As if 2016 wasn’t enough of a dumpster fire, among all the artist losses, Agalloch also broke up. The atmospheric black metal band had staked their own claim in post-metal, veering toward folk-metal at times, but last May, it was announced that singer/guitarist John Haughm and the rest of the band two of which had been in the band since nearly the beginning, were parting ways. If there was any silver lining to the announcement, it was that the remainder of the band, as well as Haughm, would potentially have new projects. While the other three members have formed their own project, Khorada, with Giant Squid’s Aaron Gregory, Haughm has also resurfaced with a new band, Pillorian, who released a new song, “A Stygian Pyre,” today via Stereogum.
Aside from Haughm, Pillorian features Stephen Parker of Maestus and Trever Matthews of Uada. On first listen, this is a lot more black metal than anything Agalloch would have done. It doesn’t immediately stand out as much as Agalloch did, perhaps because they had their own sound that, while rooted in black metal, was more spacious then the straight-ahead sound of “A Stygian Pyre.” That’s not to say it’s bad, and the more we hear it, the more we’re liking it, but it’s a little more generic than Agalloch was. The song will be available as a 7″ single with a B-side exclusive on 2/10, and can be pre-ordered on Dammerung Arts here and Eisenwald in Europe. You’ll be able to pick up Pillorian’s debut full-length, Obsidian Arc,, on March 10th on Eisenwald.
