Agalloch
Pale Folklore
[The End]
Here is something you don't see every day: a very worthy dark-gothic metal
band. This is another jewel on The End Records roster because Agalloch are
really good at what they do. Very moody, atmospheric and majestic music,
very dark in a sad and melancholic sort of way, but without being
pathetically tearful and wimpy about it. Take minimalistic, repetitious
approach of Katatonia's one and only masterwork "Brave Murder Day," cross it
with Ulver's first album and sprinkle with progressive snippets, particularly
the clean guitar picking, of Fates Warning. Then wrap it all into that
special something that comes with the band's own talent, and you get some of
the finest dark metal music around. The atmosphere this band create is
nothing short of extraordinary. Smooth but at the same time very brooding
melodies and guitar leads (some of which also carry very subtle touches of
Swedish melodic tradition, thus prompting additional comparisons to bands
like Opeth, even though Agalloch's leader John Haughm pretty much hates
Opeth) really get under your skin, and the sparse use of female vocals on the
opening track "The Painted Fire Across the Skyline" is brilliant. The album
includes six main songs, plus two untitled tracks, all of which are equally
great. Agalloch is not a very prolific band - since releasing "Pale
Folklore" in 1999, they managed to come up with only one EP - which is all
the more reason for you to get your hands on this full length.
© 2002 boris