CoC : Agalloch - Of Stone, Wind, and Pillor : Review

Agalloch - _Of Stone, Wind, and Pillor_
(The End, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon (7 out of 10)

While Agalloch fans wait patiently for the band to put out a new full length album (they're scheduled to start recording in September), this release is meant to appease them. It contains an unreleased three-song EP from 1998 and two new songs. The first song is the title track, which is the heaviest song of the bunch, and the most like their debut album, _Pale Folklore_ [CoC #41]. Unfortunately, while it uses the same kind of dark metallic / gothic vibe as their debut, it isn't as confident or developed. Next up is "Folorium Viridium", which is a short instrumental piece reminiscent of Mortiis' more complex work. The last of the old songs is "Haunting Birds", which sounds like something from Ulver's _Kveldssanger_. A cover of Sol Invictus' "Kneel to the Cross" is the first of the new songs. Although it is easy to tell from the structure of the song and the emphasis on the vocals that it's not an Agalloch song, it doesn't sound particularly out of place either. The MCD closes with "A Poem By Yeats", which is a classically-influenced piece featuring various keyboards with alternating spoken and sung lyrics. The material here is decent-to-good, but there's very little for strict metal fans, and it's not really essential for any but the die-hard Agalloch fans. Those new to the band should certainly search out their excellent debut album.

(article published 12/8/2001)

ALBUMS
5/30/2014	M Dolson	9.5	Agalloch - The Serpent & the Sphere
12/8/2010	J Carbon	8.5	Agalloch - Marrow of the Spirit
8/12/2006	P Azevedo	9	Agalloch - Ashes Against the Grain
10/19/2004	Q Kalis	5.5	Agalloch - The Grey
9/1/2002	A McKay	9.5	Agalloch - The Mantle
7/7/1999	B Meloon	9	Agalloch - Pale Folklore

GIGS
3/28/2011	J Carbon	Agalloch / Worm Ouroboros / Vindensang / Aeriel Ruin	The Gods in Ruins