After releasing their amazing self-titled debut, Panopticon got signed to Pagan Flames Productions and released Collapse in 2009. This was the start in a long line of concept albums. The self-titled debut was a grab bag of assorted subjects that pertained to anarchism. Collapse, on the other hand, deals with the destruction of the current order and how mankind will build from the ashes of the old a civilization that has no gods and no masters.
The start of the first song sets the mood by playing sound clips from numerous news reports of a dire and chilling nature. They speak of something called “The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America” which, thankfully, was canceled in 2009. Then again, this won't stop those vile worms from trying to passing something else that will destroy our liberties. Google “TPP”.
After a few minutes of these news reports accompanied by mournful clean guitars, the black metal comes crashing in, and it's just as awesome as it was on the last album. Lundr is still a master of the drum kit, letting loose a flurry of violent blast beats and wild fills. The guitars still conjure forth an overwhelming atmosphere with its soaring high-pitched notes. Lundr's croaks and rasps are still as powerful and vitriolic as ever, as he declares, “they dine in celebration, raising their glasses to the coming war.”
At the halfway point, he growls, “Who will muster the strength to rise? Who will muster the strength to rise? Arise!” Then the music really gets violent. The tremolo riffs cut at the skin like bayonet blades. The blast beats hit with the force of artillery blasts. The music reaches the climax as the guitars fly high above the rest of the music with its high-pitched tremolo riffs, and Lundr proclaims, “Victory may only exist in our minds and in nature's oaken pantheon / when the lights finally go out, the songs of our revolution will play on!” Suddenly, silence.
I then pay witness to one of the most shocking moments in black metal: they start playing banjos. When I first heard this, I thought to myself, “What the fuck? What are banjos doing on a black metal album?” As I listened to this album more and more, it started to make more sense. The society we live in now has been destroyed. All the oppressors of old have been annihilated. The banjos represent mankind's attempt at clearing away the debris and building a new, more prosperous society that has no government and no corporations. As the banjos play on, they become more joyous, reflecting man's optimism for this new anarchist society.
After this, the album becomes an entirely different beast. Oh, there's still black metal scattered throughout, and it's still as amazing and atmospheric as I said earlier, but they have to share room with the bluegrass elements. This represents the struggles man has to go through as he tries to get used to a world that has no rulers. It's all crafted and arranged with a great deal of thought and care, the black metal co-exists perfectly with the bluegrass, and this all shows that sometimes, music tells a better story than any movie or novel ever could.
I didn't really like this album at first, but it eventually grew on me. It's so violent and yet so beautiful. It's so strange yet it makes perfect sense.
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