Here's a band that it's rather difficult to categorize. Agalloch are coming from the USA and their music is a mixture of Black Metal, with enough melodies, some folk elements here and there, and a dark atmosphere spread around the music. Don't expect the blastbeats or the super fast rhythms here, in fact the majority of the album is moving on mid tempo rhythms, but the melodies have a way to sneak into your mind, and the vocals are enhancing the dark feeling of the music. Catchy and groovy, with enough nice ideas, the music might sound monotonous with the first listening, but has enough things to discover with a more cautious listening. The clear and sometimes ritualistic vocals, are also contributing to the album. Dark and depressing, catchy and full of nice yet not so happy, melodies, this album will please the fans of the band, and I am sure many of the fans of the Atmospheric stuff.
8/10
1 comment:
Without a doubt this CD is THE metal release of the year. It can appeal to anybody even remotely into metal, as Agalloch (like no other band) can capture a pure beauty and connectedness to nature, the black metal vocals are not "black metal" at all in the true BM sense of the word, they can be appreciated by anyone (i've witnessed firsthand many people open up to this band from vastly varied musical tastes). Also get hold of their debut Pale Folklore (very 'forest at night' feel, or the feeling of being in darkened hallways of old mansions or castles), their second full length The Mantle (very different feel, much more 'nature' oriented, very organic feel, extremely beautiful music, both the 'forest' feel and the more 'ghostly' feel Ashes Against The Grain contains).
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