Agalloch - Ashes Against the Grain (2006) #Review

Hi friends, this time I come to talk about one of my favorite bands, forever it will be, it is totally perfect and incredible. It is called Agalloch, it is something recognized in the world of metal, although sometimes I feel that a little undervalued by some people. They are native to Portland, Oregon. And his music is a marvel, almost totally related to nature, with a very doom and folkloric aspect. Good mixes of gutturals, good riffs characteristic of the doom, with beautiful acoustic and folkloric passages. Agalloch really is a trip to a totally natural world, powerful and cold.

I want to make several reviews for agalloch, for each of their albums, but since I'm new to this and I'm still experimenting. I'll start with the first album I hear from them, even though it's not the first one, and it sounds a little messy, I want to start with this album, because it's awesome for me. Agalloch as I mentioned, is listed as a band of Doom / Flok / Black Metal, but with a very particular characteristic, typical of them, they are quite atmospheric, with this I mean, that their music can hypnotize you easily, despite be long-lasting songs. Since they have a care in the impressive voices, with powerful gutturals accompanied by some good riffs, something repetitive but very good, and also include the clean voices, which add a touch very quiet and quiet to the music. In addition to the acoustic guitars that do not lack, in some passages of most of the songs.

This wonderful album, opens with "Limbs", what better theme to open this album, so atmospheric and powerful. With a long impressive instrumental introduction, which wanders between the power with acoustic time changes and then explode more or less by minute 4, with a remarkable battery. Then they keep us hypnotized with some remarkable riffs, which accompany gutturals very similar to those of black metal. This song is really beautiful, according to my criteria.

The second theme, "Falling Snow" it's my favorite, starts powerful from the beginning. With some simple riffs, but do not bore at any time, change at the perfect time. This song is really mesmerizing and hypnotizing, the guttural voices fit perfectly, and the clean voices give a great change to the song. A song with little folk sound and very metal. Then we went through a very instrumental and very folk instrumental cut, titled "This White Mountain on Which You Will Die".

"Fire Above, Ice Below", is a very characteristic song of agalloch, with a somewhat heavy atmosphere, a great use of folk, to accompany the whole song, a combination of clean and somewhat medieval voices, with gutturals that accompany the background with melancholy. A somewhat slow subject, but very relaxing, perfect to listen to alone. The next song is very agalloch, entitled "Not Unlike The Waves", with great changes of time, between the power of the metal, it is the acoustic and folkloric passages. With the clean voices that characterize Agalloch, they take you to a very medieval world, or so I think, they remind me of the Lord of the Rings.

The last three songs, corresponds to the same song, called "Our Fortress Is Burning ...", as mentioned is divided into 3 parts, all very melancholic and depressive, mostly instrumental. "Our Fortress Is Burning ... I" is a completely instrumental and acoustic cut of which Agalloch, already has us accustomed, are impressive, despite the absence of voices. Then part 2, titled "Our Fortress Is Burning ... II - Bloodbirds", an almost completely instrumental theme, with some voices in the background, is very melancholic and sad, a really cold atmosphere. Finally the album closes with another instrumental cut called "Our Fortress Is Burning ... III - The Grain"

This album is for my incredible, as a lover of nature, snow, cold and our mother earth, I can say that agalloch is perfect, his music transmits all these feelings. Peace, tranquility and in its moments some good powerful touches of metal. I invite you to listen to this album totally.