After two demo releases in the late 1990’s the band released three full-length albums: Pale Folklore (1999), The Mantle (2002), and Ashes Against the Grain (2006). “The Mantle” has since been heralded as a classic for having been one of the first albums to combine elements from black metal, neo-folk, progressive rock, post-rock, and ambient music. The influence of this record can be heard in the music of multiple “post-black metal” bands.
In 2008 Agalloch began re-releasing their demos, B-sides, and EPs under their own Dammerung Arthouse label. In 2010 their fourth album Marrow of the Spirit made number one on numerous critic’s top ten lists. In between each of these full-lengths the band pushed on the flexible boundaries they had developed around themselves through a series of EPs that found the band experimenting with post-rock/instrumental rock (The Grey, 2004), neo-folk/psychedelic folk (“The White EP, 2008) and a mammoth twenty-minute epic work entitled Faustian Echoes (2012) released through Dammerung Arts. Their fifth and last full-length album The Serpent & the Sphere (2014) has continued to earn praise for solidifying the now identifiable sound of the band.
Agalloch earned a reputation for explosive and emotional live performances. They sold out tours across Europe and the US and played a variety of major international festivals including: Roadburn, Inferno, Ragnarok, Tomahawk, Noctis, Asymmetry Fest, Maryland Deathfest, Scion Fest and others. The band took special care constructing the environment of each and every show with wood, incense, and imagery taken directly from their home in the Northwest. Such care made an Agalloch show more than just a typical heavy metal concert.
However, on May 13th, 2016, Agalloch announced their disbandment.
Regarding the band's disbanding, John Haughm previously released the following statement regarding the status of Agalloch:
"After being inundated by a barrage of responses, I feel that I should clarify some things. I take full responsibility for the decision to part ways with the other guys. It was difficult, well thought-out, and something that had been culminating over the past couple of years. I simply could not continue any further with the band as it was. I had to make a change as my motivation and inspiration had started to completely deteriorate. Whether this is the permanent end of Agalloch altogether or a possible fresh start, I don't know. I probably won't know for awhile. The band has simply been reduced back to its founding, visionary member for the first time in 20 years. Beyond that, the future is unknown."
In 2019, Haughm made comments on Facebook widely criticized as being anti-Semitic, and the other members of Agalloch released a statement claiming, "We vehemently condemn our former bandmate and want to make it clear that none of us share his reprehensible viewpoints. We have not had any direct contact with him since the breakup nearly 3 years ago... We are not friends."
The band later reformed in 2023 "with the intent of playing limited shows."
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Discography:
Studio albums:
1999 - Pale Folklore
2002 - The Mantle
2006 - Ashes Against the Grain
2010 - Marrow of the Spirit
2014 - The Serpent & the Sphere
EPs:
1997 - From Which of This Oak (demo)
1998 - Promo 1998 (demo)
2001 - Of Stone, Wind and Pillor
2003 - Tomorrow Will Never Come
2004 - The Grey EP
2004 - Agalloch / Nest (split with Nest)
2008 - The White EP
2012 - Faustian Echoes
Compilations:
2008 - The Demonstration Archive 1996-1998
2010 - The Compendium Archive
Singles:
2004 - A Fragment (Second Phase)
2010 - Nebelmeer (split with Mathias Grassow)
2010 - Fragment 4
2010 - Scars of the Shattered Sky
2010 - Where Shade Once Was
2011 - The Death of Man III
2011 - The Wolves of Timberline
2013 - Nihil Totem
2013 - The Weight of Darkness
2014 - Alpha Serpentis (Unukalhai)
Into the Painted Grey
Agalloch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
speak of a silent aeon below the depths
of an austere ebon tide
for centuries kingdoms have risen
upon the ancient hands of a god
once severed for the world's birth
a sacrifice to the storms of life
now darkness is thine sanctum
Temples of magma steam across the grey
The arc that transcends my iconic pride
For I am not an ageless god, no, I am imprisoned by time
These ancient palms shall once again be mine
Hands...hands that lift the oceans
to vertical depths above the stars
For when I die, the universe will die with me
and all will be lost forever gone
Where am I?
How long shall I suffer here?
Forlorn in the cold neolithic embrace
Forsaken deep in the sullen tide
How long shall I suffer here?
Perched on the cliffside gazing out into the brine
My archaic beard pours downward and joins the feral sea
I am the heritage; the quintessence of myth and legend
The archetype of Pagan might and divinity
Hands...hands that lift the oceans
to vertical depths beyond the stars
I gather a celestial blanket around these tired bones
and finally slumber in the clouds of ice
These are my hands...
...so it is done
The song Into the Painted Grey by Agalloch is a poetic exploration of time and the power of nature. The opening lines describe the jagged lines in the wooden hands, which speak of a silent aeon below the depths of an austere ebon tide. It is suggested that this has been the case for centuries, with kingdoms rising upon the ancient hands of a god who was once sacrificed to the storms of life. The singer then describes how darkness is now their sanctum. This sets a tone of isolation and desolation, with the singer clearly feeling deeply alone and cut off from the world around them.
The next stanza introduces the idea of temples of magma steaming across the grey. The singer is clearly referring to the natural world, and suggesting that they are a part of it. However, they then go on to explain that they are not an ageless god, and that they are imprisoned by time. This creates a sense of mortality, as though the singer knows that they are not able to hold onto this power forever. They then claim that the ancient palms will once again be theirs, suggesting that despite their imprisonment, there is still hope for them to unlock their power once again.
The final stanza brings the poem back to a sense of isolation and despair. The singer seems lost and alone, suffering in a cold neolithic embrace. They question how long they will have to remain this way, with no clear answer given. They then describe themselves as the heritage, quintessence of myth and legend, and the archetype of Pagan might and divinity. This suggests that they are aware of their own power, but also their limitations. The poem ends with a sense of finality, as they describe themselves slumbering in the clouds of ice.
Line by Line Meaning
The jagged lines in these wooden hands
The marks on these wooden hands are rough and uneven
speak of a silent aeon below the depths
They tell the story of an ancient time deep underwater
of an austere ebon tide
A black and somber ocean surrounds this place
for centuries kingdoms have risen
Nations have built their empires here for ages
upon the ancient hands of a god
The land was built upon the hands of a powerful deity
once severed for the world's birth
The hands were cut from the god to create the world
a sacrifice to the storms of life
A sacrifice was made to create life's struggles and challenges
now darkness is thine sanctum
The darkness has become a sacred place for the god
Temples of magma steam across the grey
Magma-filled temples are visible in the bleakness
The arc that transcends my iconic pride
A symbolic arch that overshadows the god's ego
For I am not an ageless god, no, I am imprisoned by time
The god is not immortal, but limited by time
These ancient palms shall once again be mine
The god wants to reclaim his hands from their current location
Hands...hands that lift the oceans
The god's hands can raise the oceans to the stars
to vertical depths above the stars
The depths can reach higher than the stars themselves
For when I die, the universe will die with me
The god's death would be catastrophic for the entire universe
and all will be lost forever gone
Everything would disappear and never return
Where am I?
The god is unsure of his location
How long shall I suffer here?
The god is in distress and wonders when it will end
Forlorn in the cold neolithic embrace
The god is lonely and embraced by a prehistoric age
Forsaken deep in the sullen tide
The god is abandoned and submerged in the gloomy waters
Perched on the cliffside gazing out into the brine
The god is sitting on the cliff, staring into the ocean
My archaic beard pours downward and joins the feral sea
The god's ancient beard mixes with the wild waters below
I am the heritage; the quintessence of myth and legend
The god is the embodiment of folklore and cultural legacy
The archetype of Pagan might and divinity
A model of strength and godly power based on pre-Christian beliefs
I gather a celestial blanket around these tired bones
The god prepares for rest under a metaphorical starry sky
and finally slumber in the clouds of ice
The god sleeps among cold, misty clouds
These are my hands...
The god affirms the ownership of his hands
...so it is done
The god's will has been accomplished
Contributed by Andrew V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.