Where do you start reviewing something like this? After almost a month of continuously listening to this album I have to admit I am still in a state of shock. Having spoken with John Haughm over the course of this year, I was led to expect something very different, but the result succeeded all of my hopes or expectations. This here is without a doubt their bleakest, darkest, most sorrowful piece of music theyve ever recorded. Ive been struggling with it for weeks now, and its gotten to the point where I had to write this damn thing or I would have completely lost it. This album is so overwhelmingly depressing its literally been draining the life out of me, much like Ordo Ad Chao did over three years ago. But this is different, its not suffocating, you dont feel like something is choking you for an hour. Its not dark in a malefic way (Agallochs never been about that to begin with), but in a very..deeply melancholic, dismal way - and the more you sink in it the more liberated and at peace with yourself you feel, it almost becomes a healing experience.
Agalloch have returned to their roots. Light years away from Ashes Against The Grain, Marrow Of The Spirit takes a full turn and goes back where it all started. As much as I love their last album, this sounds like they wanted to run as far from that as possible: the sound is very harsh, it reeks of old, it has a primordial vibe to it thats hard for me to explain. Imagine Paysage dHivers sublime landscapes meeting the rough, organic Nagelfar sound, mixed with the chronic depression and hopelessness on Bethlehems Dark Metal
Wrap all that up in the unmistakable Agalloch bleak, foggy weather and maybe, just maybe you can get an idea? I dont know. One thing is certain, listening to this is like trying to understand what a deep, dense forest wants to tell you; except the sounds you hear dont come from the trees but rather from deep underneath your bare feet. Its asking you to dig thorough roots, soil and layers of rotten foliage - the deeper you go the clearer you can hear it. Its an exhausting, draining day and night struggle, but you just know that the key to your very soul lies down there. And when youve finally reached it, when youre finally holding it in your hands, one look around and you realize youve dug your grave with your bare hands. Youre finally at peace with everything and all, ready to lay your soul to rest in the one place youve always felt you belonged. And no damnit, Im not high, this is what Im getting.
Marrow Of The Spirit is an emotional rollercoaster that will take your breath away and with time will feel like the inner journey youve always waited to embark on. Like all of their previous works, its not an album for everyone, but this one in particular is actually quite difficult to get in to, and at times I get the feeling that theres a certain artistic intention to willingly throw you off, as if its saying you have to want to get this, look deeper, earn it.
