Agalloch
Encyclopedia
Agalloch is an American
metal
band formed in 1995 in Portland, Oregon
. The band is led by vocalist and guitarist John Haughm
and so far have released four limited EPs, four full-length albums, two demos, one split album, one compilation album and one live DVD.
and Shane Breyer, named after the resin
ous wood
of the Agarwood
(Aquilaria agallocha). In early 1996, the duo began producing songs and, during the summer, Don Anderson joined the band to further refine the material. These songs would later become the From Which of This Oak demo tape
in the autumn of that year. This recording showed a large amount of black metal
influence, with an amount of material which would later appear on subsequent albums in one form or another. Shortly after the recording, Jason William Walton was added to the line up as bassist.
solely for labels. It caught the attention of The End Records
, who offered them a record contract, resulting in the Pale Folklore
album. The album features less of a black metal influence than before, many totally reworked demo songs, more folk
elements and neoclassical
interludes. The album was met with much critical acclaim. After the recording was complete, Breyer departed from the band lineup due to lack of interest in music.
After a period of quiet, the band released an EP
of unreleased material from 1998-2001 entitled Of Stone, Wind and Pillor
, revealing more of a neoclassical and experimental element. The EP also includes a cover of neofolk
band Sol Invictus
' "Kneel to the Cross" that would later be released on Sol Lucet Omnibus, French
label Cynerfierrd's tribute compilation to Sol Invictus.
, featuring more of a post-rock
influence. The album sleeve art contains photographs of public statues and fountains found in downtown Portland
. This album marked a change in media attention for Agalloch, landing them interviews with a few mainstream magazines.
Following the release of The Mantle, Agalloch played their first show on March 6, 2003 in Portland, Oregon. This was followed by a few shows in March and a US west coast tour in May.
In 2003 Tomorrow Will Never Come
was released, and in 2004 The Grey
was released. These EPs showcased an even more experimental side of Agalloch, featuring remixed and reworked versions of songs from The Mantle as well as a new post-rock-influenced title track on Tomorrow Will Never Come. Agalloch also performed a series of shows on the US and Canada east coast in 2004.
A nature-themed split 10" picture disc EP with the Finnish
band Nest
was also released in 2004, showcasing a collaborative, neofolk
effort by Agalloch. The Nest track was a more electronic, percussion-heavy effort with vocals and guitar contributed by Haughm and Anderson.
2005 saw double vinyl
re-releases of The Mantle and Pale Folklore in limited wooden boxes, complete with new artwork for both albums. It was only available to commemorate the band's single 2005 live performance at Day of the Equinox, a music festival held in Toronto on October 14, 2005.
was released on August 8, 2006 by The End Records
, featuring less focus on The Mantle
s prominent acoustic guitar
s and instead more emphasis on electric guitar
s and metal elements, giving the album a different sound from that of their previous releases.
On February 29, 2008, Agalloch released The White
, the second half (and stylistic opposite) of their 2-part EP release for Vendlus Records. This was a collection of dark folk/ambient work from between the years 2004 and 2007. The sound had reverted away from the sound of their last release, Ashes Against the Grain, and is more akin to the acoustic guitar sound of The Mantle. The tracks "The Isle of Summer", "Sowilo Rune" and "Summerisle Reprise", are themed on The Wicker Man, the latter two utilizing samples from the film. Also, the track "Birch White" borrows its lyrics from a song by A.S.J. Tessimond titled "Birch Tree". The track "Sowilo Rune" was posted on their MySpace roughly two months before the album was released. As with The Grey, the album was limited to 2,000 copies.
. It was a compilation of material recorded in between 1996 and 1998 that came from From Which of This Oak, the then-unreleased Of Stone, Wind and Pillor
, and their 1998 promo album. Ashes Against the Grain
completed the band's contract with The End Records
and in April, 2008 the band decided against renewing the contract.
On August 12, 2009, the demo From Which of This Oak was re-released as a picture disk
through the German label Eisenwald.
Agalloch recorded a track with German artist Mathias Grassow for the compilation album, Der Wanderer über dem Nebelmeer (English: "Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog
") released by Pest Productions in March, 2010 and distributed by Prophecy Productions. The track is named "Nebelmeer".
Agalloch released a two-CD compilation album named The Compendium Archive
on March 20, 2010; this release was restricted to 250 copies. The album was intended to be sold exclusively at two shows played by the band in Romania during March, 2010, however 85 unsold copies were subsequently sold by the band during May, 2010 on eBay. Disc one is an exact copy of The Demonstration Archive. Disc two contains material recorded during the 2000-2006 period and previously released on Of Stone, Wind and Pillor, Tomorrow Will Never Come
, the split with Nest
, alternative versions of tracks from The Mantle
and Ashes Against the Grain and some previously unreleased tracks.
On June 7, 2010, Agalloch posted a blog on the band's official MySpace
page stating that the fourth album will be released under the Profound Lore label, which also released the first two Agalloch albums on vinyl in 2005. The band stated the album will be recorded throughout June and July 2010 but did not comment on the album's title or release date.
On September 21, 2010, Agalloch officially announced the title of their fourth full-length as Marrow of the Spirit
. The album was released in mid-November on Canadian independent record label
Profound Lore Records
.
In an interview with Exclaim!
magazine, in regards to the production of Marrow of the Spirit, Jon Haughm states, “We wanted an album that sounded more alive and real … Our last album was a bit too mechanized, too polished, and that kind of disturbed us. So we brought back the older methods that we had utilized on our demos and first album to try and get back a more organic feeling.”
and avant-garde style of folk metal
that encompasses an eclectic range of tendencies including neofolk
, post-rock
, black metal
and doom metal
.
Common themes in Agalloch's imagery and subject matter are natural beauty, melancholy and allusions to ancestral Heathenry
.
One of the non-traditional instruments Agalloch has been known to use is the skull of a deer. In the song "The Lodge" John Haughm
strikes the deer skull in order to create an unusual clicking sound.
In a 1999 interview done by Dan Tobin with Jason William Walton and John Haughm the band members have cited other influences including Katatonia
, Ulver
, The 3rd and the Mortal
, Swans
, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band formed in 1995 in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. The band is led by vocalist and guitarist John Haughm
John Haughm
John Haughm is a heavy metal musician and an artist from the United States. He is most famous for being the vocalist and guitarist of the band Agalloch...
and so far have released four limited EPs, four full-length albums, two demos, one split album, one compilation album and one live DVD.
Formation and early years (1995–1997)
Agalloch began as the creation of John HaughmJohn Haughm
John Haughm is a heavy metal musician and an artist from the United States. He is most famous for being the vocalist and guitarist of the band Agalloch...
and Shane Breyer, named after the resin
Resin
Resin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
ous wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
of the Agarwood
Agarwood
Agarwood or oodh is a dark resinous heartwood that forms in Aquilaria and Gyrinops trees when they become infected with a type of mold...
(Aquilaria agallocha). In early 1996, the duo began producing songs and, during the summer, Don Anderson joined the band to further refine the material. These songs would later become the From Which of This Oak demo tape
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
in the autumn of that year. This recording showed a large amount of black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
influence, with an amount of material which would later appear on subsequent albums in one form or another. Shortly after the recording, Jason William Walton was added to the line up as bassist.
Pale Folklore and Of Stone, Wind and Pillor (1998–2001)
In 1998, the three recorded a new demo tapeDemo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
solely for labels. It caught the attention of The End Records
The End Records
The End Records is an independent record label, founded in 1998 in San Diego. Founder Andreas Katsambas initially wanted to bring attention to some underground bands he admired. In 2002, The End moved to Salt Lake City, when his wife took a job at the University of Utah. The label moved...
, who offered them a record contract, resulting in the Pale Folklore
Pale Folklore
Pale Folklore is the debut album of the American band Agalloch. It features an eclectic mix of acoustic folk reminiscent of Scandinavian bands such as Ulver, doom and black metal-esque riffs, growled, clean, whispered, and shrieked vocals, and a production style and atmosphere that borrows heavily...
album. The album features less of a black metal influence than before, many totally reworked demo songs, more folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
elements and neoclassical
Neoclassicism (music)
Neoclassicism in music was a twentieth-century trend, particularly current in the period between the two World Wars, in which composers sought to return to aesthetic precepts associated with the broadly defined concept of "classicism", namely order, balance, clarity, economy, and emotional restraint...
interludes. The album was met with much critical acclaim. After the recording was complete, Breyer departed from the band lineup due to lack of interest in music.
After a period of quiet, the band released an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
of unreleased material from 1998-2001 entitled Of Stone, Wind and Pillor
Of Stone, Wind and Pillor
-Trivia:* The song "Kneel to the Cross" was originally performed by Sol Invictus.* The lyrics for the song A Poem by Yeats are taken from the poem The Sorrow of Love by William Butler Yeats.-Line-up:* John Haughm - vocals, guitar, drums...
, revealing more of a neoclassical and experimental element. The EP also includes a cover of neofolk
Neofolk
Neofolk is a form of folk music-inspired experimental music that emerged from post-industrial music circles. Neofolk can either be solely acoustic folk music or a blend of acoustic folk instrumentation aided by varieties of accompanying sounds such as pianos, strings and elements of industrial...
band Sol Invictus
Sol Invictus (band)
Sol Invictus is an English neofolk and neoclassical group fronted by Tony Wakeford. Wakeford has been the sole constant member of the group since its inception, although numerous musicians have contributed and collaborated with Wakeford under the Sol Invictus moniker over the years.-Overview:For...
' "Kneel to the Cross" that would later be released on Sol Lucet Omnibus, French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
label Cynerfierrd's tribute compilation to Sol Invictus.
The Mantle (2002–2005)
During the 2001 to early 2002 period, Agalloch recorded The MantleThe Mantle
The Mantle is the second album by American metal band Agalloch. The album was released on August 13, 2002 by The End Records.Taking a more mellow tone than Agalloch's first full-length, Pale Folklore, The Mantle still contains heavy electric guitar riffs as well as acoustic guitar portions...
, featuring more of a post-rock
Post-rock
Post-rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and "guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures" not traditionally found in rock...
influence. The album sleeve art contains photographs of public statues and fountains found in downtown Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. This album marked a change in media attention for Agalloch, landing them interviews with a few mainstream magazines.
Following the release of The Mantle, Agalloch played their first show on March 6, 2003 in Portland, Oregon. This was followed by a few shows in March and a US west coast tour in May.
In 2003 Tomorrow Will Never Come
Tomorrow Will Never Come
-Information:When asked about the title track , Don Anderson said:...
was released, and in 2004 The Grey
The Grey
The Grey is an upcoming action-drama film directed by Joe Carnahan and starring Liam Neeson. It follows a number of men stranded in Alaska after a plane crash, and forced to survive using little more than their wits as a group of wolves come after them...
was released. These EPs showcased an even more experimental side of Agalloch, featuring remixed and reworked versions of songs from The Mantle as well as a new post-rock-influenced title track on Tomorrow Will Never Come. Agalloch also performed a series of shows on the US and Canada east coast in 2004.
A nature-themed split 10" picture disc EP with the Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
band Nest
Nest (band)
Nest is a Finnish neofolk / ambient band. The band's inspiration comes from the old folk and animal tales, as well as from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and the Grimm Brothers. Kantele, a traditional Finnish musical instrument, is very prominent in the band's music...
was also released in 2004, showcasing a collaborative, neofolk
Neofolk
Neofolk is a form of folk music-inspired experimental music that emerged from post-industrial music circles. Neofolk can either be solely acoustic folk music or a blend of acoustic folk instrumentation aided by varieties of accompanying sounds such as pianos, strings and elements of industrial...
effort by Agalloch. The Nest track was a more electronic, percussion-heavy effort with vocals and guitar contributed by Haughm and Anderson.
2005 saw double vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
re-releases of The Mantle and Pale Folklore in limited wooden boxes, complete with new artwork for both albums. It was only available to commemorate the band's single 2005 live performance at Day of the Equinox, a music festival held in Toronto on October 14, 2005.
Ashes Against the Grain and The White (2006–2008)
Ashes Against the GrainAshes Against the Grain
Ashes Against the Grain is an album by American metal band Agalloch under the Brooklyn, New York-based label, The End Records. It is Agalloch's third full-length release, four years after the critically acclaimed The Mantle....
was released on August 8, 2006 by The End Records
The End Records
The End Records is an independent record label, founded in 1998 in San Diego. Founder Andreas Katsambas initially wanted to bring attention to some underground bands he admired. In 2002, The End moved to Salt Lake City, when his wife took a job at the University of Utah. The label moved...
, featuring less focus on The Mantle
The Mantle
The Mantle is the second album by American metal band Agalloch. The album was released on August 13, 2002 by The End Records.Taking a more mellow tone than Agalloch's first full-length, Pale Folklore, The Mantle still contains heavy electric guitar riffs as well as acoustic guitar portions...
s prominent acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
s and instead more emphasis on electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
s and metal elements, giving the album a different sound from that of their previous releases.
On February 29, 2008, Agalloch released The White
The White (EP)
The White is an EP by the band Agalloch released on February 29, 2008. The White, a follow-up to Agalloch's 2004 EP The Grey, completes a dichotomy of releases for Vendlus Records. The White contains seven neofolk and dark ambient tracks written and recorded between 2004 and 2007...
, the second half (and stylistic opposite) of their 2-part EP release for Vendlus Records. This was a collection of dark folk/ambient work from between the years 2004 and 2007. The sound had reverted away from the sound of their last release, Ashes Against the Grain, and is more akin to the acoustic guitar sound of The Mantle. The tracks "The Isle of Summer", "Sowilo Rune" and "Summerisle Reprise", are themed on The Wicker Man, the latter two utilizing samples from the film. Also, the track "Birch White" borrows its lyrics from a song by A.S.J. Tessimond titled "Birch Tree". The track "Sowilo Rune" was posted on their MySpace roughly two months before the album was released. As with The Grey, the album was limited to 2,000 copies.
The Demonstration Archive and Marrow of the Spirit (2008 onward)
On August 4, 2008, Agalloch released a compilation album called The Demonstration ArchiveThe Demonstration Archive
The Demonstration Archive is a compilation album with music from the band Agalloch's unsigned years, which date from 1996 to 1998. Tracks 1 through 3 come from Agalloch's first demo from 1997, From Which of This Oak; tracks 4 through 6 come from an unreleased 7" vinyl EP recorded in Autumn 1998...
. It was a compilation of material recorded in between 1996 and 1998 that came from From Which of This Oak, the then-unreleased Of Stone, Wind and Pillor
Of Stone, Wind and Pillor
-Trivia:* The song "Kneel to the Cross" was originally performed by Sol Invictus.* The lyrics for the song A Poem by Yeats are taken from the poem The Sorrow of Love by William Butler Yeats.-Line-up:* John Haughm - vocals, guitar, drums...
, and their 1998 promo album. Ashes Against the Grain
Ashes Against the Grain
Ashes Against the Grain is an album by American metal band Agalloch under the Brooklyn, New York-based label, The End Records. It is Agalloch's third full-length release, four years after the critically acclaimed The Mantle....
completed the band's contract with The End Records
The End Records
The End Records is an independent record label, founded in 1998 in San Diego. Founder Andreas Katsambas initially wanted to bring attention to some underground bands he admired. In 2002, The End moved to Salt Lake City, when his wife took a job at the University of Utah. The label moved...
and in April, 2008 the band decided against renewing the contract.
On August 12, 2009, the demo From Which of This Oak was re-released as a picture disk
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
through the German label Eisenwald.
Agalloch recorded a track with German artist Mathias Grassow for the compilation album, Der Wanderer über dem Nebelmeer (English: "Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog
Wanderer above the Sea of Fog
Wanderer above the Sea of Fog is an oil painting composed in 1818 by the German Romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich. It currently resides in the Kunsthalle Hamburg in Hamburg, Germany.-Description:...
") released by Pest Productions in March, 2010 and distributed by Prophecy Productions. The track is named "Nebelmeer".
Agalloch released a two-CD compilation album named The Compendium Archive
The Compendium Archive
The Compendium Archive is a compilation album by the American metal band Agalloch. It was released through Licht Von Dämmerung on March 20, 2010.-Track listing:-Notes:...
on March 20, 2010; this release was restricted to 250 copies. The album was intended to be sold exclusively at two shows played by the band in Romania during March, 2010, however 85 unsold copies were subsequently sold by the band during May, 2010 on eBay. Disc one is an exact copy of The Demonstration Archive. Disc two contains material recorded during the 2000-2006 period and previously released on Of Stone, Wind and Pillor, Tomorrow Will Never Come
Tomorrow Will Never Come
-Information:When asked about the title track , Don Anderson said:...
, the split with Nest
Nest (band)
Nest is a Finnish neofolk / ambient band. The band's inspiration comes from the old folk and animal tales, as well as from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and the Grimm Brothers. Kantele, a traditional Finnish musical instrument, is very prominent in the band's music...
, alternative versions of tracks from The Mantle
The Mantle
The Mantle is the second album by American metal band Agalloch. The album was released on August 13, 2002 by The End Records.Taking a more mellow tone than Agalloch's first full-length, Pale Folklore, The Mantle still contains heavy electric guitar riffs as well as acoustic guitar portions...
and Ashes Against the Grain and some previously unreleased tracks.
On June 7, 2010, Agalloch posted a blog on the band's official MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page stating that the fourth album will be released under the Profound Lore label, which also released the first two Agalloch albums on vinyl in 2005. The band stated the album will be recorded throughout June and July 2010 but did not comment on the album's title or release date.
On September 21, 2010, Agalloch officially announced the title of their fourth full-length as Marrow of the Spirit
Marrow of the Spirit
Marrow of the Spirit is the fourth album of the metal band Agalloch, released on November 23, 2010, through Profound Lore Records. The album was recorded entirely in analog on vintage equipment at Audible Alchemy Studios in Portland, Oregon, with Steven Wray Lobdell producing...
. The album was released in mid-November on Canadian independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
Profound Lore Records
Profound Lore Records
Profound Lore Records is an independent record label founded in May 2004, which "began as the 'hobby-like venture' of a few friends, but over the past six years the label has evolved into a one-man enterprise, shaped a distinct 'aesthetic identity,' and provided owner Chris Bruni with a full-time...
.
In an interview with Exclaim!
Exclaim!
Exclaim! is a monthly Canadian music magazine that features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with special focus on Canadian and cutting-edge artists...
magazine, in regards to the production of Marrow of the Spirit, Jon Haughm states, “We wanted an album that sounded more alive and real … Our last album was a bit too mechanized, too polished, and that kind of disturbed us. So we brought back the older methods that we had utilized on our demos and first album to try and get back a more organic feeling.”
Style
Agalloch performs a progressiveProgressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
and avant-garde style of folk metal
Folk metal
Folk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music...
that encompasses an eclectic range of tendencies including neofolk
Neofolk
Neofolk is a form of folk music-inspired experimental music that emerged from post-industrial music circles. Neofolk can either be solely acoustic folk music or a blend of acoustic folk instrumentation aided by varieties of accompanying sounds such as pianos, strings and elements of industrial...
, post-rock
Post-rock
Post-rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and "guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures" not traditionally found in rock...
, black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
and doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
.
Common themes in Agalloch's imagery and subject matter are natural beauty, melancholy and allusions to ancestral Heathenry
Heathenry
Heathenry, Heathenism or Heathendom may refer to:* an English loan-translation of paganus, see Paganism* a term for Germanic Neopaganism...
.
One of the non-traditional instruments Agalloch has been known to use is the skull of a deer. In the song "The Lodge" John Haughm
John Haughm
John Haughm is a heavy metal musician and an artist from the United States. He is most famous for being the vocalist and guitarist of the band Agalloch...
strikes the deer skull in order to create an unusual clicking sound.
In a 1999 interview done by Dan Tobin with Jason William Walton and John Haughm the band members have cited other influences including Katatonia
Katatonia
Katatonia is a Swedish metal band formed in Stockholm in 1991 by Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström .-1991-1993:The early Katatonia releases, such as the EP Jhva Elohim Meth.....
, Ulver
Ulver
Ulver is a musical group from Norway. Since their first, folklore-influenced black metal release entitled Bergtatt – Et eeventyr i 5 capitler , Ulver’s musical style has been fluid and increasingly eclectic, blending genres such as rock, electronica, symphonic and chamber traditions, noise and...
, The 3rd and the Mortal
The 3rd and the Mortal
The 3rd and the Mortal were a Norwegian experimental metal-band, founded in the city of Trondheim, Norway, in 1992 by Rune Hoemsnes, Finn Olav Holthe, Geir Nilssen, Trond Engum and singer Kari Rueslåtten...
, Swans
Swans (band)
Swans are an influential American post-punk band initially active from 1982 to 1997, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira. The band was one of the few groups to emerge from the early 1980s New York No Wave scene and stay intact into the next decade. Formed by Gira in...
, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Godspeed You! Black Emperor is a Canadian post-rock band which originated from Montreal, Quebec in 1994...
.
Full-length
- Pale FolklorePale FolklorePale Folklore is the debut album of the American band Agalloch. It features an eclectic mix of acoustic folk reminiscent of Scandinavian bands such as Ulver, doom and black metal-esque riffs, growled, clean, whispered, and shrieked vocals, and a production style and atmosphere that borrows heavily...
(The End RecordsThe End RecordsThe End Records is an independent record label, founded in 1998 in San Diego. Founder Andreas Katsambas initially wanted to bring attention to some underground bands he admired. In 2002, The End moved to Salt Lake City, when his wife took a job at the University of Utah. The label moved...
, 1999) - The MantleThe MantleThe Mantle is the second album by American metal band Agalloch. The album was released on August 13, 2002 by The End Records.Taking a more mellow tone than Agalloch's first full-length, Pale Folklore, The Mantle still contains heavy electric guitar riffs as well as acoustic guitar portions...
(The End Records, 2002) - Ashes Against the GrainAshes Against the GrainAshes Against the Grain is an album by American metal band Agalloch under the Brooklyn, New York-based label, The End Records. It is Agalloch's third full-length release, four years after the critically acclaimed The Mantle....
(The End Records, 2006) - Marrow of the SpiritMarrow of the SpiritMarrow of the Spirit is the fourth album of the metal band Agalloch, released on November 23, 2010, through Profound Lore Records. The album was recorded entirely in analog on vintage equipment at Audible Alchemy Studios in Portland, Oregon, with Steven Wray Lobdell producing...
(Profound Lore, 2010)
Demos, EPs, and splits
- From Which of This Oak (self released, 1997)
- Promo 1998 (self-released, 1998)
- Of Stone, Wind and PillorOf Stone, Wind and Pillor-Trivia:* The song "Kneel to the Cross" was originally performed by Sol Invictus.* The lyrics for the song A Poem by Yeats are taken from the poem The Sorrow of Love by William Butler Yeats.-Line-up:* John Haughm - vocals, guitar, drums...
(The EndThe End RecordsThe End Records is an independent record label, founded in 1998 in San Diego. Founder Andreas Katsambas initially wanted to bring attention to some underground bands he admired. In 2002, The End moved to Salt Lake City, when his wife took a job at the University of Utah. The label moved...
, 2001) - Tomorrow Will Never ComeTomorrow Will Never Come-Information:When asked about the title track , Don Anderson said:...
(The End, 2003) - The GreyThe Grey (Agalloch EP)The Grey is the third EP by the American metal band Agalloch. It was released through Vendlus Records on February 29, 2004, in a limited run of 1,000 copies. The two songs on The Grey are reinterpretations of two tracks on The Mantle...
(VendlusVendlus RecordsVendlus Records is an American independent record label currently based in Washington, DC. It was founded in 2002 by Joseph Cortese. Vendlus has an eclectic profile, releasing records in many genres, such as black metal, indie-pop, industrial, avant garde metal and electronica.-Artists:* Aerial...
, 2004) - Split with NestNest (band)Nest is a Finnish neofolk / ambient band. The band's inspiration comes from the old folk and animal tales, as well as from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and the Grimm Brothers. Kantele, a traditional Finnish musical instrument, is very prominent in the band's music...
(The End, 2004) - The WhiteThe White (EP)The White is an EP by the band Agalloch released on February 29, 2008. The White, a follow-up to Agalloch's 2004 EP The Grey, completes a dichotomy of releases for Vendlus Records. The White contains seven neofolk and dark ambient tracks written and recorded between 2004 and 2007...
(Vendlus, 2008)
Compilations
- Sol Lucet Omnibus (tribute to Sol InvictusSol Invictus (band)Sol Invictus is an English neofolk and neoclassical group fronted by Tony Wakeford. Wakeford has been the sole constant member of the group since its inception, although numerous musicians have contributed and collaborated with Wakeford under the Sol Invictus moniker over the years.-Overview:For...
, contributed "Kneel to the Cross"; 2002) - The Demonstration ArchiveThe Demonstration ArchiveThe Demonstration Archive is a compilation album with music from the band Agalloch's unsigned years, which date from 1996 to 1998. Tracks 1 through 3 come from Agalloch's first demo from 1997, From Which of This Oak; tracks 4 through 6 come from an unreleased 7" vinyl EP recorded in Autumn 1998...
(Licht von Dämmerung, 2008) - Der Wanderer über dem NebelmeerDer Wanderer über dem Nebelmeer (album)Der Wanderer über dem Nebelmeer is a compilation album by the various artists, released on 2010 through Pest Productions. Notable artists like Agalloch and Kauan contributed to this release. The compilation includes metal and non-metal music, all of which are exclusive to this release...
(contributed "Nebelmeer", 2010) - The Compendium ArchiveThe Compendium ArchiveThe Compendium Archive is a compilation album by the American metal band Agalloch. It was released through Licht Von Dämmerung on March 20, 2010.-Track listing:-Notes:...
(Licht von Dämmerung, 2010) - Oak Folk (contributed "Where Shade Once Was", Ahnstern 2010)
- "Fall into Darkness 2009" (live compilation DVD, contributed "Bloodbirds")
Boxsets
- The Wooden Box (Viva Hate Records, 2010)
- Marrow of the Spirit (Licht von Dämmerung/Profound Lore, 2010) (tour only including CD, photo cards and 7" vinyl featuring two tracks: "Nihil Totem", piano & field recordings by J. Neblock, and "The Weight of Darkness", redesigned by C. Greene and J. Haughm)
Music videos
- "Not Unlike the Waves" (The EndThe End RecordsThe End Records is an independent record label, founded in 1998 in San Diego. Founder Andreas Katsambas initially wanted to bring attention to some underground bands he admired. In 2002, The End moved to Salt Lake City, when his wife took a job at the University of Utah. The label moved...
, 2006)- Short version of the song is used for the video
Members
- John HaughmJohn HaughmJohn Haughm is a heavy metal musician and an artist from the United States. He is most famous for being the vocalist and guitarist of the band Agalloch...
− vocals, guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(ex-SculpturedSculpturedSculptured is an American experimental heavy metal band, mixing classic death and doom metal riffs and vocals to atonal segments and brass sections.-Biography:...
, ex-Nothing, ex-Uncomposing, ex-Pessimyst) - Don Anderson − guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
(SculpturedSculpturedSculptured is an American experimental heavy metal band, mixing classic death and doom metal riffs and vocals to atonal segments and brass sections.-Biography:...
, Nothing, ex-Darling, ex-Necropolis) - Jason William Walton − bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(Especially Likely Sloth, ex-Subterranean MasqueradeSubterranean MasqueradeSubterranean Masquerade is a progressive metal band that was formed in 1997 by Tomer Pink, who is a guitarist and primary songwriter for the band.-Overview:...
, Sculptured, Nothing, ex-Susurrus Inanis) - Aesop Dekker − drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(LudicraLudicraLudicra was a metal band from San Francisco. They originally formed in 1998 as a quartet and later expanded to five members. Ludicra's sound has been described as black metal or as avant-garde metal. Influences include bands such as Darkthrone, Gorgoroth, Dødheimsgard, and Bethlehem, and genres...
, Worm Ouroboros)
Former members
- Shane Breyer − keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(ex-Susurrus Inanis) - Chris Greene − drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
External links
- Agalloch at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Interview With Agalloch By Dan Tobin
- Agalloch at Encyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives is a website which lists bands from various forms of heavy metal music...