The Rock Blogger

Agalloch recorded this beautiful cover of Sol Invictus‘ “Kneel to the Cross” on their Of Stone, Wind and Pillor EP (2001). Does anybody know which album the original appears on?

Sculptured. Embodiment. 2008. 4 stars.

Sculptured’s latest offering is a solid prog-metal release that features intricate compositions and clear production, integrating complicated guitar riffs, symphonic keyboards and frantic drumming into a cohesive and dense package. While Sculptured’s impressive lineup features Don Anderson and Jason Walton from Agalloch, their sound is completely different, with labyrinthine song structures that dart from guttural metal to progressive passages in an instant, switching between time signatures and moods with surprising transitions.

The band also alternates between two vocal styles, one being the conventional death metal growl and the other being the clean alternative signing that may remind some of Mike Patton’s Faith No More days. The combination of the two is refreshing and consistently interesting, providing a emotional anchor for the spiraling keyboard melodies and cyclical drumming. The complexity of this album is not nearly as overwhelming as other efforts in the prog-metal genre, as the melodies are easily distinguishable amid the madness, making Embodiment an album that is actually fun to listen to rather than being an inaccessible maze of musical layers. The band truly sound like they are enjoying themselves.

Embodiment as a whole is an exciting and well produced effort that remains accessible despite its complexity. I would recommend this to both fans of prog metal (like Kayo Dot, Maudlin of the Well, Mars Volta) as well as rock fans more accustomed to alternative styles.

Agalloch. Of Stone, Wind and Pillor. 2001. 3.5 stars.

Seeing that my review of Agalloch’s sublime White EP is the most read post on my blog so far, I thought it would be worthwhile to visit some of the band’s previous, and hard to find, EPs. Starting things off with Of Stone Wind and Pillor, which is mostly a scatter shot collection of tracks left off their debut album Pale Folklore, we find Agalloch’s more experimental and neo-folk tendencies begin to shine through.

As the great cover art demonstrates, this EP is a testament to untouched landscapes, expressing hard felt desires to abandon the calls of civilization and escape to the dark confines of the forest. While the opening title track is familiar fare from Agalloch, sounding like an unpolished outtake from their more fuller sounding LPs, the two following instrumental tracks “Foliorum Viridium” and “Haunitng Birds” are atmospheric gems, full of ringing acoustic guitars, graceful piano and the cinematic use of choir samples, adding an another layer of complexity to Agalloch’s epic sound.

The EP’s highlight however is the stirring cover of Sol Invictus’ “Kneel to the Cross” which begins with the spine chilling chant of “Summer is a’ coming, arise, arise”, before the band fully immerses themselves in a folksy tale of violent Christian conquest over ancient lands. This song brilliantly captures the essence of Agalloch: organic sounding, ambitious and full of cultural allusions and Gothic imagery. In short, despite its overall unevenness, the standouts on Of Stone are among Agalloch’s most impassioned efforts.

Agalloch. The White EP. 2008. 4 stars.

Hailing from the misty forests of Portland Oregon, Agalloch has earned themselves a substantial cult following with their blend of atmospheric black metal that incorporates folk and ambient elements, producing several critically acclaimed albums and EPs over the last decade. The White EP continues on with the band’s distinguished tradition with a renewed emphasis on the neo-folk aspect of their sound, mostly relying on acoustic guitars, hushed vocals and atmospheric effects to get to black heart of this dark genre.

Taking a step away from the growls and punishing instrumentals often associated with metal, Agalloch’s ambient exercises mark a significant departure from convention. The shift is dramatic without betraying the quality of their past (heavier) work, as the acoustic compositions express Agalloch’s organic approach toward crafting evocative sonic landscapes, focusing on an aesthetic that sets the group apart from their many contemporaries.

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I thought it would fitting to throw up a song that captured the feelings of my commute this morning. The cold, the dark, the long drawn out wait, the hellfire. Well maybe not the hellfire. Anyways, this song from the album The Mantle gave my frustrations a cathartic soundtrack while I watched the snow blow across the dirty suburban roads. Rock on.