Each of us has a band that everyone else seems to like, yet we never got into for one reason or another. It’s always a more popular band even if the act is still undoubtedly underground, and for me the band I never could get into was Agalloch. Never really had a reason why just couldn’t get into them. Upon discovering that most of the ex-Agalloch members had come together to create Khôrada, I was intrigued. Not even a day after the release of their debut, I have a feeling this record will appear on many favorites list come the end of the year.

I always remember Agalloch being referred to as the kings of atmospheric doom metal that apparently always took the style to new heights while always managing to improve upon the own sound in the process. All I had for prior knowledge going into “Salt” was that it consisted mostly of ex-Agalloch members, that’s it. I had hoped they would try to deviate a little bit in terms of style simply for the sake of creative freedom, and everything about “Salt” shows us a progression in flavor, style, quality, and an entirely new palette that is far from what I was expecting from this band. Just looking at the cover art can tell you a lot about “Salt” in its entirety as Khôrada constantly impresses at every single turn from atmospheric pieces that know just where to hit to crushing slabs of sludge that know no bounds when it comes to bringing new excellence to the world of sludge itself. Riffs galore, impeccable musicianship, and irresistible vocals adorn “Salt” in its entirety show the incredible level of grandeur and undeniable understanding of awesome music that these musicians have been honing for decades now, and it’s at an all-time high with these seven tracks. There are always records that come out that can be described as a rollercoaster, but it’s not often enough that the rollercoaster in question is incredibly satisfying from back to front while continuously topping itself which each new twist and turn it throws at the listeners. “Salt” is easily a pinnacle of such and Khôrada couldn’t have done it better for a debut album.

Khôrada was a new name to me not even a month ago, and I’m already ready to be listening to this band for years now. “Salt” is an absolute journey that’s a true treat to eat up time and again, and I can only see Khôrada improving themselves in the future. This is a name to know, and “Salt” is an album that demands to be heard as it is easily one of the more interesting albums of its kind to come our way this year.

LISTEN to “Salt” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Khôrada on Facebook here.