AGALLOCH — The Grey EP (review)

AGALLOCH — The Grey EP album cover EP · 2004 · Non-Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
1.5/5 ·
The Angry Scotsman
An intriguing EP without a doubt, this is the worst piece Agalloch has put out. Obviously an experimental work, this EP consists of only two songs both from their album "The Mantle" but radically changed, (especially the second song). The titles are quite aptly named as well.

The Lodge (Dismantled) is precisely that. This is actually the original song from "The Mantle" but... dismantled. Deconstructed. That is an interesting way to look at it, the deconstruction of something constructed, kind of like a post modern painting or the writings of Derrida.

Anyway, this song takes pieces from the original song, (which was acoustic) and plays it heavier, and much more drawn out. It is a very challenging, and rewarding song. The slow, heavy, repetitive foundation slowly builds, adding beautiful soloing over it until you reach a powerful climax. The section in the later middle is particularly striking, where you have the guitars playing some beautiful and melodic harmony, with a really simple, (yet perfect) bass riff under it. The whole song there is also a fairly minimal, yet superb, drum beat playing. When you lay down and really absorb this song it is incredibly powerful and moving.

However, this is only up to nine and a half minutes. If the song ended there, it would've been brilliant. Sadly, the last three and a half minutes are, quite literally, noise.

Odal (Nothing Remix) is, again, exactly what the title says. A remix of Odal that is, well...nothing. This sounds nothing like the original song and is not even really a song at all. This is a purely ambient piece. There are no instruments, no rhythm, flow, nothing. Simply various industrial/ominous/low register sound for close to eight minutes. I am not sure how anyone can enjoy such a thing.

OK, so we have one song that is a total zero, and one that is quite excellent until the end, which is unbearable. It is also quite different from anything Agalloch has ever done. Though post metal elements are in their music it has never been taken to the level of "The Lodge (Dismantled)" and they certainly have never made any noise release before. Therefore, I am giving this album a 1.5 since it's better then pure garbage, but many fans probably would not like it.

ONE AND A HALF STARS
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Opus Ferox II - Mark Of The Beast Progressive Metal
LOCH VOSTOK
Buy this album from MMA partners
Rankarumpu Folk Metal
KORPIKLAANI
Buy this album from MMA partners
… And the Universe Keeps Silent Death Metal
MAERE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Le bannissement Atmospheric Black Metal
CANTIQUE LÉPREUX
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tarantula Heart Sludge Metal
MELVINS
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Fallen Ashes - Wage War (Official Lyric Video)
FALLEN ASHES
Bosh66· 9 days ago
EXISTENTIAL DEAD - Unreality (Single) 2024
EXISTENTIAL DEAD
Bosh66· 9 days ago
EXISTENTIAL DEAD - Cold Hands
EXISTENTIAL DEAD
Bosh66· 9 days ago
IRON MONKEY - Misanthropizer (Official Music Video)
IRON MONKEY
Bosh66· 11 days ago
??? (Losing ART) - "????" (Official Music Video) [HD]
漂浮者樂團
Bosh66· 12 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed