AGALLOCH — Marrow of the Spirit (review)

AGALLOCH — Marrow of the Spirit album cover Album · 2010 · Atmospheric Black Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
The Truth
I was really excited about this album when it was first coming out because I had just learned to really love The Mantle which was one of my favorite metal records of all time. I mean, this was coming out when that album really just clicked with me so how could I not be excited? Agalloch was going to amaze me again!

Well, they didn't really, but that's ok because this album is still pretty great despite being a real step down from The Mantle. There are no passages that really grabbed my attention but the album as a whole is perhaps much more consistent and exploratory. It delves into a much more metal territory than I had even heard the band go and I think that's part of it's charm. It's not stunning but it is indeed an enjoyable listen and that can't be denied.

The clearly stand-out track is the fourth one, Black Lake Nidstang which is Agalloch's folky black metal taken to places it previously has not been. This track, in essence, is what the album as a whole is trying to achieve. The rest of the tracks are basically on par with perhaps the exception of the final one which is part of the reason the record is a bit less exciting, it does not really end the album in a way I would like it to. Nonetheless, it's not a bad track at all.

For fans of Agalloch, definitely, but don't expect another The Mantle-esque record.
Share this review

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Deviance Deathcore
ASHES INTO BLOOD
Buy this album from MMA partners
Equilibrium Atmospheric Sludge Metal
BESRA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tension Between Rot And Genesis Sludge Metal
ANTHESIS
Buy this album from MMA partners
Recycle Brain Crust Punk
C.P.G
Buy this album from MMA partners
Cartography Of The Mind Deathcore
TETHERED
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us