Black Metal has a strange characteristic, diversity. For a genre so dark, aggressive and rebellious, it is quite amazing how varied its sound is and how many other styles have been successfully fused with it. Maybe the musical boundaries it pushed were big ones. Either way it is often i am listening to a new Black Metal record and hearing something new and interesting. This record is a great example.
Panopticon brings some unique diversity to the "folk" element which is no stranger to Black Metal, however here the folk isn't viking or Norwegian as we have often heard it, Panopticon is from a mining town in Kentucky and brings the sounds and instruments of their culture into the extremes in perfect harmony. The opening of the 3 part epic "The Long Road" an instrumental folk piece, brings you into the heart of a mining town, only for the drums to tear into a blistering blast beat in part 2... and it works!
This record not only fuses the folk element into Panopticons sound but each of the songs bring riffing styles and techniques from all across the metal spectrum. The opening track brings riffage reminiscent of the Metalcore / Deathcore era from a few years back and there are moments of Melodic Death Metal throughout. This record displays fantastic musicianship and has me seeking out further material to enjoy. A recommendation to any Black Metal fan who likes the less traditional sounds it can bring.
Favorite Tracks: The Long Road, The Echoes Of A Disharmonic Evensong
Rating: 7/10