While the bands populating Southern Lord’s mercurial roster continue to veer between ferocious and tepid, the label’s most endearing habit in recent memory has been their firm support for a bunch of grimy Swedes who otherwise mightn’t have gotten that first shot or second wind. Martyrdöd, Wolfbrigade, and Agrimonia have all received a boost from their new American pals, with the latter perhaps reaping the most benefits due to their previous relative obscurity. In certain circles, Agrimonia’s resume is positively star-studded, boasting members of Skitsystem, Martyrdöd, Miasmal, and At the Gates (which may explain the profound melodic death metal influence that creeps in), but they’ve never received as much attention as one would expect. Luckily, the winds have changed, and this eight-year-old project is getting its due.
Rites of Separation is the band’s first LP since 2010’s Host of the Winged and third overall release. As good as its predecessors were, this latest album (and their debut for Southern Lord) shows a marked improvement and more evolved songwriting techniques. They’ve learned how to play to their strengths and trim some fat, which is crucial when you ping-pong between as many genres and styles as they’re wont to do. Agrimonia come from a punk and hardcore background, but are perfectly comfortable shaking off the crust and incorporating metallic influences. The thick, groovy Carcass riff buried halfway through “Hunted” is proof enough of their healthy appreciation for the left-hand path, and that’s just the second track.
Rites of Separation opens with a clarion call that heralds the entrance of a crunchy main riff, tugged down into a descending melody and punctuated by vocalist Christina’s rabid growls. By crafting the song in a way that spans almost 11 minutes and features several distinct movements, Agrimonia know they’ve got time to let intensity ebb and flow, and stuff in a few solos for good measure. The prodigious length of the album’s five tracks is no accident. There’s an obvious post-rock/post-metal reference to be made, as these Swedes have certainly learned a thing of two about atmosphere and carefully weighted dynamics from Neurosis and their ilk, but ultimately, there’s more of an epic, dark crust hardcore vibe. Think Morne, Fall of Efrafa, Downfall of Gaia, or even Tragedy, who all embrace the same original crust punk foundations, but have been willing to branch out in search of more.
Agrimonia do this so well, it’s almost unfair. “While Life Lies” is a muted, somber affair, starting slow and quiet before picking up the pace from a shuddering sludgy crawl into a spate of sharply melodic death metal and bleak hardcore. Once more, Christina’s forceful, throat-scraping growls and admonitions are a massive help, used sparsely but wisely. Her approach is fairly one-dimensional, but allows her to fade comfortably into the shadows to function as an instrument rather than a focal point. Music like this needs space, and time, and Agrimonia know how to use both. “The Battle Fought” rushes out of the gate with a driving beat and a flurry of distorted riffs and doesn’t let up for a moment; even the peppy rock’n’roll part swinging on the tail end keeps its grip tight. Its smart, midtempo pace is typical of the songs on this album, but feels like a gallop compared to the more staid instrumental and atmospheric passages. There is an emotional element to the songs, of course, but the primary focus is on the music itself; indecipherable lyrics and cryptic song titles take a back seat to the wondrous scope of sonic expression that’s happening around them. Show, don’t tell.
Agrimonia take the “epic” tag seriously, it seems; this is one hell of a long album, especially for a punk/hardcore band, but each note and chord feels absolutely necessary. The final and most ambitious track, “Awaiting”, starts off with a woozy, industrialized drone (courtesy of Miasmal/Martyrdöd guitarist Pontus’ ominous keyboard work) and dares the listener to navigate its treacherous terrain, wandering through fiery hardcore and icy black metal while accompanied by heavy nods towards pure metallic crust and circling a gloomy, doomy central passage. The song fades out on another strong, complex melody and ends with a few airy moments of piano and acoustic guitar. It’s a lot to take in, but well worth the effort. Rites of Separation is a truly marvelous work of art, and will hopefully receive the recognition it deserves as one of 2013’s great triumphs.
