The essence of Agalloch’s music is a combination of cold, dark sorrow and natural aesthetic beauty. The foundation of the band began in late 1995 when a doom/death project called Aeolachrymae was reduced to a pile of ash. From those ashes, three bands were born- Susurrus Inanis, Nothing and Agalloch. The primary goal in the beginning was to create majestic and epic dark metal. This vision was shared by the two main creators; J. Haughm and S. Breyer. In early 1996, a few songs slowly started to take form and in the summer, a 2nd guitarist, L. Anderson was found. Later in the autumn, the debut demo "From Which Of This Oak" was recorded and shortly after it's release, a permanent bassist - J. William W. Joined the effort. In early 1998 Agalloch recorded a new promo tape for labels only. The uniqueness of that promo earned the band a deal with The End Records and in January of 1999 they entered the studio to record their debut album.
The album, entitled "Pale Folklore", was released in June of 1999 and received much acclaim for it’s grim concepts and folkloric aesthetics. Throughout 2000, the band kept a very low profile until finally emerging again with the release of a limited MCD entitled "Of Stone, Wind and Pillor" in mid 2001. This is a collection of unreleased material from 1998 – 2001 and includes a cover of Sol Invictus’ "Kneel to The Cross". This cover also appears on Cynfierdd's "Sol Lucet Omnibus", a 2CD tribute to Sol Invictus.
From late 2001 - early 2002, the band recorded their second album. Entitled "The Mantle", the album is a 70 minute epic which brings to life a darker, more bleak view of the world through more transcendental, existential, and nihilistic motifs. "The Mantle" is an expression of longing, decay, and the desperation of hope.
Agalloch hails from Portland, Oregon - in the heart of the Pacific Northwest.
