Agalloch - The Mantle (2002)
©The End Records
U.S.A.
Tracklist:
- A Celebration for the Death of Man (2:24)
- In the Shadow of our Pale Companion (14:45)
- Odal (7:39)
- I Am the Wooden Doors (6:11)
- The Lodge (4:40)
- You Were but a Ghost in My Arms (9:14)
- The Hawthorne Passage (11:18)
- And the Great Cold Death of the Earth (7:14)
- A Desolation Song (5:08)
Agalloch are one of the few bands that impress me with every piece of material they put out. Whether it be a demo, E.P., or full length album, it seems this American band have really crafted themselves well. "The Mantle" is a massive leap in maturity from Agalloch's 1999 full-length debut "Pale Folklore". Apart from the obvious improvement in production quality, was also a dramatic advancement of the group's musical capabilities. Song structures on "The Mantle" are more complex and full than that of "Pale Folklore". There are more leads and fills and less standardized generic chords. I am not by any means criticizing "Pale Folklore". I am just simply stating that the musical style has changed on "The Mantle". To a richer, more developed composition of songs.
What's noticable right from the beginning on "The Mantle" is the very prominent influence of Post-Rock within the album's tracks. Especially on 'The Hawthorne Passage', until the blues-style solo pumps itself in and changes the tempo. The compositions on this album are all placed together engagingly. While listening to them, you'll feel them engulf you into their congregation and spin you around like carousel of emotions ranging from melancholy, to bliss, and desperation before gently inducing you into a coma where you will no longer feel the weight of the world forcing itself down on you.
"If this grand panorama before me is what you call God... Then God is not dead..."
A must-listen!
-Jeremy
