Review by Mandeep Arora on December 27, 2025.

Exactly as my review title says, if snowy landscapes had a soundtrack, it'd quite be this album: bleak, atmospheric, magnificent... I am at this moment looking out at a dreary, wet, and cold rainy day in sunless India, not the ideal backdrop perhaps, for it has to be snowy, but it still feels deeply comforting to listen to this album on a day such as this; just myself, the music, and the thundering, incessant rain...

Personally, I've long held this stance of not having a definitive favourite album or band or anything in general for that matter, be it movies or television series or sportspeople et al. A generalised list of favourites with no particular order or rankings? Oh, sure, yes, but the idea of a "Top 5" or "Top 10" list with dedicated rankings, while intelligible to me, seems too limiting an approach. It often, if not always, leads to squabbles online because someone's favourite album was not mentioned, or, for obvious reasons, a certain obscure band only fifty-five people know of was not talked about in a certain list. We can go on and on. I've long withdrawn myself from all this dilly-dallying and refrain from forming any such lists where I decidedly declare something as my absolute and only favourite. But I'll be honest with you: if you were to ask me about my favourite album right here, right now, chances are 'The Mantle' will spring to mind, instantaneously and without a second thought, thus completely debunking the long-winded reasoning I just gave and validating the world of contradictions we live in. However, on the surface, I'll still pretend to play it hip and not give a definitive answer, hoping to look ice-cool while doing so. But you know now, dear reader, that things aren't quite what they seem...

So yes, 'The Mantle' is a very special album indeed. A voyage - bleak and lamenting but equally uplifting and joyous. It's like a snowy forest with flurries of snowflakes falling around you, and as is usual with Agalloch, it melds multiple genre styles together. In so many ways, it is the gateway album to get into the Agalloch or even post-metal lore, for there hasn't been an album of this style more renowned than this one. It expands on the post-metal soundscapes with long, brooding sections and also intense, nimble, and diversified numbers. It may be heavy on beautifully sweeping melodies and acoustic interludes, but there's a strong tinge of blackness too, courtesy mostly of John Haughm's vocals and the majorly nihilistic lyrical themes.

The opening instrumental track, one of many, sets the tone and proclaims a richer, denser production than its forebear 'Pale Folklore'. After what is a repeated string of notes for two minutes straight, it plays the pièce de résistance, 'In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion'. Ideally, you can get your entire bona fide Agalloch experience from this song itself, for it perfectly embodies everything that the band's all about. But make no mistake, the rest of the album does not for one bit play second fiddle to this sweeping and expansive composition. At close to fifteen minutes of length, it's like a microcosm of life itself, with the sprawling majesty of its sonic wavelength echoing the vast world we live in, along with many trance-like moments reflecting the slow passage of time, the themes of introspection and search for meaning, and the protagonist's eventual acceptance of his trivial existence, all coming together to create what is, in my opinion, one of the greatest pieces of music ever written. It's remarkably deep, and while the composition isn't exactly treacherous, it's by no means conventional either; it reveals everything in such a way that the listening experience is purely sublime.

I remember very vividly how half a decade ago I found myself in one of the remotest and farthest places of my country, where only a handful of human beings could be seen for miles, nestled amidst overcast and vast open skies, impossibly jagged and barren mountain peaks, enchanting and cavernous ravines, and pristine yet wildly raging rivers. A truly breathtaking scenery. As I rode across this landscape, I played 'In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion' through my then-not-very-high-end earphones. The experience I had in that moment is something I'll never forget. As the song continued playing and my eyes peered unwaveringly into the grand panorama, everything suddenly seemed eerily silent despite the music blasting through my ears, my heartbeat feeling like distant thunder; call it a spiritual or a transcendental experience or whatever you may, but I felt absolutely one with my surroundings there, with nature itself. The jagged rocks and the pristine water, I could feel something alive and distinct in them, as if they were breathing and had heartbeats of their own. Never have I been so overwhelmed that I cried generously and felt so insignificant in the presence of the imposing yet gorgeous topography and the soulfully seductive music. I'd never felt anything like that before, and chances are, I never will again. But in that one instance, I was transported to an inexplicable dimension which I still struggle to find fitting words for. I was there, and yet not there...

There's a suppler flow to the album and the songs, while longer, are better arranged. It all feels like one cohesive unit where everything has been amped up a notch, for example, the drums - while basic and adequate on 'Pale Folklore', Haughm does a splendid job here of using them as a notable indication of tempo changes or the gathering momentum of particular sections. His drum fills are minimal, clean, and precise and quite entertaining when they pick up the pace, vaguely resembling the beat of a trooped march. They feel like a significant part of the sound this time, with subtle moments of ardour observed on 'The Hawthorne Passage'. Likewise for the folk-tinged elements - while definitely perceptible on 'Pale Folklore', they were scattered far and few between, at times even shrouded by the presiding melodies. But you hear them in abundance this time, in the form of acoustic bridges, breakdowns, and even some underlying melodies. Furthermore, Haughm's vocals are even raspier and striking than before, while his cleans are more resounding and eloquent. I'd made an old acquaintance of mine, a pop music fan, listen to 'In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion' once, my gaze continually fixed on reading her countenance as she found herself listening to this music for the first time. She seemed to be doing alright throughout the long intro, even nodding for a bit and tapping her slender fingers on the keyboard, but the moment the vocals kicked in, she quickly terminated the session and exclaimed she was staggered and a bit creeped out because it felt as if "someone was crawling on her back." A bit dramatic on her part, perhaps, but the more I think about it, the more I realise it may actually be a fitting description of the vocals. Sorry John.

The production is simply fantastic and apparently finds the nicest balance on any Agalloch record, more fervent and expressive than 'Pale Folklore' and just a tad bit less polished than 'Ashes Against the Grain', deploying stereo surround sound to striking effect. A good example is distilling the clean and harsh vocals that play at the same time in two separate ears, or two distinct sound effects playing simultaneously for a sonorous effect. You'll also appreciate the continuous presence of subtle but obvious bass, which, while not a flashy element like others, is there to add good heft to the compositions. Speaking of these compositions, these expansive soundscapes, these behemoth songs, they don't move around too much but rather play and experiment with the same ideas and expand on them for as much as possible. Which also means long, drawn-out sections of repeated notes and chord progressions. There's never a hurry to rush onto the next section, and that makes the long buildups worth all the wait - the sudden yet flush and beautiful guitar solo on 'In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion' is a brilliant example of that, and the building crescendo on 'Odal's' outro another. The final leitmotif on 'And the Great Cold Death of the Earth', a recall of the album’s intro, is another nifty touch that's worth mentioning; this album is full of gratifying and emotionally uplifting moments like these.

When I was first getting into metal, Agalloch was kind of a big influence, and they made me realise how diverse and soulful the genre could be, which is why I always get excited when I see someone listen to them for the first time. Even if it's not what they're into, they generally leave with a good impression. The way they mix all these folk and black metal elements with progressive and post-metal tendencies is very seamless and not as successfully replicated by any other band playing this style of cold, atmospheric music. Sure, it takes some time to get lost in the atmosphere they create, but the best way to experience it is to listen to their albums in full rather than cranking individual songs. That is when you get the full-blown Agalloch experience. I saw a review somewhere on the internet where it stated, mockingly of course, that the album's sound is essentially glorified elevator music. I couldn't help but chuckle at that description, because I found it apt and fitting for someone who's not used to this kind of sound. But to us, the minority, we won't have it any other way. 'The Mantle' is a lightning in a bottle album for both metal music and Agalloch's career; it wholly and effortlessly transcends the mere boundaries and intentions of its creators and achieves something of the highest possible order. Not many will ever know about it or get to experience it, but that's fine; to those of us who know, it's a defining moment in the history of all music, a masterfully crafted album.

And to the stinging question about my favourite album, I'm not going to give you an answer, but I think you already know...

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Adam M on December 14, 2025.

This is a great album that has the right atmosphere to capture your attention. It is really subtle in nature and has a great folk-like feeling to it. There are many moments of beauty and rapture to be found and this is perhaps the calmest of the entries in the band’s catalogue. Those looking for a subtle type of metal release will be pleasantly surprised by what is to be found here.

The musicianship on the album is quite stellar with a punchy production job that makes the sorrowful songs come to life. There is a real connection made with the listener. The music has a calm aspect that is wonderful to behold and one of a kind. The guitars resonate with emotional poignancy and the vocals are beautiful and appropriate for the music at hand.

The problem with the album lies in its quiet nature. Albums by bands like Primordial are more powerful and resonate more strongly with the listener. There is a feeling that the outfit is not quite producing powerful enough music and lapses into a bit of an overly relaxed feeling that brings them down a shade.

Overall, this album was stellar and a very nice gentle release that makes for great relaxing music. There is very little to dislike and it is one of the more powerful emotional metal releases to be found. Fans of bands like Alcest will find a lot to like here and dwell in the sorrowful atmosphere created.

Rating: 7.9 out of 10

Review by Jack on August 14, 2002.

This is a pretty solid record; there is no doubt about it. Agalloch are very accomplished musicians, who have some pretty fine ideas for songs and melodies. “The Mantle” is their latest effort and comes riding along and ultimately having to live up to the high quality ‘The End Records’ name that bands like Winds, Arcturus and Virgin Black have recently pushed into the metal stratosphere. Normally speaking, if you like one of The End Records’ bands, it is probably a safe bet you could really get into other The End Records bands and have some real fun in record stores piling up CD after CD. Agalloch, however may be an outfit who just slightly dampen the high standard of The End Records with “The Mantle”. It is not a meager album though, Agalloch this time around just lack a little spark and a little fire that could ignite them and turn “The Mantle” into a great record.

Thus to my problem with “The Mantle”. Creativity. Agalloch have a good formula going for the tracks on “The Mantle”, and I truly am a believer of the acoustic guitars to bring melody to songs and create a bit of diversity, but not to the extent that Agalloch bring on “The Mantle”. The winding acoustic passages on tracks such as ‘The Hawthorne Passage’ and ‘The Lodge’, for example could perhaps use a little bit of spice to up the tempo from pedestrian and subsequently make for a more interesting listen. Agalloch seem content to ponder and soak up their musical deluge of acoustics without really challenging themselves to bring out more thought and clarity to create something with a bit more substance.

That being said there are some great moments on “The Mantle”, the non instrumental tracks are really a shining feature of the album (funny that, eh? Usually a weak instrumental track makes no difference to an album, but in Agalloch’s case there are 4 instrumentals, which may be construed as half a good album). The vocals give Agalloch another dimension and through the clean and harsh vocals of Haughm they are able to create some inspired and ‘interesting’ songs. Pity this is not a consistent effort.

Some folks may say I am being harsh on Agalloch, but I say I hate to see talented wasted, which Agalloch have in abundance. “The Mantle” is recommended for any fan of Agalloch’s past work or fans of folk/rock.

Bottom Line: “The Mantle” seems to be only half full of dynamic songwriting and half full of monotone instrumental acoustic pieces. This could spell doom for less accomplished artists, but Agalloch is far from that category and succeed with “The Mantle” to an extent.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 6
Production: 8
Originality: 7
Overall: 7

Rating: 7.2 out of 10