Hawthorne Passage (10/10): Probably the biggest reason why I gave this album five stars is because it has "In The Shadow Of Our Pale Companion" and "The Hawthorne Passage" in one tracklist. Absolutely astonishing instrumental and the third heavyweight of the album. Very dynamic as well, there's no way you will get bored!

8. ... And The Great Cold Death Of The Earth (9/10): A great ballad-type track that serves as a rest after all the crazy stuff you just faced with the previous two tracks. Also works as a nice continuation of the album opener.

9. A Desolation Song (10/10): How can I be giving a 5-Minute ballad a 10/10 rating? Well, because it simply is one of the darkest, most depressive songs I've heard, and that's an achievement no other track in this album managed to obtain. Simply beautiful, an amazing album closer.

Simply a masterpiece. Five stars.

This album is an absolute masterpiece from beginning to end. Easily Agalloch's best ever effort (and the third album in a row that, in my opinion, deserves a 5-star rating). Each track has so much depth into them that they all have a valid reason for being the best of the album. However Into The Painted Gray and BLN are easily the most complete tracks of the album and two of the best songs Agalloch ever made. The only weakness this album could possibly have is the 4-minute beginning interlude, yet even so, when doing a full listen it perfectly complements with the closer To Drown. On top of that, an incredibly immersive experience with perfect balance of atmospheric sections and bone-breaking heavy sections. 100% recommended.