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gotjuice · 11-21-2009, 07:28 PM

Isis
Panopticon
8.6/10
Post-metal

Isis was formed in 1997. The band went through a few lineup changes and produced two EPs before finally releasing their first LP, Celestial, in 2000. Celestial is a very powerful album, very much a legacy of Isis’s roots in sludge and doom-metal. The album is full of monstrous, sludgy riffs, jagged guitar feedback, Aaron Turner’s coarse growling, and other incomprehensible noise, but under this sonic assault is the foundation for Isis’s future progression. The intentional shift in dynamics, the crescendos, the thematic concepts continued throughout the album, laid the groundwork for Isis’s future as an avant-garde, post-metal band.

These post-metal seeds came to fruition in Isis’s second and generally most-revered album, Oceanic, the album considered by both fans and the band members themselves to be Isis’s turning point. The band kept the trademark growls and riffs from Celestial, but used periods of ambiance to help accentuate the changing dynamics. This ambiance came in the form of clean guitar, clean vocals from Turner, and even female vocals by Maria Christopher. The end result was an album that solidified the post-metal genre, and gave inspiration to a wave of bands that would follow in its footsteps (Pelican, Cult of Luna, Russian Circles). Oceanic was also a concept album, with a loose storyline about a man who falls in love but then later commits suicide (by drowning) after finding out his lover was involved in an incestuous relationship with her brother. The album was incredibly well-received, and was and still is considered a landmark album in the post-metal genre. Pitchfork’s usual over-the-top review described Oceanic as “caterwauls offset by meditation,” and Allmusic describes it as “a masterfully complex symphony of majestic noise and melody, an all-consuming trip into the earth and mind that defies genre and, often, description -- simply put, a triumph.”

However, Isis, in my estimation at least, did not reach their apex until two years after Oceanic, when they released their magnum opus and third LP, Panopticon. As with their previous two full-lengths, Panopticon has a running theme. The term “panopticon” references a prison design popularized in the eighteenth century, where a central viewing area enables guards to view prisoner movement without the prisoners knowing if they’re currently being watched. The album’s cover art, a satellite photo, illustrates a modern application.

Sonically, Panopticon takes its predecessor Oceanic, trims the fat off, and tightens up the rest to create a jaw-droppingly good record. Even though both albums are about the same length, Oceanic to me still slightly overstays its welcome, whereas Panopticon never once feels like it drags on. The entire album has an ever darker feel than Oceanic, with the cleaner, ambient sections being very brooding and gloomy, and the crescendos bitter and bleak. There is also continuity: whereas Oceanic had the two-minute untitled interlude, Panopticon flows together without interruption. In my mind this is a good thing, because for most atmospheric music such as post-rock/post-metal, the best albums are the ones that are able to cohesively combine tracks so that there is minimal interruption for the listener.

I’ve always envisioned Isis’s music like tectonic plates, slowly and methodically moving toward each other until they collide (and mess up the state of California). On their previous albums, these collisions were raw and discordant, which I believe was their aim. However, the high points on their previous albums could often distract from the softer, more ambient moments. On Panopticon, however, the climaxes fit right together with the soft moments, working in perfect harmony, highlighting each other while still allowing the listener to appreciate both. Truly, this album is a perfect example of a band perfecting their sound, honing it down to laser-like precision. And what a treat it is to be able to hear.

I’m going to avoid a track-by-track review because I really believe this album needs to be heard (like most post-rock/metal) in its entirety to be truly appreciated. However, I have linked some Youtube vids to give an idea for those who may have never heard this band or this album before. I highly, highly recommend this album, it’s one that I keep coming back to over and over and over again because it literally never becomes stale, and I always find something new I can appreciate with every listen.

11-21-2009, 07:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
gotjuice Rose City til I die! Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 366	Isis Panopticon 8.6/10 Post-metal Isis was formed in 1997. The band went through a few lineup changes and produced two EPs before finally releasing their first LP, Celestial, in 2000. Celestial is a very powerful album, very much a legacy of Isis’s roots in sludge and doom-metal. The album is full of monstrous, sludgy riffs, jagged guitar feedback, Aaron Turner’s coarse growling, and other incomprehensible noise, but under this sonic assault is the foundation for Isis’s future progression. The intentional shift in dynamics, the crescendos, the thematic concepts continued throughout the album, laid the groundwork for Isis’s future as an avant-garde, post-metal band. These post-metal seeds came to fruition in Isis’s second and generally most-revered album, Oceanic, the album considered by both fans and the band members themselves to be Isis’s turning point. The band kept the trademark growls and riffs from Celestial, but used periods of ambiance to help accentuate the changing dynamics. This ambiance came in the form of clean guitar, clean vocals from Turner, and even female vocals by Maria Christopher. The end result was an album that solidified the post-metal genre, and gave inspiration to a wave of bands that would follow in its footsteps (Pelican, Cult of Luna, Russian Circles). Oceanic was also a concept album, with a loose storyline about a man who falls in love but then later commits suicide (by drowning) after finding out his lover was involved in an incestuous relationship with her brother. The album was incredibly well-received, and was and still is considered a landmark album in the post-metal genre. Pitchfork’s usual over-the-top review described Oceanic as “caterwauls offset by meditation,” and Allmusic describes it as “a masterfully complex symphony of majestic noise and melody, an all-consuming trip into the earth and mind that defies genre and, often, description -- simply put, a triumph.” However, Isis, in my estimation at least, did not reach their apex until two years after Oceanic, when they released their magnum opus and third LP, Panopticon. As with their previous two full-lengths, Panopticon has a running theme. The term “panopticon” references a prison design popularized in the eighteenth century, where a central viewing area enables guards to view prisoner movement without the prisoners knowing if they’re currently being watched. The album’s cover art, a satellite photo, illustrates a modern application. Sonically, Panopticon takes its predecessor Oceanic, trims the fat off, and tightens up the rest to create a jaw-droppingly good record. Even though both albums are about the same length, Oceanic to me still slightly overstays its welcome, whereas Panopticon never once feels like it drags on. The entire album has an ever darker feel than Oceanic, with the cleaner, ambient sections being very brooding and gloomy, and the crescendos bitter and bleak. There is also continuity: whereas Oceanic had the two-minute untitled interlude, Panopticon flows together without interruption. In my mind this is a good thing, because for most atmospheric music such as post-rock/post-metal, the best albums are the ones that are able to cohesively combine tracks so that there is minimal interruption for the listener. I’ve always envisioned Isis’s music like tectonic plates, slowly and methodically moving toward each other until they collide (and mess up the state of California). On their previous albums, these collisions were raw and discordant, which I believe was their aim. However, the high points on their previous albums could often distract from the softer, more ambient moments. On Panopticon, however, the climaxes fit right together with the soft moments, working in perfect harmony, highlighting each other while still allowing the listener to appreciate both. Truly, this album is a perfect example of a band perfecting their sound, honing it down to laser-like precision. And what a treat it is to be able to hear. I’m going to avoid a track-by-track review because I really believe this album needs to be heard (like most post-rock/metal) in its entirety to be truly appreciated. However, I have linked some Youtube vids to give an idea for those who may have never heard this band or this album before. I highly, highly recommend this album, it’s one that I keep coming back to over and over and over again because it literally never becomes stale, and I always find something new I can appreciate with every listen. __________________ I used to be carried in the arms of cheerleaders...