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AA-12
06-01-2006, 02:28 AM
I could've sworn there was an Agalloch thread somewhere here, but there isn't. Anyway, they have just recently gotten my full attention and made me a massive fan. Here's some background on the band:

"The essence of Agalloch music is a combination of cold, dark sorrow and natural aesthetic beauty. The foundation of the band began in late 1995 when a doom/death project called Aeolachrymae was reduced to a pile of ash. From those ashes, three bands were born- Susurrus Inanis, Nothing and Agalloch. The primary goal in the beginning was to create majestic and epic dark metal. This vision was shared by the two main creators; J. Haughm and S. Breyer. In early 1996, a few songs slowly started to take form and in the summer, a 2nd guitarist, L. Anderson was found. Later in the autumn, the debut demo "From Which Of This Oak" was recorded and shortly after it's release, a permanent bassist - J. William W. Joined the effort. In early 1998 Agalloch recorded a new promo tape for labels only. The uniqueness of that promo earned the band a deal with The End Records and in January of 1999 they entered the studio to record their debut album. The album, entitled "Pale Folklore", was released in June of 1999 and received much acclaim for grim concepts and folkloric aesthetics. Throughout 2000, the band kept a very low profile until finally emerging again with the release of a limited MCD entitled "Of Stone, Wind and Pillor" in mid 2001. This is a collection of unreleased material from 1998 2001 and includes a cover of Sol Invictus"Kneel to The Cross". This cover also appears on Cynfierdd's "Sol Lucet Omnibus", a 2CD tribute to Sol Invictus. From late 2001 - early 2002, the band recorded their second album. Entitled "The Mantle", the album is a 70 minute epic which brings to life a darker, more bleak view of the world through more transcendental, existential, and nihilistic motifs. "The Mantle" is an expression of longing, decay, and the desperation of hope. Agalloch hails from Portland, Oregon - in the heart of the Pacific Northwest."

Feel free to discuss Agalloch.

To start things off on a good note, what is the clip in Tomorrow Will Never Come from?

Clunge
06-01-2006, 04:13 AM
I got some of their stuff a few days ago, recommended from the Opeth thread.

They're rather good, very good acoustic bits and the clean vocals are really good too.

I'm not so keen on the growling stuff though, it grates a bit after a while, there's something nasal about it or whiny.

Anyways, good stuff apart from that.

AA-12
06-01-2006, 04:15 AM
It's not really growling, just harsh black metal type vocals.

Scoot
06-01-2006, 10:13 AM
There's been numerous threads, never except for the one that died got off the ground though.

Amazing band.

DanD
06-01-2006, 10:16 AM
I have The Mantle and Of, Stone, Wind, and Pillor.

Great band, thats really all that I have to say.

Cocaine
06-01-2006, 10:46 AM
Ashes Against The Grain has leaked, it's damned good.

Shred Danson
06-01-2006, 02:08 PM
I must get the new CD!

Pale Folklore and The Mantle are two splooge-inducing albums.

Scoot
06-01-2006, 02:36 PM
If anyone could send me the new CD (scoot_15@hotmail.com) I'd be forever grateful.

Txus
06-01-2006, 04:28 PM
I made a big Thread of agalloch sometime ago....anyway amazing band, one of my favorite if not my favorite. Ashes Against The Grain is a big change in them but in a really good way, it's an amazing album I think that Fire Above, Ice Below is by far the best Agalloch has ever made.

Here is my thread: http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=410230

Nepenthe
06-01-2006, 05:45 PM
Ashes Against The Grain is probably second to only The Mantle imo. Fire Above is definately one of their greatest songs, but not quite THE greatest. I really like Not Unlike The Waves as well.

Mantle>Grain>From Which Of This Oak>Folklore>the rest in no certain order

guitrguy
06-01-2006, 05:51 PM
This thread made me want to listen to some Agalloch.

NP: Agalloch - Of Stone, Wind, And Pillor

I also find their music to be very comforting.

Bartender
06-03-2006, 08:24 AM
I don't really listen to them enough. I only have The Mantle anyway, though.

Daven
06-03-2006, 11:01 AM
You should get Pale Folklore Bartender, its my favorite by Agalloch.

AA-12
06-03-2006, 11:04 AM
Pale Folklore is good, but The Mantle outdoes all of their releases. Tomorrow Will Never Come is a close second.

Daven
06-03-2006, 11:09 AM
I like The Mantle, but i dont like too much the acoustic parts of it. So I prefer PAle Folklore.

Scoot
06-04-2006, 11:37 AM
Jesus.

Fire Above, Ice Below is one of the best written songs I've ever heard.

AA-12
06-04-2006, 12:43 PM
I was listening to the song Tomorrow Will Never Come in the car today while completely relaxed.

Flat out amazing experience.

Scoot
06-04-2006, 01:57 PM
I love that song.

I love every song they've made.

AA-12
06-04-2006, 01:58 PM
Same. I really need to figure out what the clip is from in that song.

EDIT: Yesssss

“It’s a song that is close to me in many ways. The idea was developed during a time when I was very interested in schizophrenia and the mentally ill. The sample was taken from a documentary I watched whilst taking a "domain of the sciences & society" course at the university. We were studying medicine and the mentally ill. We watched this video (from the prof's personal library) and I was incredibly moved by the son's conversation with his father. I wanted to use it for Sculptured originally, but this track really provided a better opportunity for it.”

Even more depressing though :-\

Daven
06-04-2006, 02:39 PM
Jesus.

Fire Above, Ice Below is one of the best written songs I've ever heard.

Its one of my favorites songs by Agalloch, but it cant mat DWD for me.