In the past two years, Agalloch have reached the top of their melancholy, genre-bending game. Their debut for Profound Lore was universally heralded as one of the best albums of 2010 and they have been touring relentlessly since its release. Despite their schedule and long-awaited arrival on underground metal’s A-list, the Northwest-based quartet was able to record and release their longest track to date just as fans were getting hungry for more.
In typical epic Agallochian fashion, Faustian Echoes winds through a mixture of acoustic revelry, ambient interludes, and film samples separated by torrential blasts of blackness. John Haughm’s shrieks are at their best, with Billy Anderson’s production giving them a never-before heard depth and earthiness. Don Anderson’s melodic guitar shines through like a lightning bolt in the midst of a storm of appropriately biblical proportions.
Full review + U.S tour dates after the jump!
An unorthodox release for the band, it’s always tough to predict what an EP means for the future. Agalloch have traditionally used EPs as experimental outlets — The White was home to beautiful neofolk worship while The Grey contained re-mixes of two Mantle tracks. Unlike their previous effort, Marrow of the Spirit, which gives stark distinction to the neo-folk and doomed ambient passages, this EP masterfully combines the two in a style harkening back to the band’s early work without altogether re-visting the past. Fans of the band’s seminal work The Mantle will feel right at home here.
Much like the masterful German play the song is based on, Faustian Echoes is split into two halves, winding through seemingly unconnected parts which upon further scrutiny reveal common threads. There’s darkness, demons and unholy pacts, but nevertheless a shimmer of melodic hope remains throughout.
The release of Faustian Echoes coincides with the creation of their Bandcamp page. A welcome move, it’s home to the group’s rare EPs and one-offs, physical copies of which have been near-impossible to acquire in recent years. Their move into the grey spotlight is long-overdue, but if Agalloch can keep up their current momentum, their rightful place on top has only just begun.
The band is kicking off a tour in support of the EP July 11 in Portland, where physical copies of the EP will be available.
11.07.2012 OR – Portland / Branx
12.07.2012 WA – Seattle / the Crocodile
13.07.2012 BC – Vancouver / the Rickshaw
14.07.2012 WA – Spokane / the A Club
16.07.2012 MT – Bozeman / Zebra
17.07.2012 CO – Denver / Bluebird Theater
18.07.2012 NE – Omaha / Waiting Room
19.07.2012 WI – Milwaukee / Miramar Theater
20.07.2012 IL – Chicago / Reggie’s
21.07.2012 MI – Ann Arbor / Blind Pig
22.07.2012 OH – Cleveland / Beachland Ballroom
23.07.2012 ON – Toronto / Opera House
24.07.2012 QC – Montreal / Petit Campus
25.07.2012 MA – Boston / the Middle East
26.07.2012 NY – Brooklyn / Williamsburg Music Hall
27.07.2012 PA – Philadelphia / Underground Arts
28.07.2012 VA – Springfield / Empire
29.07.2012 NC – Raleigh / King’s Barcade
30.07.2012 OFF
31.07.2012 FL – Tampa / Orpheum
01.08.2012 GA – Atlanta / the Earl
02.08.2012 AL – Birmingham / Bottletree
03.08.2012 LA – New Orleans / One Eyed Jack’s
04.08.2012 TX – Dallas / La Grange
05.08.2012 TX – Austin / Red 7
06.08.2012 OFF
07.08.2012 OFF
08.08.2012 AZ – Phoenix / Rhythm Room
09.08.2012 CA – San Diego / the Casbah
10.08.2012 CA – Los Angeles / Echoplex
11.08.2012 CA – San Francisco / the Great American Music Hall
29.09.2012 AB – Calgary / Noctis V Metal Fest
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