Rating: NNNN
In 2012, Panopticon, aka Austin Lunn, released Kentucky – a bluegrassy take on the European blackened folk metal tradition. Lunn’s fifth full-length continues in this vein, weaving flutes, mandolins and more banjos (the opening third of the sonic triptych The Long Road is straight-up bluegrass) into his noisy tapestries.
Like the milieu’s worthiest artists, Lunn regards black metal as an infinite sandbox – a launchpad for all kinds of thrilling experimentation. The layered instrumentation sees black metal blast beats driving soaring, power metal solos, all egged on by a bunch of instruments you’ve probably never even heard of (like a Dobro-brand resophonic guitar).
If anything sags, it’s the theme. Records like Kentucky and Social Disservices were grounded in a felt political fury. Here, in the continued experimentation with folk traditions and songs about marching northward (Where Mountains Pierce The Sky, Norwegian Nights), Lunn is slouching toward the voguish nature-worshipping “Cascadian black metal” of groups like Wolves in the Throne Room, Agalloch and Ash Borer. Still – cool banjos.
Top track: Chase The Grain
