Khorada
Photographer: Cody Keto

Introducing: Khorada (ex-Agalloch, Giant Squid)

Photographer: Cody Keto
Photographer: Cody Keto

Don Anderson, Jason Walton and Aesop Dekker, each former members of black metal wunderkinds Agalloch announced the formation of Khôrada alongside Aaron Gregory, former guitarist and vocalist of San Francisco’s Giant Squid. The announcement follows the sudden dissolution of Agalloch earlier this year. Giant Squid went on hiatus in 2015 following the release of their stellar parting album Minoans.

Read more detail from this post via the Khôrada Facebook.

I can’t say I didn’t see this coming. Giant Squid and Agalloch toured together prior to this, and Anderson showed us a photo of the Agalloch crew with Gregory while chatting at Migration Fest.

I’m trilled at the idea of Khôrada. Agalloch were an important band to me, and Giant Squid sound like nothing else. But I don’t expect this project to sound like Agalloch, and neither should anyone else. Anderson’s pre-Agalloch band, Sculptured, dabbled in more progressive sounds than Agalloch did, as did Dekker while in Ludicra, and Giant Squid were more of an avant-garde hard rock band than a metal group anyway. Most importantly, Gregory has a very distinct voice that sounds nothing like a traditional black metal singer.

If you haven’t checked out Giant Squid yet, now’s a good time. Minoans was excellent, and so was The Ichthyologist. But for a timely introduction, try this: a multi-cam live video of Giant Squid’s final performance. And while you’re at it, read Don Anderson’s op-ed from earlier this week on his love of Ramones. It’s a gem.

We expect music from Khôrada in 2017.