The Mantle
The Mantle is the second album by American metal band Agalloch. The album was released on August 13, 2002 by The End Records.
Overview
Cinema "really emerged as a reference point for how we arranged out music [on The Mantle]," said guitarist Don Anderson. He suggested that the band was "thinking in images and how sound might express those images".[4] Taking a more mellow tone than Agalloch's first full-length, Pale Folklore, The Mantle still contains heavy electric guitar riffs as well as acoustic guitar portions.[5] Anderson pointed to the influence of neofolk music, particularly Death in June, as the impetus for using a strummed acoustic guitar in a darker musical context.[4] Present as well are long and melancholic double bass sequences, such as on the track "I Am the Wooden Doors". A critical influence upon Agalloch during this time period was Godspeed You! Black Emperor, with Anderson remarking:
Godspeed, in particular, was the major influence. Their approach to the guitar seemed aligned with black metal. The guitar was no longer a purely riff-based instrument, but provided an ambiguous atmosphere through tremolo-picking either large chords or single melodic lines.[4]
On March 28, 2005, Profound Lore Records released a double LP version of The Mantle on grey-colored vinyl. Limited to 500 copies, it also featured exclusive cover artwork.
Track listing
All lyrics written by John Haughm, except track 8 which contained an excerpt from Cherokee folk tale "Earth Making".[6]
| 1. |
"A Celebration for the Death of Man..." (Instrumental) | Haughm |
2:24 |
| 2. |
"In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion" | Haughm/Anderson |
14:45 |
| 3. |
"Odal" (Instrumental) | Haughm |
7:39 |
| 4. |
"I Am the Wooden Doors" | Haughm/Anderson/J. William W. |
6:11 |
| 5. |
"The Lodge" (Instrumental) | Haughm |
4:40 |
| 6. |
"You Were But a Ghost in My Arms" | Haughm/Anderson/J. William W. |
9:15 |
| 7. |
"The Hawthorne Passage" (Instrumental) | Haughm/Anderson/J. William W. |
11:19 |
| 8. |
"...And the Great Cold Death of the Earth" | Haughm/Anderson |
7:14 |
| 9. |
"A Desolation Song" | Anderson |
5:08 |
Total length: |
68:25 |
Personnel and credits
- John Haughm – vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, drums, percussion, EBow, woodchimes, samples, production, booklet photography and layout
- Don Anderson – acoustic, classical and electric guitars, piano
- Jason William Walton – bass guitar, noisescape on track 3
- Ronn Chick – synths, samples, bells on track 8, mandolin on track 9, production
- Ty Brubaker – contrabass on track 5, 8 and 9, accordion on track 9
- Danielle Norton – trombone on track 7 and 8
- Aaron Sholes – sample on track 4, hand-made grim cymbal bell used on track 2, art direction, pre-production
- Neta Smolack – sample on track 4
References
- ↑ York, William. "The Mantle review". Allmusic. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
- ↑ McKay, Aaron. "CoC: The Mantle review". Chronicles of Chaos. September 1, 2002. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
- ↑ SowingSeason. "The Mantle review". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
- 1 2 3 Dick, Chris (November 2012). "Hall of Fame: Northwest Passage - The Making of Agalloch's The Mantle". Decibel Magazine (97): 58–66.
- ↑ M, Steve. "Agalloch - The Mantle (staff review) | Sputnikmusic". Sputnikmusic. December 30, 2010. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
- ↑ The Mantle (booklet). Agalloch. The End Records. 2002. p. 11.
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- Shane Breyer
- Chris Greene
| | | Studio albums | |
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| | EPs | |
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| | Singles |
- "Alpha Serpentis (Unukalhai)"
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| | Compilation albums | |
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| | Demos |
- From Which of This Oak
- Promo 1998
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| | DVDs | |
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