AGALLOCH — Of Stone, Wind, and Pillor (review)

AGALLOCH — Of Stone, Wind, and Pillor album cover EP · 2001 · Folk Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
2.5/5 ·
bonnek
A stopgap between studio releases, Of Stone Wind and Pillor is a compilation of previously unreleased and rare material.

Of Stone Wind and Pillor is a rather disappointing demo that evidently wasn’t selected for inclusion on the debut album, it’s a very average composition with dull vocals and uninspired riffs. The performance is slack and unfocussed. If this was Agalloch’s usual fare we wouldn’t have heard of them. Fliorum Viridum is taken from the debut demo. It’s a classical instrumental piece on keyboards, very symphonic and atmospheric but nothing unusual for dark metal bands around 1996. Haunting Birds is a clumsy bit of guitar strumming accompanied by big reverbed kettledrums.

The last two tracks are a real catch though, Kneel To the Cross starts with an entrancing pagan chant and turns into a great folk tune. It’s a well performed cover from Sol Invictus that shows Haugm’s grown confidence in the clean vocal department. A Poem By Yeats is another interesting piece that could have been a Dead Can Dance cover, featuring orchestral keyboards, spoken word and grave chants reminiscent of Brendan Perry’s voice. It lasts 4 minutes though, not 8 and a half.

The last 10 minutes show a more reflective side of Agalloch and make this into an interesting release for fans. Not necessary for anybody else though.
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