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Agalloch - The Serpent & The Sphere



8 | 699 votes |
Release date: 13 May 2014
Style: Neofolk, Atmospheric black metal

Owners:

507 have it
82 want it


01. Birth And Death Of The Pillars Of Creation
02. (Serpens Caput)
03. The Astral Dialogue
04. Dark Matter Gods
05. Celestial Effigy
06. Cor Serpentis (The Sphere)
07. Vales Beyond Dimension
08. Plateau Of The Ages
09. (Serpens Cauda)
10. Omega Serpentis [Japanese bonus]
11. Sigma Serpentis [Japanese bonus]

The Best Melodic Black Metal Album Of 2014
Featured in "Getting Into: Agalloch"

Line-up
John Haughm - vocals, guitars, percussion, zither
Don Anderson - guitars, mellotron, backing vocals
Aesop Dekker - drums, percussion
Jason William Walton - bass

Additional musicians:
Nathanaël Larochette - acoustic guitars
B. Anderson - piano, throat singing
Veleda Thorsson - electric saw, waterphone
R. Sforcina - synthesizers, oscillation & wires

Additional info
Produced by Billy Anderson and Agalloch.

Recorded at Cloud City and mixed at Everything Hz by Billy Anderson. Guest appearance by guitarist Nathanaël Larochette of Musk Ox, who wrote and provided the album's acoustic interludes.

Staff review by
R'Vannith
Rating:
8.3
Agalloch have never favoured doom as forcefully as they have on The Serpent & The Sphere. So blatantly delivered, it would appear that this new resolve has completely shattered their ability and will to instil the expected level of atmosphere in their fifth full-length effort. But appearances can be deceiving.

Read more ››
published 13.05.2014 | Comments (39)

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Comments page 8 / 8

Comments: 222   Visited by: 1695 users
23.09.2014 - 18:38
Rating: 10
greg_lecter
My favourite from them is undoubtedly "The Mantle", but this comes in second place. Very progressive, beautiful acoustic interludes and Agalloch at its best... Can't wait to hear "Dark Matter Gods" live!
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24.09.2014 - 07:20
Rating: 7
CobiWan1993
Secundum Filium
Listening to this again, it's not quite as good as I thought it was (though it's still a fine work regardless). Not quite album of the year material for me, though it's pretty close and it's still quite well done.
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Ordinary men hate solitude. But the Master makes use of it, embracing his aloneness, realizing he is one with the whole universe (Lao Tzu).
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28.09.2014 - 00:08
Rating: 7
Alex F
Unlike every other Agalloch full length, this one lost it's charm quite quickly. I've listened to it so many times (as I have every other one of their releases), and it doesn't seem nearly as interesting as it did initially. Still a really solid album, but just not as breathtaking as, well, any of their other albums.
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28.09.2014 - 01:59
Rating: 6
mz
Written by Alex F on 28.09.2014 at 00:08

Unlike every other Agalloch full length, this one lost it's charm quite quickly. I've listened to it so many times (as I have every other one of their releases), and it doesn't seem nearly as interesting as it did initially. Still a really solid album, but just not as breathtaking as, well, any of their other albums.

This is exactly what I think, except that the drop of my interest in this has been more extreme and rapid than yours.
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Giving my ears a rest from music.
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08.10.2014 - 21:04
Rating: 7
tea[m]ster
Au Pays Natal
Contributor
This one is a grower. I've listened to it a few times now in the last week and it gets better and better. I don't like the acoustic interludes though
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rekt
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06.11.2014 - 15:33
Rating: 8
Mehdi Taba
Mehdi Taba
Their weakest album but still very good "8.3".
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Stop seeing things and people in a binary way. Everything has its own spectrum and complexity. Be patient and learn about the world.
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07.12.2014 - 17:19
elgin
Account deleted
"The serpent and the sphere" are perfect for me!!10/10!! Agalloch always sound enveloping and organic, pure emotion!!
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05.01.2015 - 13:57
Rating: 7
FYA
Destroyer
Well...it's not so bad at all. That was a pleasure to listen to this album, but I think that they take more ,,doomy" direction. Not sure if it's good or bad, but still - enjoyable album.
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21.08.2017 - 19:30
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Re listened, somehow band tries come back beck in old days, but instrumental songs just let it down, band could and had potential put better album since its last one.
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I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens.

Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"

I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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20.10.2022 - 15:36
Rating: 7
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
It's not exactly their best but a decent send off album for this mighty fine band. It's one of their most epic sounding, with alot of impressive instrumental moments, but there are area's that kinda drag on a wee bit, and I miss some of the old clean vocals on this one.
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06.11.2022 - 17:15
Rating: 9
Nate612
Loved the album but thought there was too much filler for my liking. Instrumental songs just dont fit.
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06.11.2024 - 02:55
Rating: 9
Nate612
I TAKE IT BACK ITS AMAZING
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