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 Post subject: Agalloch - Pale Folklore (#2621)
PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 2:00 pm 
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Agalloch - Pale Folklore
Dark/ Atmospheric/ Acoustic-laced Metal
Quoted: 90 / 100


Click here to see the review.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 6:01 pm 
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Svartalfar
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That was an exellent review.

But you could have compared the music more as to how it sounds rather than what impact it has on you. Since you mentioned acoustics, are it anything like Opeth perhaps?


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PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 6:14 pm 
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Some more comparisons wouldn't have hurt indeed, though I fully agree that this is an excelent review as far as the use of words goes, very nice descriptions!


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PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 9:26 pm 
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Thanks guys, I appreciate the kind words and the constructive criticism. I guess I kinda purposefully didn't go into too much expilict detail in an effort to leave more to your imagination (sometimes it's more effective that way). I'm not really a big fan of direct comparisons because they create expectations in the listener before they've heard the music. But if you want the low-down, they use fairly simple yet extremely effective riffs and arrangements. They take their time when letting an idea unfold. They are sort of like Opeth in that they use acoustics and electrics together but these two bands do it in very different ways. One thing I love about Agalloch is that they are amazing at coming up with emotional acoustic riffs and repeating them for effect, adding another layer with each repetition whether it be a guitar solo or vocal harmony. It's very much a feeling more than anything which is why I didnt get into too much detail in the review. Sometimes words are cheap and you really need to just listen and come to your own conclusions.

Thanks for your guys' feedback, it's much appreciated. Also, I used to write for http://www.metal-observer.com and I wrote a review for "The Mantle" there if you're interested in checking it out. It's probably my favorite review I've ever written. Cheers!

Here's the link to the review, let me know what you think: http://www.metal-observer.com/articles. ... =1&id=1468


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 9:48 pm 
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A very good review too, though I still prefer this one. I won't check out the albums, for I just already know them 8) They are pieces of excelent black metal! If i needed to compare them to other albums, then I'd pick Ulver's Bergtatt and anything by Woods Of Ypres rather than Opeth. The only similarity between Opeth and Agalloch is that they both use acoustic parts...


Last edited by Misha on Mon Jan 31, 2005 10:14 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 10:09 pm 
Hey Nathanael, always liked your reviews there at Metal-Observer.com! Great review here as well, one of my fav bands since a short while, The Mantle and Pale Folklore just suck me right into their melodic and epic songs... It's just amazing man, an experience I recommend to each and every one of you guys/girls that haven't heard this before. Damn, Agalloch is great!


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PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 11:29 pm 
It took me a couple years of listening to Agalloch to "get it" but once I did... wow, amazing stuff. This and The Mantle are oustanding releases. The atmospheres they create with the acoustic guitars, somber vocals, and occasional harsh sections is really unrivaled. Though I may not always be in the mood for it, when I am, Agalloch's music is on another level.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 8:19 pm 
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Svartalfar

Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 2:59 am
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i think that when u guys type up a review and the review has all killersongs and its a 90 or above...u should put a "why not a 100" part in the review


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 9:33 pm 
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Svartalfar

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To be blatantly honest, the actual point value of an album is the last thing I think about when doing a review. To me, I put more weight on my words than on the actually quote. I find that point values assigned to albums cheapens them.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 9:37 pm 
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The main thing is describing the sound indeed, the score is just a personal opinoin.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 4:48 am 
Nathanael wrote:
To be blatantly honest, the actual point value of an album is the last thing I think about when doing a review. To me, I put more weight on my words than on the actually quote. I find that point values assigned to albums cheapens them.


Ugm, tell this to the million idiots who will ONLY look at the quote without reading a word you said. I am with you on this, man, I put a lot of value in my words, that is why in some of the reviews I practically begged from the very beginning to read it all and not look at the stupid #.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 9:14 pm 
Gast1 wrote:
A very good review too, though I still prefer this one. I won't check out the albums, for I just already know them 8) They are pieces of excelent black metal! If i needed to compare them to other albums, then I'd pick Ulver's Bergtatt and anything by Woods Of Ypres rather than Opeth. The only similarity between Opeth and Agalloch is that they both use acoustic parts...


Woods of Ypres has been compared to Opeth on this very site.

Opeth -> Woods of Ypres -> Agalloch

therefore

Opeth -> Agalloch

If Agalloch is Black Metal, then the arm of Black Metal has grown long indeed..


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PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:17 pm 
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I wrote a review for Woods of ypres' Against the Seasons on the black/death forum (page 6). I didn't mention Opeth there at all, and I don't think it was fair to mention Opeth in the other review. If someone wrote it can be compared to opeth then that does not mean it is fact. Agalloch is not pure black metal ofcourse, but its essence lies closest to BM IMHO. The forest feeling and melancholic melodies are typically black art. I agree there is a huge dark metal influence, but the feeling of the music (atmospheres) is more important then the actual sound, and that is why I say they are closest to BM.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:29 pm 
Gast1 wrote:
I wrote a review for Woods of ypres' Against the Seasons on the black/death forum (page 6). I didn't mention Opeth there at all, and I don't think it was fair to mention Opeth in the other review. If someone wrote it can be compared to opeth then that does not mean it is fact. Agalloch is not pure black metal ofcourse, but its essence lies closest to BM IMHO. The forest feeling and melancholic melodies are typically black art. I agree there is a huge dark metal influence, but the feeling of the music (atmospheres) is more important then the actual sound, and that is why I say they are closest to BM.


You're right about the natural spirit of the music. I suppose I thought anything black needed to have a harsh edge somewhere; much of what you like seems to be thick with melody, but always with the soft edges removed from the actual sounds. I suppose that is why a lot of otherwise non-BM music gets classified as such because of raspy vocals.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:35 pm 
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And to be completely honest, I do not care for hateful and aggressive BM as I do for the beauty of intellectual melancholic black metal, such as the first Woods of Ypres (because of your comment I assume you have heard the album and I can make this comparison without you not knowing where I'm talking about).


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:49 pm 
Gast1 wrote:
And to be completely honest, I do not care for hateful and aggressive BM as I do for the beauty of intellectual melancholic black metal, such as the first Woods of Ypres (because of your comment I assume you have heard the album and I can make this comparison without you not knowing where I'm talking about).


I have Pursuit Of The Sun & Allure Of The Earth on order right now (as well as Pale Folklore); I have heard much of what you suggest, due to your suggestions of course, and I really like most of it, so thanks very much.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 7:32 am 
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Metal Servant
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I never heard this band until recently, when I downloaded samples off of The End... I really like!(even though the samples are 1:00) Reminds me of Tiamat a little bit...


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 3:34 pm 
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Randomly reviving thread to say this is an awesome album!


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