Agalloch - Pale Folklore (1999)

What can you say about this album that hasn't already been said?! Agalloch’s first release, “Pale Folklore” is a pure musical epic from start to finish. The album starts out with the three part saga of “She Painted Fire Across the Skyline.” Part I starts out with a haunting intro, then continued on with a melodic masterpiece. Part II is a mainly acoustic song, and very short at that. The saga is concluded with a revisit to Part I, but different in its main arrangement. Song 4, “The Misshapen Steed,” is a piano interlude, with not much to say about it. Song 5, “Halls of Enchanted Ebony,” is a haunting song, made even better by its main acoustic riff. This is by-far one of the band’s best songs. The song concludes with a strange outro filled with wolves howling... Not sure quite why... “Dead Winter Days,” the album’s next track, is probably one of my all time favorites from Agalloch This song starts out with a drum roll, and proceeds with a melodic middle and end. The song blends right into the next, with a piano chord that sends chills down your spine. “As Embers Dress the Sky” is a re-recorded version of the song by the same name that appeared on the band’s demo, “From Which Of This Oak”. The song is fantastic, and definitely not only the album’s standout track, but is my personal favorite. The final track, “The Melancholy Spirit” is another haunting song that is a staple Agalloch. The 12 minute finishing track to the album does not disappoint. All in all, I gave this album a 100%. If you do not have this album, you are truly missing out. (Source)

* Genre: Dark Folk/Black Metal
* Quality: mp3@CBR320 kbps (CD-Rip, Lame 3.93)
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