| | Full Review | Ratings (358) |
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| 2.0 poor | SinNanna | March 17th 19 |
Austin Lunn's commercial breakthrough under the Panopticon name sees a significantly more prominent incorporation of the american folk elements that were used more sparingly in the past. Although definitely one of the most ambitious records in its catalogue, I've frankly always found that its execution left a lot to be desired, as often whenever this record takes a detour into its more folky aesthetics it tends to make the music fall pretty flat. Examples of this are the really offputting flutes on the tracks Bodies Under The Falls and Killing Giants As They Sleep or the jarring bluegrass covers of old labor standards on Come All Ye Coleminers and Which Side Are You On?. There's some pretty cool moments on here as well, like the first half of Black Soot And Red Blood which is backed by some beautiful and righteous background vocals, but even that track turns tedious with the overuse of documentary samples that aren't incorporated very creatively and just get drowned out by the black metal instrumentation anyway. I also don't really care too much for the sudden hypermelodic heavy metal style guitar solos that pop up here and there as well, which to me made the music sometimes feel even more awkwardly structured. The title track, which is a melancholic sounding instrumental bluegrass piece, is maybe the only moment on the record where I think this folk influence comes through in a great way, even though by then its way too late and too little. A record I admire and I wish I liked more, but every time I revisit it I am treated with a pretty underwhelming listening experience.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 1.5 very poor | Ayil | August 9th 14 |
This album is some of the worst shit I've heard. While the black metal bits are decent, the Bluegrass crap makes this album painful to listen. I would honestly listen to 'The Unspoken King' over this any day. Bleh.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | FirstStrikeIsDeadly | October 13th 19 |
Great atmosphere and great fusion of styles. Really emotionally involved in presenting its message too. My only thing is the vocals: they're very raw which I appreciate, but I can't really feel the righteous anger as much in the black metal songs if I can't understand what he's saying! And the bluegrass vocals sometimes have this kind of nerdy timbre to them that betrays their gritty working class meaning. Cool album though.
Bump |
| 3.2 good | Erwann S. EMERITUS | May 24th 19 |
It's been a long time, and it's much less challenging than what I remember. The idea is however much better than the execution, and it might be his weakest opus (vs. Social Disservices), but the dude shows us that almost any genre can mix with bm. Plus he's experimenting, so respect bruh.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | TheNemeton91 | April 12th 18 |
Every decade or so, an album will shake up a genre so fundamentally , or so daringly
inject progressive elements that a fanbase is ultimately unwilling to tolerate, or
simply unprepared for. "Kentucky" is most certainly the latter, and made strides towards
achieving the former. If for boldness alone, I doff my cap to Appalachia's son, Austin
Lunn.
Now, I fully concede I am more lenient than most. I don't agree that elements of an
album being too disparate should so deeply shatter the quality of the product. However,
such arguments are not without merit. The production of "Kentucky" practically
highlights just how distinct and stylistically juxtaposing Americana and Black Metal
conventions really are. For my part, when broken down to it's individual components, I
enjoyed the stylings of this record considerably. The campy, rootin' tootin' Bluegrass,
the (punk-in-spirit) socially conscious folk tunes, the humanity of the tasteful voice
samplings, and the ambitiously structured Black Metal tracks. I'll be the first to admit
that tin whistle is irritating, but "Bodies Under The Falls" (particularly past the folk
building mid-section) peaks higher than nearly anything Austin has ever done, and
"Killing The Giants As They Sleep" is a crushing and emotive monster.
Ultimately, "Kentucky" is a bold and unique stylistic synthesis, one that Austin Lunn
would later markedly improve upon, and, for however much it's disparate elements are a
jarring misfire for many, the Wright Brothers didn't learn to fly on their first attempt
either. - 3.9/5
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | lolersaktes | August 3rd 12 |
A unique sounding album, even for a Panopticon release. On its own, the black metal aspect sounds as if it was composed by a veteran of the genre. The drumming is punishing, varied, and filled with interesting nuances. Lunn is also no slouch behind the guitar. The most common technique here is layering a hopeless yet melodic FX-heavy guitar over aggressive BM riffs. Throughout he manages to string in 'shredding' guitar leads and solos, as well as flutes, banjos...basically any instruments you'd expect find in a bluegrass band. Song structuring is rough (and may appear to meander on the first few listens). Despite this drawback, the album remains cohesive and is gratifying to listen to from start to finish. Last thing to note; the melodies found in this album are complex, nuanced, and fresh - unlike anything you've heard in the black metal genre (or elsewhere).
Bump |
| 3.0 good | Sevhead | July 11th 12 |
completely and thoroughly original, absolutely fresh and unique in a genre spilling over with stagnation and copycat sounds. r...but I wouldn't recommend listening to it.
Bump |
| 0.0 | XGX | July 6th 12 |
Panopticon have never been a band that sticked with traditional black metal standards , they look always for something unique , in each sequent release there's a strong experimentation, however, this one takes the cake. Merging black metal and bluegrass, The unique folky elements of Kentucky are punishing the black metal boundaries and giving room to an excellent original record.
Bump |
| 2.8 good | Trey STAFF | May 30th 12 |
The novelty of black&blue (grass) metal is initially pretty cool, but it loses its appeal after a few listens. Still a great album but not as cool as initial listens would have had me believe.
Bump |
| 3.5 great | Sarah | June 21st 25 |
| 4.0 excellent | alamo | June 11th 24 |
| 3.5 great | Bard0 | June 4th 24 |
| 5.0 classic | Blaidd | May 8th 24 |
| 2.5 average | El Olam | December 25th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Sapee | December 23rd 23 |
| 3.0 good | SYL | December 9th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | JoneHK | December 6th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Deebo05 | November 30th 23 |
| 4.5 superb | haley | June 24th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Rick64 | April 17th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | FunJan | March 28th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | mrManxxx | February 17th 23 |
| 3.5 great | arf | April 10th 22 |
| 3.5 great | ftdiwr | October 26th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | Lvxfra | October 23rd 21 |
| 3.5 great | yayafa | March 25th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | SMK | January 22nd 21 |
| 4.5 superb | Zaleb | August 24th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | cb123 | June 16th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Pangea | April 8th 20 |
| 3.0 good | Suyan | February 27th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | Jim1 | January 7th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | jfish226 | November 25th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Elros | September 5th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | gk1979 | August 22nd 19 |
| 5.0 classic | kodama | August 4th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | kleggi | April 9th 19 |
| 3.5 great | shanks | March 30th 19 |
| 3.0 good | blou52 | March 27th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Loveloth | September 23rd 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | Lash | July 17th 18 |
| 2.5 average | Elynna | June 13th 18 |
| 3.5 great | Macck | April 15th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | bSmith | April 12th 18 |
| 3.0 good | Jhator | August 28th 17 |
| 3.5 great | Swarm | April 26th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | jmh886 | June 21st 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | CWBrown | February 19th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | KGB1990 | January 10th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Gbhill | December 16th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | btati | November 12th 15 |
| 4.5 superb | Pho3nix | October 22nd 15 |
| 2.0 poor | trve | October 20th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Essence | October 18th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Skye09 | October 9th 15 |
| 1.5 very poor | yuneek | September 13th 15 |
| 2.0 poor | Jeclub | February 22nd 15 |
| 3.5 great | modulor | December 10th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Guacker | November 2nd 14 |
| 3.5 great | Matski | September 23rd 14 |
| 4.5 superb | joitp | August 24th 14 |
| 3.0 good | Nacen | August 22nd 14 |
| 2.5 average | ThePit | August 14th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Surtur | August 13th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Veldin | August 7th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | pumi | June 7th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | cjacob6 | February 1st 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | unkle | November 6th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Edlund | April 4th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Inveigh | October 10th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Coast | August 27th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | h0az | August 23rd 12 |
| 3.0 good | Bea | July 11th 12 |
| 1.5 very poor | tables | July 9th 12 |
| 3.0 good | ZedO | July 9th 12 |
| 1.5 very poor | Vesper | July 9th 12 |
| 2.5 average | sjw | July 8th 12 |
| 3.5 great | Rail | July 3rd 12 |
| 4.2 excellent | Ryan P STAFF | July 1st 12 |
| 5.0 classic | tomr4 | June 27th 12 |
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