One of the more interesting things about Agalloch's music is it's considered Black/Doom Metal by today's standards but there's so much more to behold musically. Meaning, while there are gut-wrenching screams and typical growls, the music and song arrangements are so far progressed it's hard for the normal music fan to wrap their head around the smallest composition. Essentially, it's like walking into a room where Frank Zappa, Steve Vai, Sting, Neil Peart, David Gilmour and Satyr are cutting a record. That's a tall drink of water to swallow. However, Agalloch bucks the system by twisting and mangling any and every chord and scale imaginable to make the music seem catchy if it's nothing but a simple melody that builds momentum the entire length of the song and ends suddenly.

I can't say Agalloch has made a record in Ashes Against The Grain that I'll listen to every day, but it's certainly a record I'll want to go back and visit simply for the miraculous musicianship and talent that went into making it. I'm also very fond of the earth textured atmospheres the band conjures up in the eight tracks featured on this album. The tunes that deserve the highest of praises are "Fire Above, Ice Below", "Limbs" and "Our Fortess Is Burning: Parts I, II and III". Any fan of Doom/Black Metal will flock to the sincere wickedness that dwells within this disc.