Agalloch – The Mantle (2xLP, Deluxe, Smoke Vinyl)

Agalloch's 'The Mantle' isn't just a great and influential album; it's a transformative journey, one that showed the band breaking away from their early direction in favor of its intricate blend of atmospheric metal mixed with an unheard amount of folk, and post-rock canvas.

Originally released in 2002, and met with surprise and mixed emotions, it continues to captivate listeners with its atmospheric depth and emotional resonance decades later. One could say, there is no other album like this, none other whose artwork and imagery are so intertwined, every image resonates so well with the music, it feels almost impeccable, as if pictures could tell the songs by themselves.

The album allows the nostalgic warmth many crave, yet simultaneously creates a contemporary setting with cold and haunting silver imagery: nature's majestic realm meets post-modern bitterness.

From the haunting melodies of "In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion" to the almost hypnotic rhythms of "I Am the Wooden Doors," the album's sonic palette is as diverse as the landscapes it evokes. Each track on "The Mantle" unfolds like a chapter in a dark, enchanting journey. Agalloch's signature blend of atmospheric (black) metal, deep folk instrumentation, and poetic lyricism creates a sense of introspection, an ethereal post-urban panorama.

Ultimately, 'The Mantle' isn't just an album to be listened to; it's another experience to be felt. For fans of atmospheric & profound music, this album remains utterly relevant... and utterly essential.

"Before 'The Mantle', Agalloch were already special; upon this record's release, Agalloch became essential." - DANIEL LAKE (Author of USBM: A Revolution of Identity in American Black Metal)

"They channeled their natural surroundings via their music and lyrics into their own emotional form of expression. The core of romanticism... 'The Mantle' features many of Agalloch's classic songs and to me it is the pinnacle of their early phase." - MARKUS STOCK (Empyrium, Sun of the Sleepless, The Vision Bleak)

"Agalloch definitely is one of those bands, and their classic album 'The Mantle' feels like an introspective walk into the forest at night or during a glassy winter morning, far away from everything we know about the modern world." - NEIGE (Alcest)