The 10 Best Metal Albums Of 2014
8. Agalloch – The Serpent And The Sphere
On The Serpent And The Sphere, tranquil ambience and mystical malice are the order of the day and Agalloch have excelled themselves once again.
Black Metal is too crude a term for these enigmatic Americans. Tackling a sound that has traditionally found its spiritual home in Europe, the Neo-folk, Black Metal sounds found on The Serpent And The Sphere are equal to the likes of Primordial and Borknager but with their own unique identity.
The vocals are as icy cold as any typical Black Metal delivery but the lyrics are anything but rudimentary. Weaving tales of otherworldly encounters amidst ever-evolving landscapes, Agalloch’s superior use of atmospherics envelope the listener in a shroud of archaic wonder.
Like a nightmarish lullaby that ebbs and flows on its path to oblivion, The Serpent And The Sphere is another milestone in Agalloch’s career; an album that should be deliciously savoured and feasted upon for weeks on end.
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