Panopticon : "Songs of Hiraeth"

Rather than a new album, this is an album of songs that never made it onto albums, so for all practical purposes, this is a new album. It is new to our ears. Austin Lunn, the man behind this project, also released a companion album that was a bluegrass country mix, and I gave it a listen and decided I could just listen to country artists like Sturgill Simpson or Jason Isbell, who are capable of doing that better. The opening track to the metal album I decided to review opens with a different take on atmospheric black metal. When we hear that term, it often means it is going in a post-rock direction or going to be ambient synths setting the stage, but this is neither. It is hazy and electronic at times, one of the more original sounds I have heard from him.

The first three songs all sprawl out to the 10-minute mark. The second song is a more metal attack, with the kind of tremolo-picked guitars you want from black metal, though the drums sit buried by the wall of shimmering guitar and feel more programmed. I like the sonic ideas unfolding on the second song; it sounds like these demos were not given a great deal of post-production love. While this kind of raw treatment might help to create an authentic black metal vibe that works, it could have benn more impressive if these sounds were sharpened to their potential Similar could be said of 'the White Mountain View' it invokes that posr-rock feel I was talking about earlier, before busting into the full bore blast of black metal that is counter balance by sung vocals istting in the background. 

"Haunted America 2' does pretty well at finding its groove in the flurry of the blitzed attack. He continues to prove him self effective amid the blur of the storm that "the End is Drawing Near" brings. The production is even more reverb-heavy and haze-ridden for 'A Letter'. There are worthwhile melodic explorations in this, but the mix is so rough that they are not fully realized. The vocals try to cut through and are sometimes shouted through. The last song is another opaque one, thanks to the production. An Autumn For Crippled Children used to have similar challenges with production that sometimes added charm; this is taking the punch out of it. I will give this one an 8, and the reasons seem pretty clear. Though if you want atmospheric black metal that deviates from the normal expectatons of the term this is worth your time. 

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Panopticon : "Autumn Eternal"

This one man black metal band's new album opens with an acoustic Appalachian piece before the metal swells up in the form of "Into the North Woods" which is not color by numbers black metal, really thoughtful drumming moves the song in a way that blast beats couldn't showing showing what black metal can be if you are brave and talented enough to step away from conventions. Sure you might argue this is closer of the more post- rock influenced brand that bands like Deafheaven made popular and you would not be wrong but it works here.Its crazy to think Lunn is up in Kentucky doing this. He does bring in a violinist, cellist and Finntroll vocalist  to help out in a few places. The more conventional blast beats to come in the title track. Lunn's vocals have improved he goes into a lower gurgle on a few spots. The title track doesn't blow me away like the first metal on here does, but it's still better than most of the black metal that has come out this year. The bass work compliments the drums well on the break down section, giving the build up the added intensity as intended.

On "Oaks Ablaze" the drums are an even more impressive pummeling machine. The galloping groove doesn't find its hooves until a minute in. The vocals give weight to my theory that often harsh vocals in metal serve as s layer of white noise to give the music just a human touch. Midway into the song it breaks down into the somewhat folk metal cliche of the sound of crunching leaves being walked on. The drums begin a tribal around around this before it builds back up.The sound effects continue on with " Sleep to the Sound of the Waves Crashing" it opens as a blast fest, which for what  we know Lunn is capable of would be a cop out if it ended there. Three minutes in it begins to grow more melodic. If you read my review here on a regular basis you might notice I am always scrutinizing bands for melody and dynamic. I know this is a vulgar habit of mine, but since we are talking about music those to things are essential and what seperates it from being noise. The song goes into a Philip Glass like classical section that has a mourning quality to it. The song blasts back with a rapid fire yet melodic section.

The sweeping Deafheaven like feel returns to " Pale Ghosts". In fact the blast beats only further lean the sound into that direction. It is not the albums most original moment by any stretch of the imagination. I am surprised more of the Appalachian sounds haven't re surfaced. One of the album's longest songs is the slower but more driving "A Superior Lament" . The guitar work manages to keep up with the drumming and the vocals drop into the lower growl to create an overall more unique sound than the previous song mustered. The guitar harmonies are almost Iron Maiden like. Lunn is becoming more of a drummer than a guitar player , but the guitar parts aren't shabby. Its just clear where the albums strengths lie.

The album closes with " Wind's Farewell" which gets its start as more of a post-rock thing. The guitar tone on this one is great backing off from the standard metal crunch. Four minutes in the blast beats return but in a very organic manner. I typically don't like instrumentals , but the guitar here really sings to make up for it. This is one of Lunn's better offerings he keeps getting better. If you are a fan round it up a point from the 8.5 I think this album is worth.

Panopticon : Roads to the North

Pushing past what you thought blackened folk metal was a step further than Ifing recently did. The first song opens with a brutal blend that is thrashed against the rocks. This is the 5th full length Austin Lunn has released and it's also the most baffling that it is the work of one man rather than a band. Sure with the technology to overdub infinitely is not inconceivable, yet impressive none the less. More impressive when you take into consideration all the varied instruments played on the more organic passages.

When Lunn is indulging in metal it blends Thrashy black metal with post- rock and  a few almost hardcore break downs . At 12 minutes"Where the Mountains Pierce the Sky" holds plenty of room to explore, yet the song never wanders to far from it's original intention. With a song of this magnitude it requires a few listens. I have been sitting on this album for some time digesting it in rather piece meal portions.

The "Long Road" is split into three songs. The first of these is rambling bluegrass, sure it descended from the Appalachians but it's bluegrass just like the kind Jerry Garcia used to play, so put that in your bong and smoke it.The second song is sweeping metal. Not really super blasty all the way through instead kicking the blast beats beats in for quick spastic accents. He lets it breathe with the more post rock interludes. The third seeps out of the post-rock element Lunn established in the previous song, so these are more connected than the first song was to the second.This one is more shoegazey and dream like, very much like somewhere Alcest or Deafheaven would considering how it builds into a more black metal section.It rallies into a pretty powerful chug. The vocals lower into more of an effects coated death metal roar.

The ballad "Norwegian Nights" is well executed and sung rather well in a passionately hushed Baritone almost like Brand New. It is not something that I would feel the need to listen to on a regular basis, but it was pulled off  to the degree Lunn wanted, so it succeeds on that level.The pummeling black metal of "In Silence" speeds by in a snarling blur.It smooths out into Moonsorrow like a epic soaring. Clean vocals around faintly layered around the rasp and slowly move to the forefront. The song slows almost back into the post-rock thing , but much more of a say Agalloch pace, then blasts back off.

The album closes with "Chase the Grain"Epic metal cruncher set against an orchestral synth backdrop. The guitars carry the melody like progressive death metal as the vocals rant and roar further back in the mix. Midway through the symphonic elements become even more heavy handed like something Dimmu Borgir might do. The song builds into a very At The Gates like section. Pretty engaging listen I'll give it a 9.5, as a song like the ballad I probably won't be listening to much, nor the first song in the Long Road trilogy, but the album nails it pretty hard when it's on and is an outstanding piece of work.

7.5