Agalloch Marrow Of The Spirit 2010

So where to begin it is not long before Agalloch's next release with there latest leaked track the Faust based on the classic German legend of the same name about a protagonist who sells his soul to the devil exchanging it for unlimited worldly knowledge. This is sure to to be a big release within the metal community alike this year but how will it compare to the sparser marrow of the spirit?


Marrow of the spirit welcomes the listener with the sound of a running waterfall, birds tweeting and a mournful cello line giving the album a big cinematic impression in the audiences mind from the word go. Due to the liveliness of the trickling water and distant ambience you can't help but imagine it being the perfect background music to compliment a scene from a classic Cult B movie.


The next track "Into The Painted Grey" starts of with hectic picked riffs doused in Reverb and fast passed paced drum patterns this then comes to an immediate stop to welcome a melodic intense dual guitar riff. Which shows why Agalloch have done such a good job of remaining at the top of there game when it comes to minimal but haunting and beautiful melancholy inspired riff wizardry.


From the first two tracks it is clear this album isn't about vast layers of instrumentation but things are stripped back to there core while turning the reverb up. This fortunately has worked well adding flavours of forlorn doom tinged blackness as well as minor Neo-classical and folk elements.


The next track "The Watchers Monolith" remains one of my personal favourite Agalloch tracks so far starting with some oddly timed folklike acoustic pattern it is clear there are progressive influences afloat. The drone based lead guitar leaves little to be desired allowing its drone to fill in the gaps where sparse transitions to ambient. The lyrics themselves are some what poetic but need much focus to be heard above the high levels of aggression and power in the black metal vocals. Later on in the song you can hear elements of Gregorian   chant adding another dimension of dynamics and tension to the album which reminds us why a band like Agalloch are like the musical equivalent to a classic cult B horror movie it is not commercial music but never the less a true form of creativity and art while still making the hairs on the back of your neck stand to attention.


As the record progresses you realise each track flows neatly into the next. Showing that they have carefully considered this to be mostly listened to from start to finish as opposed to a singles album with filler's. But Despite 17 minute length of the 4th track "Black Lake Nidstang" there is enough ideas and instrumentation involved to keep the listener intrigued. This see's the band exploring more into the realms of post rock the use of delay on the guitars subtly reminds listeners of bands such as Isis, Red Sparrow's and Pelican.


The following track follows along much in the same tradition but kicks in with fast chugged riffs later on adding a sense of yin and yang. The last but final piece of the album "To Drown" starts of much like the intro demonstrating how well they can adapt to acoustic playing as a solemn finger picked progression is played over distant sweeping waves. 


To conclude this album is very continuous and would highly recommend to anyone who has the patience to listen to long ambient but haunting and beautiful sparse melodies which flow effortlessly towards nods of folk,black metal and post rock. In other words not for immediate listeners but approach with an open mind and its well worth the listen.

4/5