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pica-hudsonia
Gloomy, moody, lethargic, and a touch cerebral with that extra serving of existential dread. I liked it right from first listen but get why others struggle with it.
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soberdosis
Loving the occult vibes of this one compared to the harrowing bleakness of Marrow of the Spirit. They're both amazing but this one does it for those dark, spiritual nights...
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DTjNK
This album only started to "click" for me when I got into meditation and oneness with the universe. Previous albums embraced a kind of separateness of humanity and nature, only grasping at the connection for something greater. The Mantle very explicitly rejects human existence because it is separate from nature and embraces a return through death, symbolized most clearly by the suicide over a waterfall at the climax of "In the Shadow of our Pale Companion." Ashes Against the Grain conveys a sort of alienation from the body as it is released. That is why it feels like the closest Agalloch ever gets to the sound of liberation. All we are is ash, mere matter animated by spirit. So it follows that Marrow of the Spirit is a reflection on the tragedy of death, the fate of man and animal alike, and what it leaves behind in the realm of the living. We sink in dark waters, and shift form. For our bodies, to "Escape the Weight of Darkness" is to become free, like the fog. Pure animating energy.
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DTjNK
The "Serpent & The Sphere" is a masterpiece in the way it layers aural textures with rich mythological symbolism in both its art and lyrical imagery. It is about the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth, represented by the ouroboros, the world serpent eating itself for all eternity. "The Pillars of Creation" comes from the idea of a unifying force behind all existence, and it also the name of a beautiful structure in the Eagle Nebula. Unity with the cosmos is shown by the stars behind. The Sphere is the heart of the serpent, Cor Serpentis, representing the balance between material and immaterial existence, that of spirits and gods. The "Vales Beyond Dimension" are where all of our perceptual illusions of space and time are shattered. "The Plateau of Ages" is the experience of infinite transcendence. So if you don't "get" this album try going along with the journey and story it is trying to tell. I guarantee you it will enrich your experience. It is more than just the music.
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StupidGenius
I sift through literally hundreds of shouts across this site just in the hopes of stumbling across a few like these. Thank you.
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StupidGenius
I too am still waiting for this album to 'click' for me. I don't understand why it doesn't resonate with me the way the rest of their discography does, and it's not as though I haven't given it several proper listens. Maybe next time I eat a bag of mushrooms I'll listen to this instead of Marrow Of The Spirit and see if that does it.
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PinkFloydrulez
I think I've listened to this album more than any of the others but it's the one that still feels the furthest from me. Just a failure to connect, I guess. It does sound great, though; it's probably my favorite production-wise. I loves me some bass with *presence*
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PinkFloydrulez
i literally came to this shoutbox again just to talk about the bass lol. Anyway, I have to say that I do enjoy "Birth and Death of the Pillars of Creation" and "The Astral Dialogue" quite a bit
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PinkFloydrulez
also, I feel like there should be another song between Vales and Plateau. Every time Plateau starts I'm like, "already?" but not in the good way
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NargaNightmare
I don't think i've ever had an experience with an album like i have with this one, where on the first few listens i outright didn't 100% get it, i didn't even 50% get it, but it kept enticing me to come back..
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NargaNightmare
It took a fever dream, sweat, and massive anxiety for this album to really come alive for me. But hooo boy did it ever fucking come alive, this album has a certain "hidden layer" their other releases don't seem to possess, but maybe i'm just fucked, who knows.
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TheSeaDepths
This is at the same level of Ashes and The Mantle but with a different approach in production. They're 3rd best for me.
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NargaNightmare
I really love this album, but i don't seem to be the only one who can't even remember the second half of the record.. Maybe it'll catch on with time?
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Neil_McCauley_
...Pretty good album... :) Maybe not the best in Agalloch stuff but still strong atmospheric, exciting and stylish... :)
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Coralineus
I am deeply, profusely in love with this album. It has a certain I don't know what that makes me want to listen to this everyday on my commute to school. I just adore it, I can't even, I!
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shearlocked
Y'know....after giving the album several proper spins I'm finally getting into it. I've always played it as background music but after sitting down and REALLY listening to it....it's actually pretty good.
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PinkFloydrulez
interesting, i feel the opposite. i think that's why this album never quite clicked in a major way for me. the opening track i DO love but the rest is unfortunately forgettable to me
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eternal_absence
The songs don't generally meander about for minutes at a time like some of their previous albums. (2) I enjoy aspect too. I only find the opening track wanders a bit without too much direction.
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HambreSensorial
It is a decent album, but for me what makes Agalloch, well, Agalloch is how they work such diverse types of music into an outstanding 'amalgam', one that has a very particular sound that no one has ever done as well ( or maybe just done it in any way). In this album all the elements are in, but their articulation is a bit off, thus not reaching that spark they always get to in previous works. I don't think the problem is the more atmospheric (?) side of the album, but rather the lack of cohesion. I'm pretty sure Agalloch can pull of this trend much better than this. Also think including the Musk Ox guy' collab was a mistake, it just adds nothing, early Agalloch folky stuff is much better!
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vinterskogen2
It is a great album, however what makes Agalloch are the memorable guitar hooks from the earlier albums, opposed to the layered atmosphere of their more recent releases. The Astral Dialogue was a step in the right direction again, but the album does feel like it's not going anywhere sometimes, with the atmospheric tracks.
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dissolvedplasma
The album is great. Lacks memorable moments? There are memorable moments for me in the first track, the astral dialogue, dark matter gods, celestial effigy. The only track I might consider "weak" is plateau of the ages. Perhaps the below commenters had not listened to the album enough yet. It's hard to get an impression of what is memorable by listening to something once.
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Bananentroep
It is a good album, with some beautiful songs. But it is not one that I want to listen over and over again like The Mantle.
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eternal_absence
This album is better than Marrow IMO. I too think it gets better with repeated listens
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Bound2Fate
This album is pretty good, but it's like playing everything else by Agalloch on shuffle. http://solmortuus.com/main/?p=431
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Metalbutt_SY
I dont really get the artwork..seems pretty ordinary.maybe somethings missing my eye. Still a good album.not as good as others but each agalloch album is unique,camt question their brilliance..
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Cranigen
v It is. The problem with this album is that they played it too safe, they weren't improvising as they progressively did with each of their previous albums. It's like they listened to the complains about Marrow and relied on their old, successful formulas albeit unsuccessfully. You'll notice it has quite a similar structure as Mantle except Mantle is far better than this. It also feels overproduced to me... well, that's me anyway.
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bartende_r
Not here to flame but this album is indeed their weakest. I'm gonna give it a couple of more spins but it didn't grab my attention as the previous ones. Btw The Mantle <3
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octopuss22
There is no such thing like "Agalloch's worst or weakest album". Their only problem is that they made "The Mantle" too good, and now it is very difficult to be topped. "The Serpent..." is splendid album without a doubt.
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