“Staring through… The blank, dispassionate fire…”

A year to this day Shape of Despair came out with their newest masterpiece “Monotony Fields”. This album stands out to me as one of the best funeral doom albums to come out in some time. The emotions and feelings that tumble out of the music is enough to shiver the very depths of my bones. I have never heard such an album with such a thick, oppressive yet depressingly beautiful atmosphere. Through the utter blackness there are pinpoints of light that seem to filter through. This album has been getting repeated listens since it came out in 2015 and will always have a staunch place in my playlists in the foreseeable future.

“Monotony Fields” is one of those albums that regardless of the day or hour still weighs heavily like an anchor in my heart. The music puts me into a state of mind that would be described as empty, introspective, and hopeless. Sometimes I need to feel these emotions to keep my sanity in check, it allows me to find the positive out of the incredibly negative. I believe funeral doom metal has this particular hold on me as well as others. Some do not understand why something so ugly and grim could be an instrument of solace. When you really dive deep into the dreamlike keyboards, the defeated growls and the angelic sopranos in the music then you will immediately understand why “Monotony Fields” is a must listen. Sometimes people do not have an outlet to the rage or sadness they feel inside, bands like Shape of Despair are needed to help others through these dark emotions, to find balance and eventually, hope. When music as good as this grips you it doesn’t let go because the music is telling you that you need to get through this journey and that you are not alone.

I could break down this review song by song but I feel “Monotony Fields” needs to be heard as a whole. You need to take in the crushing depression in the music to understand it is actually helping you navigate the confusion and sadness that you may feel. It helps you get a better understanding of the internal struggles within. Shape of Despair is catharsis incarnate. It is poetry, music, images and intangibles that are sometimes hard to fathom and rationalize about. But it brilliantly puts that puzzle together in all its dark, despondent glory. The music is not just music, it is the psyche of every human being, regardless of background and upbringing…

“ Your name is written, with the language of longing…”

Rating: 10/10

https://shapeofdespair.bandcamp.com/

Here is the concluding reviews of Agalloch’s extensive discography. This time around Agalloch tried some really interesting things with their final albums. There are some amazing songs to be found but the magic that Agalloch was known for was waning in the later years. Though I can say with confidence that they went out with the same solid reputation they had when they first started. It was a heck of journey for Agalloch and they will forever be known as the metal band that always remained true to their vision and art.

Marrow of the Spirit, 8/10

In another four years Agalloch released “Marrow of the Spirit” when I first got a chance to hear this album I enjoyed it but felt like it was missing something. The more I listened the more I started to love it. The production was very different and really gave a dark, earthy feeling to the album throughout. While hearing the songs I could taste death in the air and felt the biting cold in my bones. What really first threw me off was how heavy the second track “Into the Painted Grey” was. When Aesop incredibly loud and fast snare work came into play I knew I was in for a heavier version of Agalloch. The more the song went the more interesting it got, and the moods were layered upon layered. It was a different feeling to me compared to the more zoned out wistfulness I felt in the earlier albums. The music felt more immediate and much, much darker. It was a feeling I had to get used to and by the time I did I regularly spun “Marrow of the Spirit”. I gave the album an eight because “The Watcher’s Monolith” and “To Drown” didn’t move me as much as the other tracks on the album did. Top three songs: Black Lake Nidstang, Ghosts of the Midwinter Fires, and Into the Painted Grey

Faustian Echoes, 10/10

When Agalloch announced they will be doing their longest song yet in the ‘Faustian Echoes” EP I was hyped to hear how it will sound. When I got my hands on the album I was immediately energized to hear that Agalloch went straight black metal for his album. The tremolo riffs were in abundance and vocals were as black metal as can be. I loved that they decided to go old school for this song. There was a sense of malice and evil all throughout the 21 minute running time. What makes this EP even more amazing is how Agalloch incorporated guitar leads and tones to even give the song a sense of hope and light. The running time blitzed by with “Faustian Echoes” when a song that long is able to make it feel quick, that tells you it will be a classic song…which it is.

The Serpent and the Sphere, 8/10

This is Agalloch’s last album and one that probably had the most mixed reviews I have seen in their discography. I was very enthused to hear this album when the band members describe it as one of their heaviest yet. What could go wrong with an even heavier Agalloch album? Well as the reviews came through there was a lot of negativity about “The Serpent and Sphere” some people describe it as exhausted and mediocre. When I started seeing these reviews I was becoming concerned that one of the greatest bands ever were losing the passion and drive they had before in earlier albums. As I finally got a chance to listen to it, I was actually really enjoying what I heard. The production was immense and the tones were deep, heavy and haunting like the outer rims of space. There was homage to the funeral doom genre in “The Birth and Death of the Pillars of Creation” this is one of my favorite songs on it, I loved hearing Agalloch go slow and plodding and just oppressive. Then we are graced with some beautiful spacey acoustic passages by Musk Ox’s Nathanael Larochette. These quick snippets of classical guitar kind of brought the listener back to earth for a bit before being launched back into the Milky Way Galaxy. Then Agalloch creates 3 epic and awesome tunes back-to-back in “The Astral Dialogue”, “Dark Matter Gods”, and “Celestial Effigy” these are the finest three songs I have heard by Agalloch and “The Astral Dialogue” being one of their heaviest songs yet.

I was really digging this album and then what brought the rating down to an 8 was the last two songs “Vales Beyond Dimension” and “Plateau of the Ages” these songs didn’t wow me like the earlier tracks, they were not very interesting and had that dreaded “filler” feel to them. I was so used to consistent Agalloch for years and years, hearing these songs dampened my spirits a bit. The one positive I can say about “Plateau of the Ages” is it is a hell of a great instrumental but ended too soon, I was hoping for more “The Hawthrone Passage” and “Odal” feel to the song, but it ended too abruptly. I really enjoyed this album as it started but then it waned later which left me wanting more. The one thing that I really liked about “The Serpent and Sphere” is the sense of continuity when the album ends it seemingly begins again seamlessly which gives it an almost one song broken into separate parts feel to things. Top Three Songs: The Birth and Death of The Pillars of Creation, Dark Matter Gods, and The Astral Dialogue.

For over 20 years Agalloch has created an incredibly consistent discography, each album was unique and evoked different feelings and mindsets. One thing Agalloch strived for was to remain consistent when other bands started falling into tropedom. This is why they stand the test of time, because they always believed in their art and always believed in making every album progressively better. Below are going to be quick, one-paragraph reviews about each major album. I will also be focusing on the EPs “The White” and “Faustian Echoes” even though they have many wonderful EPs these are two that standout the most.

Pale Folklore, 10/10

One of Agalloch’s first forays into the metal world was writing this stellar, memorable album. “Pale Folklore” has always been one of my favorites, the album is incredibly consistent with haunting imagery abound. There is a real sense of foreboding and sadness in the lyrics and the music. Whenever winter hits New Hampshire this album gets repeated listens. There is so many nuances in this album that even to this day new things pop up when I listen. Not only did the music draw me in but the band photos too, to this day I have never seen a band make a deer skull look so evocative. This album shows that Agalloch were pioneers and were destined to make their mark on the metal world. Top three songs: She Painted Fire Across the Skyline, As Embers Dress the Sky and The Melancholy Spirit.

The Mantle, 10/10

“The Mantle” was my first Agalloch purchase, I remember reading an old metal forum that recommended this album. As I got immersed in the incredible sound of “The Mantle” there were so many different elements to each song that it was at first difficult to follow. The more I listened the more I started to love what I was hearing. There were so many different styles used in each of the tracks. But what really impressed me was the amount of unique instruments Agalloch used to give “The Mantle” a special kind of sound/imagery. This was the first time I heard an instrument called a “grim cymbal bell” and the first time I heard a deer skull as a percussion instrument. The innovation/creativity was incredible in this album and to this day there has never been an album like it since. Top three songs: In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion, Odal, and You Were But a Ghost in My Arms.

Ashes Against the Grain, 9/10

I remember when I first heard rumblings about Agalloch working on their new album that I was incredibly eager to hear how it sounds. After four long years “Ashes Against the Grain” was complete. When I finally heard the preview song “Falling Snow” I knew this was going to be yet another strong output by the Oregonians. When the album finally came out I was just blown away about how good it was. The only knock I can give about this album is the last track “Our Fortress is Burning III…the Grain” it was a droning, disturbing soundscape that kind of felt like a weaker closing to such an epic album. I was hoping to hear something along the lines of “The Melancholy Spirit” but when thinking more about it, it ended up being a fitting closing to the album, it just was a bit underwhelming to me. Aside from that the album is completely consistent and the way Agalloch decided to produce it was also unique since the earlier albums were a bit more murky sounding to me. Everything was clear as a bell and even a bit over-produced but it still gave “Ashes Against the Grain” a unique identity that Agalloch continually strived for. Top three songs: Not Unlike the Waves, Limbs, and Our Fortress is Burning II…Bloodbirds.

The White EP, 10/10

I am a huge neo-folk fan and when Agalloch decided to do an EP going the neo-folk route I was just ecstatic. “The White” is easily one of Agalloch’s best albums in their discography. It was the perfect length and evoked so many different moods in my mind. To top it off to have sound clips from the classic movie “The Wicker Man” sprinkled throughout the album was amazing. I find most of Agalloch’s work to be very introspective and “The White” really gives images of silent introspection within in Nature. I have spun this album numerous times and it never gets old and once again I always feel a new emotion spring up when I hear it. When Agalloch re-released this album including Nest’s cover of “Haunting Birds” it immediately catapulted “The White” to a must buy and an immediate classic. Top three songs: Sowilo Rune, Pantheist, and Summerisle-Reprise