Panopticon has quickly become one of the most intriguing atmospheric black metal acts in the past few years by drawing upon themes of nature, long-winded acoustic arrangements, and folk/Americana influences. Originally a one-man project from Austin Lunn, Panopticon is heavily influenced by his love of the outdoors as well as his anarchist political views. Over the years, he’s honed this brand of atmospheric black metal by blending distorted guitars and blast beats together with banjos, synths, acoustic guitars, and orchestral elements. The result amplifies the thematic elements of nature found throughout his discography and marks changes in sound the same way that a season comes to pass. The cold, doom-inspired riffs that slowly give way to acoustic guitars and banjos feel like stepping out into the sun for the first time as winter ends. This time around though, …And Again Into the Light also acts as a rebirth of sorts with Lunn noting how the album explores atonement for wrongdoings and a promise of growth. Whereas previous albums like Autumn Eternal sound like triumphant affirmations of life, this album channels inner conflict and catharsis simultaneously.
To achieve this thematic contrast, …And Again Into the Light is quite distinct in how it combines the black metal and folk elements together. The album starts off slowly with the title track making use of a phenomenal string section of acoustic guitars, cellos, and fiddles. Drawing upon folk and country influences, Lunn’s subdued vocals are clean yet carry a melancholy weight behind them. Soon afterward, the song “Dead Loons” slowly morphs into massive, pummeling drums that open up waves of harsh growls. Panopticon projects have always excelled at this delicate balance of two contradictory sounds and this album in particular benefits from the moments of serenity hidden behind the dense walls of noise. While it takes a longer time to find its rhythm compared to Lunn’s previous work, …And Again Into the Light also feels more natural with how it conveys its feelings. The eruptive intensities in the harsher sections feel like genuine anguish but the passages of respite are also incredibly cathartic. The wide range of emotions is mesmerizing thanks to Lunn’s improved songwriting over the past few albums and the moments of tranquility are more stunning than ever.
…And Again Into the Light doesn’t sound too different from previous Panopticon albums but nevertheless, Lunn seeks to enrich the formula. The instrumentation is a little more diverse and in particular, the liberal use of violins help shape the different atmospheres found throughout the album. On tracks like “The Embers at Dawn”, the hopeful swells of string arrangements carry emotional weight behind chord progressions that slowly explode into a barrage of devastating noise. It’s in these moments that Panopticon shines brightest and the vibrant instrumentation in each song pulses with life. The album favors sweeping crescendos to maximize the intensity of its impact and the transitions are remarkably more consistent than previous works. These ideas emphasize the elements of regret, survival, and growth found throughout the album and bring something new to the traditional Panopticon sound.
The production fidelity matches the raw, natural energy outputted by Lunn but there are also times when it can become a detriment. The vocals on …And Again Into the Light are completely overshadowed by the powerful drumming and rarely reach out beyond the murky depths. The overall mix of the album helps add to the thematic elements of atonement and regret but at the cost of smothering the emotive vocals. While it’s easy to see the reasoning behind the decision, the claustrophobic mix can feel quite distant and the delicate balance of beauty and pain isn’t as poignant as it could be. Panopticon has always sounded like it favors the black metal side of its identity more than its folk side and the mixing choices seem to reinforce that idea. That said, there are also very few artists who are able to pull off this style of music like Lunn does without sounding forced and the mixing is a natural consequence of the stylistic split. While …And Again Into the Light treads familiar ground for the Panopticon project, the subtle changes and experimentation help progress the sound in interesting ways. Although it doesn’t perfect the groundwork laid out by previous albums, it’s still a solid consolidation of what Pantopicon does best. By the time you hear the birds sing on “Know Hope”, you can feel yourself casting off the wintry darkness to step into a brand new light.
Must Listens: Dead Loons, Rope Burn Exit, The Embers at Dawn
