PANOPTICON - Laurentian Blue, Gatefold CD

With Laurentian Blue, PANOPTICON ventures beyond the boundaries of metal to explore an entirely different emotional terrain. Though not the band’s first foray into acoustic territory – The Scars of Man on the Once Nameless Wilderness, Part 2 (2018) charted similar ground – this album deepens the journey. Described by Austin Lunn as ‘Northwoods Americana’ or ‘outdoor country’, it offers a raw and intimate reflection on loss, change, and the quiet strength of human connection. 

Written alongside ...And Again into the Light (2021), this companion piece trades distortion for acoustic resonance – banjo, mandolin, resonator guitar, and twin violins painting a soundscape steeped in frost, memory, and resilience. While the palette is gentler, the themes remain no less weighty: the burden of regret, the passage of time, and the quiet act of holding on – not for oneself, but for those who remind us of our worth.

Inspired by songwriters like Blaze Foley and Townes Van Zandt, Laurentian Blue is a record of stark beauty and quiet defiance. It stands as a testament to PANOPTICON's ever-evolving spirit – wherever the sound may go, the heart remains the same.

Tracklist:

1. Liberation Song
2. The Poetry in Roadkill
3. Ever North
4. I Want to Be Alone
5. Flowers in the Ditch
6. An Argument With God
7. Irony and Actuality
8. Down Along the Border
9. This Mortal Coil's Rusted
10. Broken Bars
11. Ely in the Dark