FROM THE CRYPTS - CELEBRATING PAST ALBUM RELEASES in the HISTORY of HARD ROCK & HEAVY METAL…
On November 23, 2010, Portland, Oregon’s Agalloch released their fourth full-length studio album Marrow of the Spirit via Profound Lore Records, which had also re-released the first two Agalloch albums on vinyl in 2005.
Background:
Marrow of the Spirit marked a change in record labels for Agalloch. The bands first three full-length albums and EPs were released by The End Records, but after their contract was completed with the release of Ashes Against the Grain in 2006, the band opted not to renew it. It was the first album to feature Aesop Dekker (of Ludicra) on drums, replacing Chris Greene.
The band felt that their previous album, Ashes Against the Grain, sounded too polished, and opted for a more raw sound for Marrow of the Spirit, saying that it felt more "alive and real". The album thus was recorded entirely on vintage analog equipment. Recording took place at Audible Alchemy Studios in Portland, Oregon with Steven Wray Lobdell producing.
On October 29, 2010, the track The Watcher's Monolith was released on the music website Stereogum, accompanied by an interview with John Haughm. The track Ghosts of the Midwinter Fires was released on November 1, 2010.
Here are some excerpts from that Stereogum interview:
On the song The Watchers Monolith, John Haughm had this to say;
“It has a lot to do with a horrible illness I had in Europe a couple years ago and the healing process which involved the Externsteine in the North Rhine region of Germany. Long story short, I visited the Externsteine with my friends and we stayed there late into the night and built a fire with traveling flutists and percussionists who we had met that day. The energy in the stones of the Extersteine is said to have healing properties so I laid down in the sepulchre, in total darkness, while the sounds of flutes and drums resonated through the stones and into my body. I spent about 30 minutes in the sepulchre…it was one of the most amazing spiritual experiences I have ever had. The following day, my horrible illness was gone. The overall message in this song is that these ancient Pagan sites are very important and must be protected and preserved.” — John Haughm
“We never think about the other albums in our past when we write so, no, there are no intentional references to that album (Ashes Against The Grain) in this or any song on Marrow Of The Spirit” — John Haughm
“We put the songs in an order which we felt maintained a “traveling” kind of momentum. The album is a journey. Each song is a stop along the way; a new experience…” — John Haughm
Critical Reception:
The album was named one of NPR's Top 50 albums of 2010 and listed at No. 1 on Decibel Magazine's list of the 40 best albums of 2010. PopMatters listed Marrow of the Spirit as the best Metal album of 2010.
Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells
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