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Agalloch: The serpent & the sphere

08/06/14 || sincan

When talking about US black metal it is hard not to early think about a band like Agalloch which is a good example when it comes to extracting the nature capturing of Nordic black metal and turn it into something new and fresh. Their ability to look back and forth, taking the fine gems in different eras, is something which many looks upon as something very relevant for the time, whereas some naysayers thinks that it is too trendy, this especially since elements of post metal seems to be dividing metal fans like an axe further divides an arse.

Agalloch is not alone in being from the US and playing this type of music and can be seen as a part of the “Cascadian black metal” scene which mostly is defined from where the band has its geographical origin but common denominators are often the incorporation of forest romanticism, incense during live shows and a hint of a dress code like an Canadian lumberjack. The latter is sometimes only metaphysical, but still very real. Further “Celestial” and “astral” seems to be popular words to use, but I guess all genres has their own core words, sort of.

This band is no exception but what makes them original in this scene was for instance very audible on their previous full length album “Marrow of the spirit” where an overwhelming epicness was present along with a darker, almost melancholic vibe. On “The serpent & the sphere” those two elements are less prominent and instead the sound scape is a bit warmer and more straightforward, which can be interpret as something bad and here I stand divided (ass the ass being split by the chainsaw).

But don’t cry lakes of semen and feces, oh by the way, please do. But lo and behold! New interesting stuff is also added to the stew of Agalloch. The third track The astral dialogue has most likely been influenced by a guy (definitely in a beard) wearing a flannel shirt and maybe smoking just a little bit too much pot. For instance the track opens with a doom-like riff, which is actually a really great one. Then some tremolo epicness is also revealed after the smoke has eased and a twisting acoustic guitar is also dancing around the bonfire. This track is really strong and a great way of testing if you like “this type” of Agalloch also (I take for granted that you like Agalloch).

The following track Dark Matter gods is a bit more what we are used to and could have been placed on the previous album with its wheezing vocals (well as usual), choirs and the light (almost piping) lengthy guitar tones.

Well the tracks on this one is not short, nor easy digested, that is for sure. One has to pay full attention towards this album and here and there either like the variability that the instrumental tracks offer or skip them (yeah, some long tracks and then an instrumental and start over again), I tend to not skip them. What is rather interesting is that it seems like they forgot about releasing this on vinyl, but the rumors says that it will be sorted out, some day…

8,5

Information
Released: 2014
Label: Profound Lore Records
Website: agalloch.bandcamp.com
Band
Don Anderson: guitars, piano, vocals
John Haughm: guitars, drums, vocals
Aesop Dekker: drums
Jason William Walton: bass

Tracklist
01. Birth and death of the pillars of creation
02. (Serpens caput)
03. The astral dialogue
04. Dark matter gods
05. Celestial effigy
06. Cor serpentis (The sphere)
07. Vales beyond dimension
08. Plateau of the ages
09. (Serpens Cauda)

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