Agalloch C/D ?

i hyped the last album on this thread:

If You Only Buy One New Metal Album This Year...

but, yeah, no actual thread. they are great. i agree.

I remember that thread but couldn't find it. You a fan of their earlier stuff, Scott?

i am. but i really think the last album just tied everything together so brilliantly. in terms of songs. the album as a whole is kinda perfect.

Yup to all that, it's very good stuff. Don't they have a new song up on their Myspace site?

I hadn't heard about that. I'll go check it.

Great band. They should tour Europe, there is a loyal Agalloch fanbase here. Some people I know flew from Madrid to Copenhagen to see them play (with Novembers Doom and Saturnus).

That would be great. Would love to see them.

what i've heard, i've loved.

(and personally i don't hear much "metal" in there, but THAT'S JUST AN OPINION.)

BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO ;)

"Pale Folklore": wildly dud.
The band's hatred (back then) of being compared with Opeth: classic.
Guess I should hear their newer stuff though.

Classic for sure. I like everything I've heard (though I've missed out on all the EPs...), but like Scott, I think "Ashes Against the Grain" is the best thing they've done so far.

I played "Not Unlike the Waves" this morning on my radio show, actually, along with a bunch of other songs that I felt were reminiscent of the decidedly "autumnal" weather we've been having around here lately.

I can't wait to hear their upcoming EP, which evidently is going to be a "neofolk" album.

"Pale Folklore": wildly dud.

BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO ;)

actually: i listened to "ashes against the grain" again this morning and i'm talking bollocks -- to an extent. i do hear metal in there; i don't, however, feel very much of it. it's interesting: they're taking components of it (the vocals, the riffs) but executing it in a much more measured and controlled style.

this is no bad thing, of course. it's ... i dunno, polite riffage.

Scott's review of Against the Ashes in Decibel magazine was my favourite music writing from last year.

'falling snow' and 'not unlike the waves' are both stunning songs. these guys are the most soothing dark metal experience i've had the pleasure of hearing in ages. been playing 'ashes against the grain' very regularly these past few weeks, and will give 'the mantle' another shot soon. seems i approached that one initially in the wrong light.

anybody heard anything about a new one? in withdrawal post-ashes

Yup, full new EP, The White EP. In fact I'm looking at my copy right now.

Seattle - 3/21
Portland - 3/22
Germany the following week.

After that, no shows til 2009.

BTW, Aesop from Ludicra is the new drummer. They are SO much better now. You won't believe it.

thx dudes

Gah. My copy of the White EP supposedly shipped last Tuesday, but it hasn't arrived yet. The wait is killing me.

Also killing me is the fact that I'm way too broke to make it to Portland to see the show on the 22nd.

I'm gonna wait for vinyl. I think the cd is sold out now anyway.

i relistened to The White again tonight and the songs 'Birch White' and 'Sowilo Rune' just really hit the right spot for some reason. Something about Sowilo Rune's Bruce Hornsby/EZ-listening sounding piano and the whispering at about 1:30 gives me a sense of moody nostalgia that I can't put a finger on.

I am going to be watching these guys really closely from now on. Anyone heard when the next LP is due?

Nope. Next year hopefully. Wish I had picked up the white ep, I was skint at the time and now its silly ebay prices I cant afford.

I tried hard to love them. May even have, for a minute there. At the end of the day though that has got to be the most boring guitar tone in mood-metal.

Aww I love the guitar sound.

Totally it's all puffy edges with a crunchy center.

I'll pass on puffy edges in my depressive doom metal thanks

uh, don't GIS "puffy" at work with safesearch off.

i guess i should have searched for "diddy"??

lol i am a sucker for fuzzy melancholy in my depressive black metal

hoos otm

The next album will be their best because it will have Aesop on it.

When will a new album be out?

Cant find any info

lol i am a sucker for fuzzy melancholy in my depressive black metal

good when it's early Katatonia or Turn Loose the Swans

bad when it's phoned-in like Ashes Against the Grain

there is no next album news, Nate is taking the daring & innovative step of ref'ing my day job

(sounded pissier than I meant it, all love Nate)

Haha, no worries John. I'm not even sure which job you're referring to.

:)

I just happen to be their friend and booking agent (and I booked their first ever show many years back--with YOB and Witch Mountain) so I can tell you that this record hasn't even been recorded yet, they are no longer with a label, and will do whatever the fuck they want on their own schedule.

Ashes against the Grain is pretty great. I have nothing more intelligent to say than that.

My first reaction to this band was really similar to J0hn's, but eventually I decided that the super-meticulous production was sort of the point.

i like these guys alot. drove down to seattle to see them last march at chop suey. that venue is almost the perfect size to see a band in.although i doubt you make much cash when you play there.

JOhn D:: give a listen to their cover of "kneel to the cross" by sol invictus .

J0hn fwiw Aesop was in ref to Aesop Dekker, Agalloch's drummer.

Sorry i didn't realize that was unclear. Yes, Aesop Dekker--the little giant from Ludicra and Hickey and the Cosmic Hearse blog.

I fucking love that guy.

Oh he runs the Cosmic Hearse? Awesome.

"chop suey. that venue is almost the perfect size to see a band in.although i doubt you make much cash when you play there."

I guess that depends on who your booking agent is. ;) Agalloch and the Hidden Hand have done just fine there.

give a listen to their cover of "kneel to the cross" by sol invictus .

― drone/a/sore, Saturday, November 15, 2008 6:25 AM (2 days ago)

^Yes.

Did we already talk about The Demonstration Archive? It's really good.

I'm surprised at how polished it is, I was expecting a much rawer demo sound but I guess they sprang forth fully formed?

Hey Nate, get them to play in Los Angeles! And schedule it on a night when there aren't 18 other great shows.

Done! (not) ;)

I saw they're playing some shows - no news about their next album?

They are playing 9/11 in Milwaukee and 9/12 in Chicago. First midwest shows ever. SubArachnoid Space and Velnias will be on both gigs.

New album is slowly being written. Tentative plans for 2010 release. Be patient. It's Agalloch.

Also there is a Portland show on Fri 10/30 with Amber Asylum, Soriah, and Fauna. That's part of a weekend festival which includes Earth, Kawabata Makoto, YOB, Ludicra, Black Elk, etc.

Thanks Nate!

You just have to know who (or where) to ask!

:)

grazie!

9/12 in Chicago.
SO EXCITED!
got tickets already.

See you there! I'll be behind the merch booth. Say hi.

Also, any Agalloch fans in Milwaukee? I'd like to help spread the word harder there and would be glad to trade some show passes for some local promo...

i will say hi! please bring tshirts in sizes smallish girls can wear.

Where did you find these dates?

I checked their site and there were only European shows listed (I'm in NYC.)

I am their booking agent in North America.

You'll also find the dates here: http://www.myspace.com/agalloch

tell them to cross the mississippi sometime.

Tell them to cross the atlantic and play Glasgow

Thanks, Nate

Any NYC dates coming? Please?

A quaint but mostly correct article.

http://www.examiner.com/x-19841-Seattle-NonMainstream-Music-Examiner~y2009m8d29-Portlands-Agalloch-new-2009-shows-confirmed

show was great!!!
enjoyed subarachnoid space a lot too

Nate - nice to meet you and thanks for bringing the guys to Chicago. Show sounded great and Don is now certainly amongst my fave guitar players! Nice to meet you and figgy, too.

Thank you Chicago! (and Milwuakee).

Was great to see IlX-ers in the flesh. What a blast of a show.

Hope to see one or more at the SubArachnoid Space show at Empty Bottle tonight. It's my last night in town. Kisses! :)

I've been playing Ashes Against the Grain in the car and I won't be surprised if it stays in the CD player until spring.

there's a dvd i think

Yeah it's maybe my favorite winter record

Nate when u gonna bring dudes to Texas

and to Athens (okay, Atlanta)

Wore my tshirt today iirc
It's a little big, but that's ok.

I am getting the opening riff of 'Not Unlike The Waves' stuck in my head, but at about half the speed of the original. Anyone else think it'd be even more kickass at a slower pace? Ach, it's a great song anyroad. And it needs to be faster, eventually, for the build-up to work. But just the opening few bars, slowly, on repeat...mmm

i hate getting songs stuck in my head, and one of the biggest reasons i stopped listening to Ashes Against the Grain was that it was too catchy. i hope their next album is more along the lines of the White E.P., but it probably won't be.

First notes of the new record were recorded today by cellist Jackie Perez Gratz.

Texas/Southern dates are set to coincide with a meteor hitting the earth.

Also I listened to the White EP while showering today :)

I just listened to the White EP and it's great! Says a lot by saying little. The next couple of days are gonna be Agalloch days.

man, i should have revisited Not Unlike the Waves before posting anything negative about Agalloch. The song is top notch - i couldn't remember which track it was.

Just finished listening to Ashes Against the Grain again and my god is it perfect. Even on a sweltering summer day. Magnificent.

The first thing you'll notice about the new album is Steve Lobdell's (Faust, etc) excellent production. The warmth of the instrumental tones is vastly superior to any other Agalloch recording.

John Haughm said to me last week "my god, it sounds like we're making a YOB record!".

Cannot wait to hear that!

when is it out?

There's not a release date set. But Profound Lore hopes to have it out this year.

Is there plans for a vinyl release since PFL dont seem to do vinyl anymore?

It's Agalloch. There will be vinyl.

I would prefer vinyl came out the same time as the cd, I really hate it when you have to buy the cd to hear the album rather than having to wait months for the vinyl to hear it the first time. So you end up with it twice.

Though PFL is cheap and as long as its not bogstandard jewelcase i dont mind having the cd + vinyl so much.

Has everyone heard this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlKzz78hj60&feature=related

I'm avoiding this until I have the disc in my hands. I don't want a crappy rip or bits and pieces instead of the full magilla.

Out this week here.
VERY VERY interested in listening to it.

Got a leak. It'll take more getting into than Ashes or the Mantle, it's sounding more abrasive and disjointed.

i really like it. i need a real copy though. i've had a digital copy for months and i never play it. i would have been playing that thing every day. need to make up for lost time. i think i'll actually go to a store and buy a cd! um, if anyone has it around here. which isn't a good bet. maybe newbury comix.

It's not out until the 23rd here, Scott. Gonna have to wait.

okay, i'll wait.

waiting impatiently for the real thing
can't wait for something noisier!!!

i love this band

does anyone -- nate? -- know if there is another tour in the works aside from their already-published dates on the west coast?
possibly with midwest dates?

new album is excellent. I love how they toned the clean vox way down. are there even any?

and apropos of nothing, here's a youtube comment I just read:
not to sound like an asshole, but how can any 8 year old understand the sorrows of life as expressed by Agalloch?

I've listened twice and I'm not that keen so far. It's mostly a bit noodly and grooveless for me. I'm very new to the band, and am so in love with Ashes Against the Grain at the moment that maybe I just wanted more of the same, I dunno.

The first thing you'll notice about the new album is Steve Lobdell's (Faust, etc) excellent production. The warmth of the instrumental tones is vastly superior to any other Agalloch recording.

just scanned the rest this thread, and since I thought the leak sounded pretty shitty, I'm glad to see this. I'd advise people waiting for the real thing to hold out.

I mean, I guess you are anyway? so, uh, stick to your guns.

Euro version of the album has been up for pre-order for a few weeks now on viva hate records but the N American version on Profoundlore is up for order now
http://www.profoundlorerecords.com//index.php?option=com_ezcatalog&task=detail&id=681&Itemid=99999999

They presumably will be posted on monday as usual so everyone should get theirs by next weekend. Before release date in shops. Support the label!

Streaming on NPR

See, I think that is great. Bitch about "NPR rock" all you want, but I think its pretty damn cool that they'll be streaming an Agalloch album.

finally giving the new album a proper listen (free weekday morning, nothing super important to do hanging over my head, etc) and whoa it's amazing. i was in love from the stream noises, but the whole record is a real experience. i love it!

I'm glad I waited for the whole magilla. Great record, and it sounds fantastic.

Think I'll buy a proper copy - maybe that will convince me. Need to give it some serious attention I think.

glad i waited too. it really demands attention -- favorite bits include the end of "to drown" and the middle of "black lake nidstang" -- the whole 17.5 minutes though, really, is a cut above.

drums sound great throughout imo and worth waiting for high quality sound (vs streaming while i'm doing something else/at work)

initial standout for me is 'ghosts of the midwinter fires', particularly the ominous, slow-burning intro which is reprised at the end of the song. it's a really organic record that benefits from how primal and expansive it is. i found the couple of albums that came before it be a little too compressed at times, but still v. good in their own right.

'to drown' is very cool too, incidentally. intermittent, yes, but with some very cool things going on.

There's a riff that comes in at 7.14 in The Watcher's Monolith that I can't get out of my head.

so this got the top spot on dB's top 40 album thingy ey? i don't get it.

You should.

oh, but i really wish i did. i loved their previous album, after all. but this one just makes me ... shrug (granted, i've only heard it three or four times thus far - maybe fifth time's the charm?).

guess who just got into the new Agalloch album as of his fifth (sixth?) play? yep, is a good 'un after all. and now its all i want to listen to (just like it was with Ashes--except that i got into that one immediately upon first hearing it a couple of years back). so what the fuck do i know ... about anything?

'ghosts of the midwinter fires' is my favourite thing they've done probably. and for a band with a back catalogue that is (already) so rich, i think that's saying a lot.

Listening to "Ghosts.." as I type. I agree with Ioannis in that it didn't grab me by the scruff of the neck like Ashes, but it's a steady grower. Aesop really helps them out on drums; they swing way more than they used to. I appreciate that immensely.

they swing way more than they used to.

My main issue with it is that it isn't as groovy as Ashes! I'm still confident that this will click for me soon though, I haven;t been devoting very much time to it.

Pale Folklore is superb! I think I might prefer it to The Mantle.

See you on the road!

03/17 – Austin, TX @ Barbarella Patio (as part of the Nanotear Showcase at SXSW)

03/18 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks

03/19 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl

03/20 – Raleigh, NC @ King’s Barcade

03/21 – Baltimore, MD @ The Sonar

03/22 – New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge

03/23 – Cambridge, MA @ Middle East

03/24 – Montreal, QC @ Cafe Campus

03/25 – London, ON @ The Music Hall

03/26 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom

03/27 – Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s Rock Club

i'll be in austin wooooooo

I will probably be at the Baltimore show.

And to answer the OP... Classic.

i'll be at the mtl show!

I love that Brad C called me out on the meteor comment. I'd completely forgotten I said that and weather control told me to keep my lips shut about it. So pretend you don't know!

See you in Chicago!

My pre-order cd & tshirt finally arrived from viva hate records btw
http://www.vivahaterecords.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/ltdcd_web_1.jpg
http://ring.cdandlp.com/osmoseproductions/photo_grande/114701502.jpg

My ticket to the Boston show came today. Now I just got to buy a train ticket to get there.

Finally checked this out today. The Watcher's Monolith is my jam - the way that half way through it sounds like the drummer gets a bit bored of playing the same dirge, says "fuck it", drops the sticks and just starts hammering the drums at top speed with his hands. Funniest moment in metal IMO.

Looking forward to the Atlanta show!

New Orleans 3/18 has changed venues. It will now be at The Hangar.

Hope you all say hi!

what is the "pre-order CD" and how is it different? (cover art aside)

european version on viva hate records. music is the same. it went up for pre-order months ago and they ballsed up my order.

it was up for pre-order at least a month before the profoundlore version was on sale (yes i have that too)

the box looks really nice

Two things:

* Whitedivisiongrey vinyl SO AWESOME. I've been listening to a shitty rip for so long that I had no idea it could sound so beautiful. Love the bonus tracks/remixes too. So worth standing in the cold for 40 min before the show.

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw9xtp2m5xY&feature=player_embedded#at=160

wish i had got someone going to get me some vinyl :(

LIFE IS A CLAY URN ON THE MANTLE, AND I AM SHATTERED ON THE FLOOR

anyone get the special edition marrow of the spirit vinyl? appears to be sold out.

Nate did.

of course
i just wondered if it was pretty

the profoundlore version?

yeah, the blue one!

not seen it. is the only difference the colour? or is there extra stuff with it?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AGALLOCH-Marrow-Spirit-BLUE-MARBLED-Vinyl-/110738742733?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item19c88b1dcd

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Agalloch-Marrow-Spirit-Ltd-Black-Box-2000-/120769597378?pt=B%C3%BCcher_Unterhaltung_Music_CDs&hash=item1c1e6dcfc2

the first one is the one i was talking about. i think it comes with a book? not sure what is in the book, though.

well i guess i should go open my package from profoundlore then and have a look?
i have the cd on the second link, that was the euro cd.

Dont have the 3rd link

the booklet inside it is the exact same as the clear version. The blue version is just a lot more limited and was available only from
PFL

and because of canadian postage it was twice the price basically

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230671089386&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNA:GB:1123

is there anything else like "marrow of the spirit" out there?

by or not by agalloch

The new Gris record.

ty

Did you pick up Faustian Echoes? It took a while for me to warm to it but it's right up there with Agalloch's best.

hm not sure if i've heard any of it? maybe not? i'll look. thanks dude!

It's one tune that's 21 minutes long. Logical followup to the longer stuff on Marrow, but because of it's length it takes a while to open up.

The Serpent and the Sphere in May. Why not revisit past triumphs while we wait?

Before I get excited I wanna know what they wear on their feet

their band name is actually also the name of the shoes they wear, it's a very forward-thinking endorsement deal

Oo this is good news.

Though I'm yet to check out that Faust thing from a few years ago.

I loved that. Great samples.

new song: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/16772-agalloch-celestial-effigy/

Hooky. Could maybe do with being a bit heavier.

You know what though, I listened to it once nearly an hour ago and I still have the main riff going round my head.

http://www.npr.org/2014/05/04/308273140/first-listen-agalloch-the-serpent-the-sphere?ft=1&f=1039

This is so great.

woo

Good album. "Dark Matter Gods" absolutely slays.

Maybe a bit overlong on first listen? Tracks blend together in my mind a bit.

It's terrific. The best thing they've done since Ashes (and I love that stuff too)

This is still a band that in theory ticks a lot of boxes of stuff I like, but ends up not doing anything for me.

I like em but seeing them live made me like em less. sucks when that happens.

just underwhelming or

my cd arrived today

just underwhelming or

yeah, very underwhelming. made me less interested in throwing on their stuff even though recordings are a different thing, etc, etc

They don't particularly tick any of my boxes, but I enjoy them anyway. Post-rock with diluted black metal elements is not the most exciting prospect. When I sit down and listen, though, I usually find some hook or melody to like.

Still not really feeling the new one, too murky or something. I think I like my experimental metal with slick crisp production, haha.

I realised that last year's Gris album just kind of made any future Agalloch records unnecessary. Which is of course terribly unfair, but there you go.

The only problem with "Dark Matter Gods" is that it's too friggin long. They should have trimmed it by about two minutes, taken out a few of the middle epicycles.

Way to ruin it for me, Siegbran - I just came back from the rekkid store with it tonight & haven't put it on yet, but on the train home I was just obssessed with thoughts of "this better be at least close to the Gris cd" ...

i was youtubin' that gris album yesterday, it's good

Pitchfork gonna review this thing or what? What's the holdup?

lol

fighting over the BNM tag, iirc

Spin gave it a good review. http://www.spin.com/reviews/agalloch-the-serpent-and-the-sphere/

I'm glad to see some positive notices. A week ago the consensus seemed to be developing against this album. Personally, I'm at the point of liking it better than Marrow.

i'm not looking for the p4k review to affirm my opinion or guide me to stuff, i have my own motivations for wanting it to come out, not that they matter one bit here. and i was surprised it didn't run till 4 days after release date, that's all.

regardless, here it is: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19269-agalloch-the-serpent-the-sphere/

Only negativity i saw was by a few posters on ilm

hey jon it didnt get BNM

I'm thinking of the Last Rites review, the Angry Metal Guy review, most of the Metal Archives thread.

Once again, they sounded great & totally slayed it in Chicago tonight. "...And the Great Cold Death of the Earth" was a great treat, & "Limbs" & "Into the Painted Grey" we're smokin' & the new tracks were sublime. Reggie's packed fast with a mucho enthusiastic crowd. So glad I went totally last minute - made my week.

Sadly, fin.

http://noisey.vice.com/blog/agalloch-breakup-2016

rip brony metal... i think the first commenter on that noisy article said it best:

"I g­e­t p­ai­d 8­5 bu­ck­s h­ou­rl­y f­or f­­ree­­lan­ci­­ng. I n­ev­­er th­o­ug­ht I c­­a­n m­an­ag­e t­o d­o i­t bu­t m­­­y g­­oo­d fri­­end i­s ma­­­ki­ng 1­­0­00­0 d­­ol­­la­­rs ­­e­­ac­­h mo­­n­­th b­­­y d­­oi­­ng thi­­s jo­­­b a­­nd sh­­­e r­­ec­­­o­­mm­­en­­ded ­­m­­e t­­o c­­hec­­k it out. "

An update from John Haughm:

"After being inundated by a barrage of responses, I feel that I should clarify some things. I take full responsibility for the decision to part ways with the other guys. It was difficult, well thought-out, and something that had been culminating over the past couple of years. I simply could not continue any further with the band as it was. I had to make a change as my motivation and inspiration had started to completely deteriorate. Whether this is the permanent end of Agalloch altogether or a possible fresh start, I don't know. I probably won't know for awhile. The band has simply been reduced back to its founding, visionary member for the first time in 20 years. Beyond that, the future is unknown.

Well, I know what my Friday eve soundtrack will be. RIP Agalloch.

john haughm, visionary member

http://i.imgur.com/V5mYUOY.jpg

shots fired

my 13 year old kid would have a fit if he saw that "girlfriend's". he hates that.

Shout out? Sod off?

Don Anderson and Jason Walton didn't seem too happy either, both saying it wasn't their decision. It would be cool to hear what those three could come up with musically without the glorious visionary leader.

I mean Agalloch were kind of middling a lot of the time with some great bits (Ashes Against the Grain is probably the most consistently good) but hardly anything genius.

^srsly

Ashes forever! the rest not so much. They really did hit just about all of my sweet spots with that album. i'll listen to it forever. i did feel kinda guilty that i didn't like what came after even half as much, but what are ya gonna do?

I saw them last fall and they were dreadfully boring and that main dude seemed to take himself way too seriously. But I was also very tired and had already watched sets by Ufomammut and Yob, so I dunno.

speaking of aesop, everyone should listen to his new podcast DEATH METAL DADS.

I'm really disgusted at how this is turning out.

Brilliant album. Really pleased with it.

http://i.imgur.com/q3lBw2V.jpg

https://www.metalsucks.net/2023/04/18/agalloch-reunite-for-prophecy-fest-will-play-limited-shows/

Darkspace have reformed too it seems?

they have a new bass player yes

oh, that agalloch guy said something antisemitic apparently. I didn't know, ignore the reunion I guess

Yeah, I was really disappointed to see that Agalloch lineup, given the pretty firm response the other two guys in the reunited lineup gave back in 2019:

We—Jason, Aesop, and myself—are deeply disappointed to learn that our former bandmate John Haughm has made an anti-Semitic comment on his Facebook page. We vehemently condemn our former bandmate and want to make it clear that none of us share his reprehensible viewpoints. We have not had any direct contact with him since the breakup nearly 3 years ago (aside from Don who handles the business side of things with him). We are not friends. More importantly, he is NOT Agalloch. Please feel free to share.

Guess that festival money was helpful in getting over that pretty easily.

Well, Aesop Dekkar isn't part of the reunion so at least someone has principles.

Yeah, respect his decision to stay out of it, but disappointing that the guy who wrote that statement (Don) and Jason are both still in.