...we recorded the song "Of Stone, Wind and Pillor" as a three piece and that was supposed to be a 7 inch. That song really is the first full band recording of the group. I'd say at that moment Agalloch became a band.
Of Stone, Wind and Pillor - AGALLOCH's first EP - was released on this day in 2001 through The End Records. The first three songs were originally recorded in 1997 and 1998 and intended for a 7" on Tomas Nyqvist's Iron Fist Productions. The 2001 End Records CD added two additional songs: a cover of Kneel to the Cross (SOL INVICTUS) and "A Poem by Yeats".
I met John in late 1996 and we were both beginning separate projects - for me this was Sculptured and for him this was Agalloch. We shared a mutual love of European underground death/black metal and bonded over many of those bands. When he heard me playing lead guitar he asked me to basically "guest" on the demo From Which of This Oak. At the time I was completely focused on Sculptured so I didn't see it as anything more than supplying some guitar solos. Once Jason moved in with me to join Sculptured it only seemed natural for him to also work with John as they had been very old friends already (both having been from Montana). Then we recorded the song "Of Stone, Wind and Pillor" as a three piece and that was supposed to be a 7 inch. That song really is the first full band recording of the group. I'd say at that moment Agalloch became a band. So, early on, Sculptured and Agalloch was almost the same band. And when my old drummer for Sculptured left, I asked John to help me out on the second Sculptured album. We basically saw ourselves as close friends with similar musical interests and goals. So, we didn't feel like we had to search for anyone else to work with musically. We ended up basically doing the first Agalloch and the second Sculptured back to back as the exact same band. Not many people know this; but the same line-up that did Pale Folklore, also did Apollo Ends. But, Agalloch grew in popularity more quickly and eventually became more of a full-time band than Sculptured. Once we began playing live I put Sculptured on the back burner and focused only on Agalloch.