As a long term fan boy of atmospheric/post black metal Goliath, Agalloch I was bitterly disappointed to hear the news that they had disbanded in 2016. The internet was soon rife with rumours of new bands and when I heard that the majority of the line up (Don Anderson (guitar), Aesop Dekker (drums), and Jason Walton (bass) were joining forces with Aaron John Gregory (guitar and vocals) of doom-rock band Giant Squid I was curious to hear what would be the next chapter in this tale.
I have to admit I naively went into this expecting (hoping for?) Agalloch part II, and was initially very disappointed, and I struggled to fully “get” Khôrada despite a few listens. However, I felt that beneath the surface there was something worthwhile so I made a deliberate decision to press the metaphorical reset button and gave it a fresh listen with an open mind, and when it eventually clicked I was blown away.
The album begins with ‘Edeste’ and a gentle meandering intro which leads into doomy riffs and morose vocals. From the outset it is clear that there is a cacophony of styles being employed and before you know it, the track has built into a weighty slab before the song abruptly stops, giving way to an entrancing musical interlude and deliberate drawling vocals to finish the track.
The second track, ‘Seasons of Salt’ clocks in at just over nine minutes and it does not take long for an undercurrent of black metal elements to become apparent in the instrumentation as the vocals grapple for control with the complex melodies. ‘Water Rights’ begins with a drum intro before the distinctive, mid paced vocal style appears. The chorus is catchy and is one of those that you will find yourself humming for weeks to come. There is something familiar and yet elusive about the vocal delivery, abrasive while alluring, giving this album its own individual feel.
Perhaps here would be a good to point to mention the lyrical content of the album which seems to be predominantly concerned with the environment, and specifically its impending demise and seems to set this against the current political picture in the US (or at least that was my interpretation!).
Melancholic vocals open ‘Glacial Gold’ to a subtle backdrop of howling wind before the rest of the band join proceedings as the vocals evolve into emotive, tortured howls before ‘Augustus’. This 1 minute 50 second track evocatively captures the tragedy of miscarriage and is completely heart wrenching as the misery of the parents-to-be is brought to bear.
‘Wave State’ is another epic track, clocking in at nearly 11 minutes, opening with a smooth jazz style intro before the tempo climbs. This track inevitably covers a lot of ground before a gentle outro leaves a feeling of exhaustion before ’Ossify’ closes the album with a pulsating melody, and is perhaps one of the stand out tracks for me.
As I alluded to earlier, this release turned to be a real surprise for me. Initially I was disappointed as it was not what I was expecting, and caught me off guard but when as I gave it the respect it deserved it completely hooked me in.
This is forward looking progressive rock/metal which straddles several genre boundaries. It is cerebral and emotive and yet visceral, heartfelt and honest. As I continue listen to this over coming months, I suspect my relationship with it will develop further.
(8/10 Andy Pountney)
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