The Truth I was really excited about this album when it was first coming out because I had just learned to really love The Mantle which was one of my favorite metal records of all time. I mean, this was coming out when that album really just clicked with me so how could I not be excited? Agalloch was going to amaze me again!

Well, they didn't really, but that's ok because this album is still pretty great despite being a real step down from The Mantle. There are no passages that really grabbed my attention but the album as a whole is perhaps much more consistent and exploratory. It delves into a much more metal territory than I had even heard the band go and I think that's part of it's charm. It's not stunning but it is indeed an enjoyable listen and that can't be denied.

The clearly stand-out track is the fourth one, Black Lake Nidstang which is Agalloch's folky black metal taken to places it previously has not been. This track, in essence, is what the album as a whole is trying to achieve. The rest of the tracks are basically on par with perhaps the exception of the final one which is part of the reason the record is a bit less exciting, it does not really end the album in a way I would like it to. Nonetheless, it's not a bad track at all.

For fans of Agalloch, definitely, but don't expect another The Mantle-esque record.

Warthur In the four year since their excellent The Mantle, the music scene had more than caught up with Agalloch's post-metal vision; other bands, such as the brilliant Isis, had even crafted superior works to that foundational piece. But those hoping that Ashes Against the Grain would show the newcomers how it was done may have found themselves disappointed. With less emphasis on acoustic guitars than on The Mantle, the band's sound becomes a lot more generic, and the compositions seem fairly uninspiring next to works by the likes of Isis and Pelican. It's a reasonable enough listen if you like post-metal, but at the same time I think most fans would expect more of Agalloch.

Warthur Using primarily acoustic guitars instead of the electric guitars usually associated with... well, just about every brand of metal you can think of really, but specifically the black metal that Agalloch were previously associated with, the band have developed a compelling post-metal sound. Tapping into the fact that both black metal and shoegaze indie rock make a great deal of use of tremolo guitar, the band craft a strange, folky artifact which exists halfway between the two worlds, and tap into a current which is now regularly explored but which at the time was still incredibly fresh. A classic of experimental, cutting-edge metal.

SolarLuna96 This album is just... wow. It speeds though many genres including folk, ambient, black metal, and post metal. The first half of the first song, Limbs begins with a guitar cycling through multiple riffs until at about five minutes the vocals begin to paint a scene with the fine voice of John Haughm. What I really enjoy about his voice is that is can project many emotions flawlessly, and that he can do that through either growling or clean vocals, while many singers can only successfully use one style. Out of the forest, and into winter, Falling Snow continues the dark music that began the album except this time, more emotion seems to be put into the lyrics. Also, although still dark, Falling Snow seems to have a lighter hue than it's predecessor. The third song, This White Mountain On Which You Will Die, is a one minute ambient/noise track whose name comes from a lyric in Falling Snow. There is not much to say about this short track other than that it appears to be a segue from the “catchy” songs, to the more varied songs that follow it. The first of these songs, Fire Above, Ice Below. This song is probably the most ambitious track on the album as it cycles through many genres for the duration of ten minutes. It begins with folkish strumming, with clean guitars in the background, which really give the song some density. Once the vocals kick in, the electric guitar becomes more prominent, until the full riffing begins. The drums are actually very impressive during the riffing moment, repeating cymbal crash after cymbal crash. The song slows down and picks up again a couple times, and the guitar in each section never ceases to amaze me. The next song, Not Unlike the Waves opens with some heavy riffing but then a soft acoustic passage appears again. Once the passage ends, the song just gets heavier and heavier. Now, a three part suite begins. The first instrumental section (Our Fortress is Burning) begins with piano and acoustic guitar, but slowly builds up and moves to the second part. This song is not very metal and has a kind of ambient feel to it. The second part of the suite, Bloodbirds, is pretty much the climax of the entire album, and seems to be a more traditional Agalloch song, with more riffs and vocals. The part of the suite (The Grain) is a seven minute noise track. This is my least favorite on the album because there is really nothing to say about it. There is no point that it is trying to get across. Overall, I think that this album is an essential if you are a fan of Post Metal. Otherwise, I would suggest to dip your feet in slowly, maybe just the first two songs, if you are not familiar with much Post Metal.

The Truth One of the only metal with growls releases that I absolutely love and find a masterpiece.

Agalloch pulled out one heck of an album with The Mantle, the atmospheric, lush and dense sound they have on this record really go along with the sound Agalloch was trying to accomplish: walking through a dark forest.

The birds sing and the thunder rolls and each time a branch moves you jump in alarm. That's what this record is and that's why I love it. Something in how the band plays on this album really takes it to a different realm, one that is far better than alot of music I've heard.

Five stars with no shame, one of my favorite metal albums.