Agalloch
 

I've heard some good things about them and am thinking about checking them out. Opinions on the band? Best album(s) to start out with?

My favourite is easily Ashes Against The Grain but most people tend to recommend The Mantle.

Really nice atmospheric black metal, the kind of music that makes me wonder why people bother with Opeth.

Ashes Against The Grain is my favorite as well. Excellent band.

Used to be really into them and I still think they're good. I always liked that Ashes Against the Grain one.

And yeah, they are shit tons better than Opeth but a few words for ya... MAUDLIN OF THE WELL.

Yeah, Maudlin.

I always mention them as the ultimate soft/heavy dynamic metal band. Even though their music goes in more deeper than THAT.

For one thing, with Opeth and Agalloch I always feel like the riffs and parts are all just copy and paste with no particular attention to flow. But maudlin of the well's structures always feel so natural.