Album: Where Distant Spirits Remain
Release: 2011
Genre: Folk Metal/ Post-Black Metal
Rating: 100%. Close your eyes, drift away.
Formed in 2010 following the dissolution of Askival, and promptly picked up by Candlelight Records (a label who has brought to the table countless noteworthy works by such artists as Opeth, Anaal Nathrakh, Altar of Plagues, Blut aus Nord, Winterfylleth, Emperor, Wodensthrone, and so the list goes), Falloch's debut release is a shining example of just how quickly an album can soar above the overcrowded valleys of mediocrity, up into the cerulean paragon.
Rising from the ashes of Askival and fettering themselves to a label well known for its black metal proficiency, one might have expected a furthering of these musical ideals. This couldn't be further from the truth. Shedding the hardened carapace and aligning their music to the likes of Solefald, Sólstafir and Alcest, Andy Marshall and company have settled comfortably into the ever-expanding realm of post-black metal.
Named for Scotland's striking Falls of Falloch, every second of "Where Distant Spirits Remain" exudes each drop of water that fell in its inspiration. Never losing its energy, the album explores vast regions of sound and influence. Each song elegantly weaving instruments into a vibrant tapestry. From the interlaced acoustic guitars and swelling drums of "We are Gathering Dust", to the emotion-laden tremolo/tin whistle union of "Beyond Embers and The Earth". The third track, "Horizons", fades into a stunning pan-flute and bodhrán soundscape, before rupturing again into the elegant, driving rhythm's of "Where We Believe". Few musical stones are left unturned here, with shades of Agalloch, Alcest, Primordial and Logh flowing seamlessly around one another.
With but two short months left on the docket, "Where Distant Spirits Remain" will more than likely close out 2011 as album of the year. Close your eyes, drift away... silently.
