SPLICED Magazine Issue 01 Oct/Nov 2013 | Page 33

SPLICED LIFE / BLACKBEARD'S CHEST / A collection of random treasures ISSUE 01 Music / Blackbeard's pick Black Lake Nidstang – Agalloch A dark, subtle selection for Halloween. Black Lake Nidstang by Agalloch, who are easily one of my favourite black metal bands. Agalloch continue to impress and bringing atmosphere and subtlety to a genre not known for such things. Their overriding themes have been and continue to be the horrors of Ecological Terrorism. BLN is no different, expressing the loathing of a polluted lake for its human torturers. The dying humans are in turn anthropomorphically linked to the lake itself. John Haughm has one of the most powerful melodic aggressive, rotten black voices around, which he holds back until the final 4 minutes of an 18 minute track, made all the more powerful by the electro, twinkly, fairytale feedback guitar build up. Prepare for the raw emotion of Haughm letting a growl rip at around 14 minutes 30 seconds. Enjoy … an