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