Agalloch

This third full-length from dark ambient quartet Agalloch embarks on a meandering journey layered with crystalline guitars, rolling crescendos, serene and entrancing melodies, raspy black metal vocals and understated, clean singing. More focused on electric instruments than previous acoustic-based recordings, Ashes Against the Grain is in no way lacking atmospherics, as tracks like "Falling Snow" and "Fire Above, Ice Below" feature moody, neo-folk doom alongside majestic imagery. It's a mix only a post-metal coven at one with nature could achieve.