It’s been said here before, but Panopticon are one of the most important acts in the current black metal scene. Kentucky native Austin Lunn’s one-man project has become a critical sensation for making artistic advances in the genre by spinning black metal’s long-standing affair with pagan folk music on its head and utilizing bluegrass and Americana. 2012’s Kentucky in particular was a highly regarded breakout record that has since attained its status as a classic and a masterpiece.
The sonic palette of Panopticon has only broadened since then — it’s not unusual for Lunn to dive into post-rock instrumental passages, crust punk rhythms, and melodic death metal riffing — but the spark that makes Panopticon such a unique voice in metal has remained, and appears to remain so for the act’s newly announced sixth full-length Autumn Eternal.
A whopping 13-minute teaser for the album featuring various musical passages has been unveiled and showcases the majesty of Autumn Eternal. There’s no time wasted in creating and fulfilling the hype thanks to the teaser immediately providing a glimpse at some atmospheric bluegrass instrumentals. Stream the teaser below.
The Colin Marston (Gorguts, Krallice) produced follow-up to 2014’s Roads to the North is due to arrive October 16th through Bindrune Recordings. It’s going to be a long wait, as according to Lunn, “only 3 folks who have been sent the album for review,” and that there would be “no PR campaign or any of that this time around.” Unfortunately, we were not on that shortlist, so we’re right there with you in that long wait for what will surely be one of this year’s greatest records.
Keep up with Panopticon on Facebook for more info as it comes in.
- JR