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)
She Painted Fire Across The Skyline Part 3
Agalloch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It called to me like a river of shadows
It sang to me with the cries of a thousand ravens that blackened the sky as they
took flight
and sank the Sol
I shall never trust the sun again, Eridanis Nadir
I ran away far into the woods
"I don't want to be forgotten...I never wanted to be human"
NEVER!!!!!
So alas the sun had descended, her fire burned brilliant in the sky
The trees bore their withered silhouettes, that cast a spell upon unearthly white
No wolf shall keep his secrets, no bird shall dance the skyline
And I am left with nothing but an oath that gleams like a sword
To bathe in the blood of man
Mankind...
The lyrics of Agalloch's song "She Painted Fire Across the Skyline. Pt. 3" convey a sense of darkness and disillusionment, as the singer witnesses the fall of the sun and retreats into the woods to search for a sense of purpose. The first stanza sets the scene, as the night falls and the singer feels drawn to the shadows and the sound of ravens taking flight. There is a sense of betrayal, as the Sol (which could be interpreted as the sun or some divine figure) sinks and the singer proclaims that they will never trust it again.
The second stanza finds the singer searching for the Sol, wishing to avoid being forgotten and rejecting their humanity, shouting out "Never!!!" There is a stark contrast between the brilliance of the sun and the withered silhouettes of the trees. The final line, "To bathe in the blood of man / Mankind..." is particularly chilling, hinting at a desire for revenge or destruction.
Overall, the lyrics of "She Painted Fire Across the Skyline. Pt. 3" convey a sense of darkness, disillusionment, and a desire for revenge. The imagery of shadows, ravens, and withered trees create a haunting atmosphere that adds to the sense of despair and betrayal.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw the nightfall...
The darkness of the night caught my attention
It called to me like a river of shadows
Its mysterious nature lured me towards it
It sang to me with the cries of a thousand ravens that blackened the sky as they took flight and sank the Sol
The sounds of ravens and the setting sun made it feel ominous
I shall never trust the sun again, Eridanis Nadir
The darkness has overtaken me and I can never look at the sun in the same way again
I ran away far into the woods
To escape the darkness, I fled into the forest
To find the Sol, I called to her...
I was searching for the sun and called out to it
"I don't want to be forgotten...I never wanted to be human" NEVER!!!!!
I refuse to be forgotten and I reject my human nature
So alas the sun had descended, her fire burned brilliant in the sky
The sun set and it was a beautiful sight
The trees bore their withered silhouettes, that cast a spell upon unearthly white
The barren trees created a haunting atmosphere in the bright moonlight
No wolf shall keep his secrets, no bird shall dance the skyline
The creatures of the night will not keep their secrets and the birds will not soar through the skies
And I am left with nothing but an oath that gleams like a sword
All I have is my promise which shines like a sharp blade
To bathe in the blood of man
I have decided to take revenge on humans and their violent ways
Mankind...
The subject of my anger and wrath
Contributed by Josiah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.