Artist: AgallochAlbum: Marrow of the Spirit
Released: November 2010
Label: Profound Lore Records
Genre: Black Metal
Purchase Date: 18 January 2011
Format: AAC files
Source: iTunes
I'm pretty new to the realization that I like some extreme forms of music. I never thought that I would totally love a black metal album, as the typical "troll under a bridge"/"cookie monster growl" vocal style of black metal tends to really turn me off. However, the vision and musicality of the Austin-based black metal band Agalloch transcends the extreme into a place of true dark beauty.
I will be the first to admit that the scream/growl black metal vocals of Agalloch was a barrier that needed to be surmounted, and nearly put me off this band. I found it a strange disconnect from the ambient-yet-melodic music, with shimmering guitars and pounding percussion. This is a band that knows how to paint a landscape with music, using natural sounds and wide dynamic range to vary the aural landscape. At times, the music seems more like instrumental post-rock, akin to the harder moments of Explosions In The Sky or If These Trees Could Talk. After repeated listens, I warmed to John Haughm's whisper-growl vocals. Unlike some black metal bands, Agalloch doesn't present an anti-Christian screed in its lyrics. I found that I became immersed in the neopagan nature-reverence of the lyrics.
This album isn't for everyone: black metal is an extreme music form, and it took repeated listens for me to "get it." I found a strong emotional connection to this album, and it was one of my favorite albums of 2010.
Rating: A
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