Agalloch - Marrow of the Spirit

With all due respect to Iron Maiden, Nevermore, Therion, and Kamelot, perhaps no release in 2010 was quite as eagerly anticipated as Marrow of the Spirit. At first glance, the famously reclusive Portland-based quartet appear unlikely candidates to be heralded as the torchbearers of the American metal scene, but their brand of gloomy, nature-imbued metal has seen them quietly gain an audience far beyond north-west America. Over the course of three LP's and four EP's, Agalloch, led by the enigmatic John Haughm, rarely sat still.

Hence, it should come as no surprise that, where their previous release, Ashes Against the Grain, appeared to mark a shift towards relatively mellow post-metal, Marrow of the Spirit, after a reflective introductory piece, plunges straight back into the black metal abyss with "Into the Painted Grey". Propelled by new drummer Aesop Dekker's insistent blastbeats, Agalloch explode out of the traps with a sense of urgency not seen since their debut LP, Pale Folklore. The effect is aided by the rather spartan production, which is far rawer than recent releases, and hearkens back to the group's black metal origins.

Which is not to suggest that Agalloch look backwards, for what is most apparent about Marrow of the Spirit is its breadth of sound. From "Ghost of the Midwinter Fires", which builds up splendidly from its foundation of delay-laden guitars, to the all-encompassing "The Watcher's Monolith", which seamlessly shifts from folk-rock to an almost thrash-like guitar workout, before winding its way back. Special mention must also be reserved for the album centrepiece - "Black Lake Nidstång". A 17-minute leviathan, it's a work of startling imagination, from the dreamy, foreboding atmospherics of its introduction, through the industrial hiss of its drone-like mid-section, and finally to its frantic, metallic, finale.

It is, thus, not hard to claim that Marrow of the Spirit would probably have the greatest impact for long-time fans of the band, since (much like Opeth’s Ghost Reveries) it’s an enviably-crafted distillation of the group’s work to date. Channeling the ferocity of Pale Folklore, the earthy mysticism of the Mantle, and the sophistication of Ashes Against the Grain - Marrow undoubtedly marks a step forward in Agalloch’s musical evolution, but will come to be viewed more as a culmination of the first phase of Haughm & Co.’s remarkable output.

Marrow of the Spirit will not be the album that reveals Agalloch to a wider audience, not that Agalloch appears to be looking for one. It’s quite possibly their most ‘difficult’ release to date, but dedicated listeners will also find it just as rewarding. As an ode to the stark beauty of the woods of north-west America, for an almost-cathartic dose of melancholia, or simply as a well-crafted metal (yes, they are still undoubtedly metal) album, Agalloch and Marrow of the Spirit, in particular, have much to offer. Like all great groups of their ilk (Opeth, Enslaved, Wolves in the Throne Room) It only remains to be seen where they’ll go from here.

My Rating: 5/5

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Track Listing

1. They Escaped the Weight of Darkness
   
2. Into the Painted Grey
3. The Watcher's Monolith
4. Black Lake Nidstång
5. Ghosts of the Midwinter Fires
6. To Drown

Personnel

Vocals/guitars: John Haughm
Guitars: Don Anderson
Bass: Jason William Walton
Drums: Aesop Dekker

Atheist - Jupiter

The release of a new Atheist album after 17 years was inevitably going to invite comparisons with the past. Atheist's history is now part of metal lore - A brief, rather tragic (Founding member and bassist Roger Patterson died in a car accident before the recording of their second LP, the peerless Unquestionable Presence) existence that, nevertheless, over the course of three LP's, redefined the fledgling Death Metal genre. Atheist's unique, jazz-inflected, discordant style has undoubtedly influenced, but has never been replicated with any success, by the innumerable Technical Death Metal bands that were to follow in their wake.

Nor do the new Atheist, who retain two members from their original line-up (vocalist Kelly Schaefer and drummer Steve Flynn), attempt to revisit that past. To that extent, long-time fans may be disappointed in Jupiter not turning out to be an Unquestionable Presence Part II. Instead, Shaefer and co. have crafted an excellent modern Technical Death metal album - a smooth, polished piece of technical artistry - bristling with tempo-changes, ultra-precise riffs, and some beautifully off-kilter soloing. While the organic, jazzy elements have been almost totally erased from the Atheist sonic palette, Kelly Schaefer's lyrics retain their eye-brow raising excellence, and Steve Flynn's drumming, if a bit restrained, is still exceptional.

The new direction is apparent from the excellent album-opener "Second to Sun". Kelly Shaefer rolls back the years with his delightful rasp, as the song snakes its way smoothly from one dissonant section to another (keep a ear out for the virtuoso soloing near the beginning). Guitarist Chris Baker and bassist Jonathan Thompson are no slouches, either, and navigate their way through some mind-bendingly complex sections with consummate ease (their delicious interplay near the end of "Fictitious Glide" being the best example). Other highlights include "Live and Live Again", which melds jazz arrangements and some decidedly brutal riffs, and "Faux King Christ", featuring some unusually thrashy soloing reminiscent of Mustaine at his peak.

However, it's tough to pick standout tracks, as Jupiter plays very well as a single unit. Much of the credit for this must go to the outstanding production job by Jason Suecof - the sound is compact and very clear, and doesn't suffocate (a common complaint with Technical bands of Atheist's ilk). Funnily enough, the album's greatest strength is also perhaps its greatest weakness - for, in their relentless enthusiasm to pile on innumerable riffs and tempo-changes, Atheist sometimes neglect the exhilarating dynamics that set apart so much of their early material.

Minor criticisms notwithstanding, Jupiter is an amazingly well-crafted album, and for a band returning to the studio after 17 years, is also amazingly self-assured. Atheist don't break any new ground with Jupiter, but after all they've accomplished in the past, were they really expected to?

My Rating: 4/5

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Track Listing

1. Second to Sun
2. Fictitious Glide
3. Fraudulent Cloth
4. Live and Live Again
5. Faux King Christ
6. Tortoise the Titan
7. When the Beast
8. Third Person

Personnel

Vocals/Guitar: Kelly Shaefer
Drums: Steve Flynn
Bass: Jonathan Thompson
Guitar: Chris Baker