Panopticon (band)

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Panopticon
OriginLouisville, Kentucky, U.S.
GenresBlack metal, art metal,[1] folk, Americana
Years active2007–present
MembersAustin Lunn

Panopticon is an American black metal band founded by Austin Lunn in Louisville, Kentucky in 2007.[2] Their most recent album The Rime Of Memory was released on November 29, 2023.[3] The band's music has been described as "wrenching in its intensity but also sweeping and spectacular"[4] and "ideologically open-minded and musically progressive, tackling issues around self-identity, ecology, religion and politics."[5] Lunn's lyrical style has also been noted as "natural, organic, and methodical, masterful in its writing, fiery and alive in its execution."[6]

History[edit]

The project began as a studio-only effort with Lunn writing all the songs and playing all instruments. A self-titled debut album was released in 2008.[5] While Lunn remains the sole songwriter and studio musician, Panopticon has since expanded to include a lineup of musicians for live performances.[7] The project's sound has been characterized as black metal with influences from bluegrass and Appalachian folk,[8] with the addition of Appalachian instruments such as banjo, fiddle, bells, and acoustic guitar.[9] Lunn's lyrics often include references to environmentalist philosophers[10][11] and proponents of political anarchy.[5] He has also tackled precise topics like the foster care system,[12] the subjugation of Native Americans,[13] and blue-collar labor policy.[14]

The 2012 album Kentucky attracted the notice of several music publications,[15][16] and was noted for its unusual inclusion of musical traditions from Lunn's home state.[17] The album also included lyrics based on the issues faced by that state's residents, such as the power of the coal industry.[18] The 2015 album Autumn Eternal included guest appearances by regional folk musicians.[19] That album was also informed by Lunn's interests as an avid outdoorsman and lover of nature,[20] with Pitchfork noting that "one can easily imagine a Henry David Thoreau-like figure retreating to the woods to contemplate personal, spiritual, and environmental concerns."[9] Pitchfork later named Autumn Eternal as one of the best heavy metal albums of 2015.[21]

The band first played live in 2016, with Lunn on guitar and vocals, accompanied by drummer Ray Capizzo, bassist Andy Klokow, and guitarist Jake Quittschreiber.[22][23] The 2018 double album The Scars of Man on the Once Nameless Wilderness received attention for the incorporation of elements from country and folk music, which were integrated with traditional black metal forms.[24][25] The 2021 album ...And Again into the Light was noted for integrating Lunn's many songwriting interests into a cohesive sound, with personal and family-oriented lyrics that are unusual for the black metal genre.[26] Decibel ranked ...And Again into the Light at number five on its list of the "Top 40 Albums of 2021".[27] Rolling Stone named it the tenth best metal album of 2021.[28]

Discography[edit]

Studio albums[edit]

  • Panopticon (2008)
  • Collapse (2009)
  • On the Subject of Mortality (2010)
  • Social Disservices (2011)
  • Kentucky (2012)
  • Roads to the North (2014)
  • Autumn Eternal (2015)
  • The Scars of Man on the Once Nameless Wilderness (2018)
  • ...And Again into the Light (2021)
  • The Rime of Memory (2023)

Live albums[edit]

  • ...Scars II (The Basics) (2019)
  • Live Migration (2020)

EPs[edit]

  • The Crescendo of Dusk (2019)
  • Beast Rider (2020)

Compilations[edit]

  • Revisions of the Past (2016)

Splits[edit]

  • It's Later Than You Think (Wheels Within Wheels, 2009)
  • Lake of Blood/Panopticon (Lake of Blood, 2009)
  • Panopticon/When Bitter Spring Sleeps (When Bitter Spring Sleeps, 2010)
  • Skagos/Panopticon (Skagos, 2010)
  • Wheels Within Wheels/Panopticon II (Wheels Within Wheels, 2011)
  • Vestiges/Panopticon (Vestiges, 2013)
  • Brotherhood (Falls of Rauros, 2014)
  • Panopticon/Waldgeflüster (Waldgeflüster, 2016)
  • Panopticon/Aerial Ruin (Aerial Ruin, 2020)
  • Panopticon/Nechochwen (Nechochwen, 2020)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The Top 10 Arty Metal Bands". LA Weekly. 11 April 2017.
  2. ^ "Exclusive Interview: Austin Lunn of Panopticon". decibelmagazine.com. 3 September 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  3. ^ Breihan, Tom (November 29, 2023). "Stream Panopticon's Vast, Epic New Album The Rime Of Memory". Stereogum. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  4. ^ "We Announce A New Panopticon Album And Premiere Its Closing Track 'Know Hope'". No Clean Singing. 2021-01-19. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  5. ^ a b c Hayes, Craig (2012-07-19). "If It Ain't Got No Blastbeat, It's Not My Revolution: Panopticon, PopMatters". PopMatters. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  6. ^ "Panopticon – Autumn Eternal". Heavy Blog Is Heavy. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  7. ^ "Panopticon to Perform Live at Migration Fest". Metal Injection. 10 February 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  8. ^ "Panopticon – Autumn Eternal – Reviews". Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  9. ^ a b "Panopticon: Autumn Eternal Album Review". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  10. ^ "Shadow of the Horns: Black metal healing through Panopticon's 'The Scars of Man'". Treble. 2018-04-10. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  11. ^ "Panopticon streaming 'The Scars of Man on the Once Nameless Wilderness'". BrooklynVegan. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  12. ^ "Panopticon - Social Disservices User Opinions - sputnikmusic". www.sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  13. ^ "First Listen: Panopticon, 'Roads To The North'". NPR.org. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  14. ^ "Which Side Are You On?: Revisiting Classic Anthems from the Labor Movement". www.vice.com. May 2015. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  15. ^ Kentucky - Panopticon | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2021-11-21
  16. ^ Williams, Rhys (August 13, 2012). "Review: Panopticon - Kentucky". Invisible Oranges. Archived from the original on February 22, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  17. ^ Dick, Jonathan (August 27, 2014). "Interview: Austin Lunn (Panopticon)". Invisible Oranges. Archived from the original on February 7, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  18. ^ "Panopticon's Kentucky combined folk and black metal to take on the coal industry". The A.V. Club. 9 January 2019. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  19. ^ "Exclusive Interview: Austin Lunn of Panopticon". Decibel Magazine. 2015-09-03. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  20. ^ "Natures With No Plagues: Interview:Panopticon". natureswithnoplagues.blogspot.com. 22 December 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  21. ^ "The Best Metal Albums of 2015". Pitchfork. 21 December 2015. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  22. ^ "A Letter of Gratitude From Panopticon (And News A The Next Aalbum And Future Performances)". No Clean Ssinging. 2016-08-23. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  23. ^ "Migration Fest 2016 Highlighted the Best of the Underground and the Ties That Bind Us Together". www.vice.com. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  24. ^ "Panopticon: The Scars of Man on the Once Nameless Wilderness (I and II)". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  25. ^ Rothmund, Andrew (April 10, 2018). "Godless Omniscience: Panopticon's "The Scars of Man on the Once Nameless Wilderness"". Invisible Oranges. Archived from the original on April 12, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  26. ^ "Album Review: Panopticon - ...And Again Into The Light". New Noise Magazine. 2021-07-23. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  27. ^ "Decibel's Top 40 Albums of 2021". Decibel. 2021-11-18. Archived from the original on 2021-11-19. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  28. ^ Epstein, Dan; Grow, Kory; Shteamer, Hank (December 14, 2021). "The 10 Best Metal Albums of 2021". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
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