Panopticon (album)
Encyclopedia
Panopticon is the third full-length album by Los Angeles, California
based post-metal
band Isis
, released by Ipecac Recordings
in 2004. The album's title is derived from philosopher Jeremy Bentham's
panopticon
prison ideal and philosopher/historian Michel Foucault's
later allegorical appropriation of the concept
. The liner notes
also include quotes from technology writer Howard Rheingold
and futurist Alex Steffen
; as a concept album
, Panopticons focus is on the proliferation of surveillance technologies throughout modern society and the government's role in that spread.
Critical response to Panopticon was generally very warm; as it followed 2002's critically acclaimed Oceanic
, many reviewers were quick to hold the two in comparison. The consensus was that Panopticon represented a progression, of sorts. The album's sound continued Isis' departure from the strictures of sludge
and metal – which had been the hallmarks of their earlier material – and continued along the trajectory of post-metal, achieved by heightened use of melody and clean vocals.
, “we started working on ideas for songs and sounds as individuals, in pairs or as a whole group until we were able to shape the ideas into songs that we were all happy with and could stand behind”. Whilst some tracks originated from "little jams" the band would do at sound check, the majority of the album was created in time dedicated to writing new material. Gallagher adds that “[m]usically speaking, Panopticon came out a couple of ideas that had been kicking around in our heads for some time, but the bulk of it was composed after we decided that it was time to do a new record. The writing process consisted mostly of an individual starting the core of an idea for a song at home then either pairing off with someone else or bringing it to everyone where it was worked on and refined until everyone was satisfied”. According to Jeff Caxide
, this process was significantly different from that of previous Isis albums, as “everyone wrote a lot on this record. There is not one song that could be credited to one person”.
According to Turner, the album's inception and sound were organic, rather than engineered: “[w]e were interested in exploring ambient spaces a lot more—and these things tend to dictate a longer structure. It wasn't a conscious decision on our part; I guess it's just the nature of the style we write in.”
After having worked with members of 27
as guest musicians on previous full-length Oceanic, for Panopticon Isis turned to Justin Chancellor
, bassist of tour-mates Tool
. According to Turner, “he was one of the first names on the list. He's in a band that we all mutually respect and we felt like he was a person that understood what we were doing and could maintain a focus on what we were trying to attain. But he also has some interesting facets of his own musical personality that we thought would blend well with our style.” Wavering Radiant
, Isis' 2009 final album, features Adam Jones
, also of Tool, as a guest musician.
Recording took place at Paramount Studios, Los Angeles, California
, from June to July 2004, with the album being produced by long-time collaborator Matt Bayles
. The album was recorded onto analogue tape initially; after returning to the studio post-release in order to retrieve the master reels, half of them were discovered to be missing, presumed stolen. The album saw release in CD format on October 19, 2004, by Ipecac Recordings
, whilst vinyl release was handled by Robotic Empire
in the United States and Trust No One in Europe. The Japanese edition was handled by Daymare Recordings, who released a special edition with an enhanced video and digipak
packaging. It entered the US Billboard
Independent Albums
chart on November 6 at number 47 and remained there for a week; this represented Isis' first chart exposure in any capacity.
In support of the album's release, Isis toured extensively. Their world tour took in a long stretch in the United States, dates in Australia, a spate in Japan with Converge
and Mastodon
and a further lengthy spell in Europe. Besides the heavy touring regimen, they also performed at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art
to support an exhibition of 50's and 60's minimalist art.
A music video
– Isis' first – was released for the track "In Fiction", directed by Josh Graham and shot during late 2004; the track was not, however, released as a single. The video deals heavily with the album's overarching theme of surveillance, as a young female protagonist flees five faceless observers and the ubiquity of video surveillance. At the close of the video, she transforms into a black miasma, which expands as tendrils grow from the fug. Its feel is described by Lee Wang of PopMatters
as utilising a narrative mode similar to the cult 1962 French science fiction movie, La jetée
; he also brings attention to the video's blue-and-black palatte, much as is used on the album artwork, "simulating" black-and-white. This similarity was proved intentional, as guitarist Michael Gallagher
attested to it being an intentional allusion. Two tracks from Panopticon – "Grinning Mouths" and "In Fiction" – were featured in the 2007 Flemish film Ex Drummer
.
: a form of prison envisioned by utilitarian Jeremy Bentham
in 1785; a central observation tower surrounded by windowless cells. Bentham's intention was that the prisoners be placated through the fear of constant surveillance, which he described as “a new mode of obtaining power of mind over mind, in a quantity hitherto without example.” While the design did not come to fruition during Bentham's time, it has been seen as an important development. For instance, the design was invoked by Michel Foucault
(in Discipline and Punish
) as metaphor for modern "disciplinary" societies and its pervasive inclination to observe and normalise. Foucault proposes that not only prisons but all hierarchical structures like the army, the school, the hospital and the factory have evolved through history to resemble Bentham's Panopticon. More recently, it has been used to describe the Internet
. The liner notes also quote technology writer Howard Rheingold
and futurist Alex Steffen
, speaking of their concern with the proliferation of surveillance throughout modern society and how that constitutes a "panopticon society".
Both Foucault and Bentham are quoted in the liner notes, and Turner is forthcoming about their influence; both as political commentary and polemic material.
Although reviewers have read political intonations into the album's ostensible themes, deeming it “unashamedly prog in its ambition and dimensions”, Turner is reluctant to admit to such an agenda. "I'd hesitate to call the record 'political' because Isis has never taken a public political stand on anything. At the same time, it's intended to draw a parallel between the system that Bentham created and what's going on in the world right now". Likewise, he notes that the album is “absolutely not about a political agenda. I always try to write about stuff that is specific to my life during the time I write an album. And I try to find things that I'm emotionally and intellectually attached to. We've never been a political band. But right now politics are such a great importance. You can travel everywhere and you simply cannot ignore them. And so this is one of the main things that have been occupying my mind during the creation of this record. So beyond these things just being interesting themselves they have a lot of relevance to what's going on in the world right now [...] I think these things are relevant to everybody's lives and specifically to me and this band and what we experienced through living in this country over the last couple of years. And also I think my lyrics are so abstract and fragmented sometimes that I feel like those things are a better representation of what I'm writing about than printed lyrics might be.” Despite his denial that Panopticon is politically motivated, Turner does refer to the then-incumbent George W. Bush administration's tenure as a source of inspiration; about how Bentham's essay bore relevance to “hit home in terms of how [it] is treating its own citizens outside and within the country.”
Beyond the macroscopic, Turner has admitted that this album is more personal than previous releases. “[T]his record is a lot more organic [than Oceanic] to me. It indeed is a lot more focused in a way that it is a lot more coherent than Oceanic was. I do feel that it has a wider emotional feel because it is a lot more personal stuff of myself behind it in the content. I don't really know how this comes across in the music. There is a lot more things in it that I was dealing with while writing the record and since, let's say Celestial for instance. It's hard to say actually.”
Allmusic's Wade Kergan felt the album artwork, an almost isometric
aerial photograph of South San Francisco
and San Bruno, California
, “fits perfectly with the epic music on the disc itself”, while Pitchfork Media
's Brandon Stosuy characterized it as “satellite spy” photography. Turner noted that the connection between the artwork and the theme was “certainly intentional”, further stating that he “wanted it to be something that was subtle, but not obvious straight away.”
and as cosmically expansive as Neurosis
, yet closer to the intensity of hardcore than either of them”, while an Uncut
review stated that Panopticon operates at “the rarely-explored mid-point between My Bloody Valentine and Slayer
”. Furthermore, its sound was compared to that of High on Fire
, Tool
, A Perfect Circle
, Mogwai
, Sigur Ros
, Pink Floyd
, The Cure
, Godspeed You! Black Emperor
and Ride
by various reviewers.
Many reviewers compared the album with Isis' seminal previous record, Oceanic, often noting a 'progression'. Turner himself stated: “I do agree that it is a natural progression from Oceanic. It absolutely is an evolution and a step forward.” Sonically, compared with Oceanic, “the drums and vocals are submerged, the riffs intricately monolithic” and there is an increased prominence lent to electronics and synths; this led to it being characterised as “a little more polished”.
As with all Isis releases, the lyrics are almost indecipherable; something of which Turner is conscious, as well as its implications. “Even if you are a native speaker it is sometimes impossible to figure the lyrics out properly. I'm conflicted about that from time to time. But than I always think that I'm giving enough with the text that's included, the artwork and the imagery that gives people some clue to get into it. But leaves it open ended in a certain degree about the intention behind it. [...] While making an album it also is music first for us and lyrics second.” Piero Scaruffi
noted that Turner's vocals were “much more prominent”, which he deemed a “drawback”. Writing for Decibel, Andrew Bonazelli noted that although only 30 percent of the lyrics were understandable, they were “extremely thoughtful”.
Many critics tied the album's conceptual roots with its sound; Piero Scaruffi felt it “achieved a kind of supernatural tension”, and it was described as “[evoking] a sense of creeping voyeurism”. Some noted, though, that this notion is ‘subverted’ by the album's sound. As Mike Diver of Drowned in Sound
explains in a glowing review, “['Panopticon' is] a misleading title; nothing terrifying emerges from the multiple layers of sound. Indeed, as far as Isis records go, this is positively joyous”. Similarly, its feel, likened to contemporaries Pelican
's 2005 record The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw
, is described by Andrew Bonazelli as ‘triumphant’.
, it does not “reach the heights or descend to the depths of Oceanic, but it's an amazing journey to a place unlike any other.” A Tiny Mix Tapes
review agreed, stating that Panopticon “doesn't outshine Oceanic”. Detailing this further, a Punknews reviewer noted: “the only flaw that I found in this otherwise exemplary recording was the less engrossing overall structure of the record; while Oceanic was [...] novel like in its structure with each chapter forming an overall arc, Panopticon is more like a series of short stories – disconnected, perhaps – but clearly penned by the same hand.” Others disagreed; Pitchfork
's Brandon Stosuy held it to be a “stronger record” than Oceanic. Isis' next album, 2006's In the Absence of Truth
, was met rather less fondly by both critics and the band themselves.
Reviewers agreed that “those with long attention spans will find [the album] utterly rewarding”; as a Punknews review expounds, “this record demands a great deal from the listener – attention and patience, certainly – those who give it a chance will find a band that is truly special, and manages to consistently exceed expectations.” Similarly focusing on the length of the tracks, Brandon Stosuy of Pitchfork Media
branded the record “stellar classical music”. This contributed to “the record [being] imparted with a completely new melodic sense [making the album] their most friendly and accessible work to date”.
Nick Green highlighted "Wills Dissolve" as a standout track, whilst Drowned in Sound
's Mike Diver selected "Backlit" and "Altered Course" as “two of the most emotionally engaging rock songs of a decade, or more”. Chamy deemed "Altered Course" “a masterfully constructed glacial flow, with Aaron Harris
' heavy drumming keeping the mast pointed through the crushing turbulence”. Opener "So Did We" was deemed, throughout the entire Isis back catalog
, “second only in visceral satisfaction to Celestial's] 'Celestial (The Tower)'”. Dissecting that track further, the Punknews review found that “[t]he structure of repeating themes with an underlying 'storyline' is more like the classical Aristotelean narrative than a song; with no conventional verses, choruses or anything else familiar to be found.”
Mike Diver of Drowned in Sound
was unequivocal in his assessment, stating: “[t]hat this is the metal record of the year is indisputable”. Decibel went on to rank Panopticon as the 33rd-best album of the decade.
Other personnel
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
based post-metal
Post-metal
Post-metal is a music genre, a mixture between the genres of post-rock and heavy metal.Hydra Head Records owner and Isis frontman Aaron Turner originally termed the genre "thinking man's metal", demonstrating that his band was trying to move away from common metal conventions...
band Isis
Isis (band)
Isis was a Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band, founded in Boston, Massachusetts, with a career spanning from 1997 to 2010...
, released by Ipecac Recordings
Ipecac Recordings
Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman (ex-label manager of Alternative Tentacles,...
in 2004. The album's title is derived from philosopher Jeremy Bentham's
Jeremy Bentham
Jeremy Bentham was an English jurist, philosopher, and legal and social reformer. He became a leading theorist in Anglo-American philosophy of law, and a political radical whose ideas influenced the development of welfarism...
panopticon
Panopticon
The Panopticon is a type of building designed by English philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham in the late eighteenth century. The concept of the design is to allow an observer to observe all inmates of an institution without them being able to tell whether or not they are being watched...
prison ideal and philosopher/historian Michel Foucault's
Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault , born Paul-Michel Foucault , was a French philosopher, social theorist and historian of ideas...
later allegorical appropriation of the concept
Discipline and Punish
Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison is a book by philosopher Michel Foucault. Originally published in 1975 in France under the title Surveiller et punir: Naissance de la Prison, it was translated into English in 1977. It is an interrogation of the social and theoretical mechanisms behind...
. The liner notes
Liner notes
Liner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...
also include quotes from technology writer Howard Rheingold
Howard Rheingold
-See also:* Collective intelligence* Information society* The WELL* Virtual community-External links:***** at TED conference** a 48MB Quicktime movie, hosted by the Internet Archive...
and futurist Alex Steffen
Alex Steffen
Alex Steffen is an American writer, editor, public speaker and futurist most noted for his bright green ideas.Steffen co-founded and ran the online magazine Worldchanging from its start in 2003 until its closure in 2010...
; as a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, Panopticons focus is on the proliferation of surveillance technologies throughout modern society and the government's role in that spread.
Critical response to Panopticon was generally very warm; as it followed 2002's critically acclaimed Oceanic
Oceanic (Isis album)
Oceanic is the second full-length album by American post-metal band Isis, released on September 16, 2002 by Ipecac Recordings.On July 23, 2006, Isis performed Oceanic in its entirety at KOKO, Camden Town, London as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties curated Don't Look Back series. This performance...
, many reviewers were quick to hold the two in comparison. The consensus was that Panopticon represented a progression, of sorts. The album's sound continued Isis' departure from the strictures of sludge
Sludge metal
Sludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting...
and metal – which had been the hallmarks of their earlier material – and continued along the trajectory of post-metal, achieved by heightened use of melody and clean vocals.
Writing, recording and release
Writing for the record began in September 2003, soon after Isis had relocated from Boston to Los Angeles. According to guitarist Mike GallagherMichael Gallagher (Isis guitarist)
Michael Gallagher is an American guitarist, best known for his work with post-metal band Isis. He joined them in 1999 for their debut LP Celestial, having previously been a member of Cast Iron Hike...
, “we started working on ideas for songs and sounds as individuals, in pairs or as a whole group until we were able to shape the ideas into songs that we were all happy with and could stand behind”. Whilst some tracks originated from "little jams" the band would do at sound check, the majority of the album was created in time dedicated to writing new material. Gallagher adds that “[m]usically speaking, Panopticon came out a couple of ideas that had been kicking around in our heads for some time, but the bulk of it was composed after we decided that it was time to do a new record. The writing process consisted mostly of an individual starting the core of an idea for a song at home then either pairing off with someone else or bringing it to everyone where it was worked on and refined until everyone was satisfied”. According to Jeff Caxide
Jeff Caxide
Jeff Caxide is an American bassist, best known for his time with post-metal band Isis, of which he was a founding member and present until its dissolution in 2010. He was also a founding member of Red Sparowes, but left after the release of their first full-length. He also contributed to...
, this process was significantly different from that of previous Isis albums, as “everyone wrote a lot on this record. There is not one song that could be credited to one person”.
According to Turner, the album's inception and sound were organic, rather than engineered: “[w]e were interested in exploring ambient spaces a lot more—and these things tend to dictate a longer structure. It wasn't a conscious decision on our part; I guess it's just the nature of the style we write in.”
After having worked with members of 27
27 (band)
27 is an American rock band from Cambridge, Massachusetts. 27 was formed by Maria Christopher, formerly of Dirt Merchants, and Ayal Naor in 1997. 27 is commonly categorized as a rock or indie rock band, but the genres lo-fi and emo have occasionally been used to describe them.27 has toured...
as guest musicians on previous full-length Oceanic, for Panopticon Isis turned to Justin Chancellor
Justin Chancellor
Justin Gunnar Walter Chancellor is an English musician formerly in the band Peach but best known as the bass player for Grammy Award-winning rock band Tool. Chancellor is of Norwegian and English descent...
, bassist of tour-mates Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
. According to Turner, “he was one of the first names on the list. He's in a band that we all mutually respect and we felt like he was a person that understood what we were doing and could maintain a focus on what we were trying to attain. But he also has some interesting facets of his own musical personality that we thought would blend well with our style.” Wavering Radiant
Wavering Radiant
Wavering Radiant is the fifth and final full-length album by American post-metal group Isis, released by Ipecac Recordings in 2009 and produced by Joe Barresi. It stands as Isis' last full-length album, as the band split just over a year after its release...
, Isis' 2009 final album, features Adam Jones
Adam Jones (musician)
Adam Thomas Jones is a three time Grammy Award-winning Welsh-American musician and visual artist, best known for his position as the guitarist for Grammy-Award winning band Tool. Jones has been rated the 75th Greatest Guitarist of all time by the Rolling Stone and placed 9th in Guitar World's Top...
, also of Tool, as a guest musician.
Recording took place at Paramount Studios, Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, from June to July 2004, with the album being produced by long-time collaborator Matt Bayles
Matt Bayles
-Information:Bayles is known for his work with bands such as Isis, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Botch, Mastodon, The Fall of Troy, Minus The Bear, Burnt by the Sun and Norma Jean....
. The album was recorded onto analogue tape initially; after returning to the studio post-release in order to retrieve the master reels, half of them were discovered to be missing, presumed stolen. The album saw release in CD format on October 19, 2004, by Ipecac Recordings
Ipecac Recordings
Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman (ex-label manager of Alternative Tentacles,...
, whilst vinyl release was handled by Robotic Empire
Robotic Empire
Robotic Empire is an American record label based out of Richmond, Virginia. They specialize in hardcore punk, metalcore, and alternative rock. Some of the most popular bands signed to the label over the years have been pg.99, City of Caterpillar, Crowpath, The Red Chord, Circle Takes the Square,...
in the United States and Trust No One in Europe. The Japanese edition was handled by Daymare Recordings, who released a special edition with an enhanced video and digipak
Digipak
Digipak is a patented style of CD, DVD or BD packaging, and is a registered trademark of AGI World Ltd., an Atlas Holdings company.-Features:...
packaging. It entered the US Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Independent Albums
Independent Albums
The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels...
chart on November 6 at number 47 and remained there for a week; this represented Isis' first chart exposure in any capacity.
In support of the album's release, Isis toured extensively. Their world tour took in a long stretch in the United States, dates in Australia, a spate in Japan with Converge
Converge (band)
Converge is an American band from Salem, Massachusetts. Playing a blend of hardcore punk and metal since 1990, Converge has helped to define many of the elements of the metalcore genre.-Description:...
and Mastodon
Mastodon (band)
Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1999. The band is composed of bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor...
and a further lengthy spell in Europe. Besides the heavy touring regimen, they also performed at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art
Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles is a contemporary art museum with three locations in greater Los Angeles, California. The main branch is located on Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, near Walt Disney Concert Hall...
to support an exhibition of 50's and 60's minimalist art.
A music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
– Isis' first – was released for the track "In Fiction", directed by Josh Graham and shot during late 2004; the track was not, however, released as a single. The video deals heavily with the album's overarching theme of surveillance, as a young female protagonist flees five faceless observers and the ubiquity of video surveillance. At the close of the video, she transforms into a black miasma, which expands as tendrils grow from the fug. Its feel is described by Lee Wang of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
as utilising a narrative mode similar to the cult 1962 French science fiction movie, La jetée
La Jetée
La jetée is a 1962 French science fiction film by Chris Marker. It is also known in English as The Jetty or The Pier. Constructed almost entirely from still photos, it tells the story of a post-nuclear war experiment in time travel. The film runs for 28 minutes and is in black and white...
; he also brings attention to the video's blue-and-black palatte, much as is used on the album artwork, "simulating" black-and-white. This similarity was proved intentional, as guitarist Michael Gallagher
Michael Gallagher (Isis guitarist)
Michael Gallagher is an American guitarist, best known for his work with post-metal band Isis. He joined them in 1999 for their debut LP Celestial, having previously been a member of Cast Iron Hike...
attested to it being an intentional allusion. Two tracks from Panopticon – "Grinning Mouths" and "In Fiction" – were featured in the 2007 Flemish film Ex Drummer
Ex Drummer
Ex Drummer is a 2007 Flemish film directed by Koen Mortier. It is based on the book by Herman Brusselmans of the same name.- Plot :In Ostend three handicapped musicians are looking for a drummer for their band, consisting entirely of disabled people. They want to perform only one time at a music...
.
Theme
The album's central concept is that of its namesake, the panopticonPanopticon
The Panopticon is a type of building designed by English philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham in the late eighteenth century. The concept of the design is to allow an observer to observe all inmates of an institution without them being able to tell whether or not they are being watched...
: a form of prison envisioned by utilitarian Jeremy Bentham
Jeremy Bentham
Jeremy Bentham was an English jurist, philosopher, and legal and social reformer. He became a leading theorist in Anglo-American philosophy of law, and a political radical whose ideas influenced the development of welfarism...
in 1785; a central observation tower surrounded by windowless cells. Bentham's intention was that the prisoners be placated through the fear of constant surveillance, which he described as “a new mode of obtaining power of mind over mind, in a quantity hitherto without example.” While the design did not come to fruition during Bentham's time, it has been seen as an important development. For instance, the design was invoked by Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault , born Paul-Michel Foucault , was a French philosopher, social theorist and historian of ideas...
(in Discipline and Punish
Discipline and Punish
Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison is a book by philosopher Michel Foucault. Originally published in 1975 in France under the title Surveiller et punir: Naissance de la Prison, it was translated into English in 1977. It is an interrogation of the social and theoretical mechanisms behind...
) as metaphor for modern "disciplinary" societies and its pervasive inclination to observe and normalise. Foucault proposes that not only prisons but all hierarchical structures like the army, the school, the hospital and the factory have evolved through history to resemble Bentham's Panopticon. More recently, it has been used to describe the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. The liner notes also quote technology writer Howard Rheingold
Howard Rheingold
-See also:* Collective intelligence* Information society* The WELL* Virtual community-External links:***** at TED conference** a 48MB Quicktime movie, hosted by the Internet Archive...
and futurist Alex Steffen
Alex Steffen
Alex Steffen is an American writer, editor, public speaker and futurist most noted for his bright green ideas.Steffen co-founded and ran the online magazine Worldchanging from its start in 2003 until its closure in 2010...
, speaking of their concern with the proliferation of surveillance throughout modern society and how that constitutes a "panopticon society".
Both Foucault and Bentham are quoted in the liner notes, and Turner is forthcoming about their influence; both as political commentary and polemic material.
Although reviewers have read political intonations into the album's ostensible themes, deeming it “unashamedly prog in its ambition and dimensions”, Turner is reluctant to admit to such an agenda. "I'd hesitate to call the record 'political' because Isis has never taken a public political stand on anything. At the same time, it's intended to draw a parallel between the system that Bentham created and what's going on in the world right now". Likewise, he notes that the album is “absolutely not about a political agenda. I always try to write about stuff that is specific to my life during the time I write an album. And I try to find things that I'm emotionally and intellectually attached to. We've never been a political band. But right now politics are such a great importance. You can travel everywhere and you simply cannot ignore them. And so this is one of the main things that have been occupying my mind during the creation of this record. So beyond these things just being interesting themselves they have a lot of relevance to what's going on in the world right now [...] I think these things are relevant to everybody's lives and specifically to me and this band and what we experienced through living in this country over the last couple of years. And also I think my lyrics are so abstract and fragmented sometimes that I feel like those things are a better representation of what I'm writing about than printed lyrics might be.” Despite his denial that Panopticon is politically motivated, Turner does refer to the then-incumbent George W. Bush administration's tenure as a source of inspiration; about how Bentham's essay bore relevance to “hit home in terms of how [it] is treating its own citizens outside and within the country.”
Beyond the macroscopic, Turner has admitted that this album is more personal than previous releases. “[T]his record is a lot more organic [than Oceanic] to me. It indeed is a lot more focused in a way that it is a lot more coherent than Oceanic was. I do feel that it has a wider emotional feel because it is a lot more personal stuff of myself behind it in the content. I don't really know how this comes across in the music. There is a lot more things in it that I was dealing with while writing the record and since, let's say Celestial for instance. It's hard to say actually.”
Allmusic's Wade Kergan felt the album artwork, an almost isometric
Isometric projection
Isometric projection is a method for visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions in technical and engineering drawings...
aerial photograph of South San Francisco
South San Francisco, California
South San Francisco is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, located on the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area...
and San Bruno, California
San Bruno, California
San Bruno is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. The population was 41,114 at the 2010 census.The city is adjacent to San Francisco International Airport and Golden Gate National Cemetery.-Geography:San Bruno is located at...
, “fits perfectly with the epic music on the disc itself”, while Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
's Brandon Stosuy characterized it as “satellite spy” photography. Turner noted that the connection between the artwork and the theme was “certainly intentional”, further stating that he “wanted it to be something that was subtle, but not obvious straight away.”
Sound
In describing the album's sound, critics often referred to bands operating on similar sonic strata as Isis. Allmusic reviewer Wade Kergan noted: “[t]he sound is "as angular as post-rock forefathers SlintSlint
Slint was an American rock band consisting of Brian McMahan , David Pajo , Britt Walford , Todd Brashear and Ethan Buckler...
and as cosmically expansive as Neurosis
Neurosis (band)
Neurosis is a post-metal band, based in Oakland, California. They formed in 1985 as a hardcore punk band, and their sound progressed towards a doom metal style that also included influences from dark ambient and industrial music as well as incorporating elements of folk music...
, yet closer to the intensity of hardcore than either of them”, while an Uncut
UNCUT (magazine)
Uncut magazine, trademarked as UNCUT, is a monthly publication based in London. It is available across the English-speaking world, and focuses on music, but also includes film and books sections...
review stated that Panopticon operates at “the rarely-explored mid-point between My Bloody Valentine and Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
”. Furthermore, its sound was compared to that of High on Fire
High on Fire
High on Fire is a stoner metal band from Oakland, California, that was formed in 1998. Matt Pike, the band's frontman and founder, previously played guitar for the influential stoner doom band Sleep.-History:...
, Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
, A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The original incarnation of the band also included Paz Lenchantin on bass, Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar, and Tim Alexander on drums...
, Mogwai
Mogwai (band)
Mogwai are a Scottish post-rock band, formed in 1995 in Glasgow. The band consists of Stuart Braithwaite , John Cummings , Barry Burns , Dominic Aitchison , and Martin Bulloch...
, Sigur Ros
Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós is an Icelandic post-rock band with classicaland minimalist elements. The band is known for its ethereal sound, and frontman Jónsi Birgisson's falsetto vocals and use of bowed guitar. In January 2010, the band announced that they will be on hiatus. Since then, it has since been announced...
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
, Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Godspeed You! Black Emperor is a Canadian post-rock band which originated from Montreal, Quebec in 1994...
and Ride
Ride (band)
Ride were a British alternative rock band that formed in 1988 in Oxford, England, consisting of Andy Bell, Mark Gardener, Laurence "Loz" Colbert, and Steve Queralt. The band were initially part of the "shoegazing" scene. Following the break-up of the band in 1996, members moved on to various other...
by various reviewers.
Many reviewers compared the album with Isis' seminal previous record, Oceanic, often noting a 'progression'. Turner himself stated: “I do agree that it is a natural progression from Oceanic. It absolutely is an evolution and a step forward.” Sonically, compared with Oceanic, “the drums and vocals are submerged, the riffs intricately monolithic” and there is an increased prominence lent to electronics and synths; this led to it being characterised as “a little more polished”.
As with all Isis releases, the lyrics are almost indecipherable; something of which Turner is conscious, as well as its implications. “Even if you are a native speaker it is sometimes impossible to figure the lyrics out properly. I'm conflicted about that from time to time. But than I always think that I'm giving enough with the text that's included, the artwork and the imagery that gives people some clue to get into it. But leaves it open ended in a certain degree about the intention behind it. [...] While making an album it also is music first for us and lyrics second.” Piero Scaruffi
Piero Scaruffi
Piero Scaruffi received a degree in Mathematics in 1982 from University of Turin, where he did work on the General Theory of Relativity. For a number of years he was the head of the Artificial Intelligence Center at Olivetti, based in Cupertino, California. He has been a visiting scholar at...
noted that Turner's vocals were “much more prominent”, which he deemed a “drawback”. Writing for Decibel, Andrew Bonazelli noted that although only 30 percent of the lyrics were understandable, they were “extremely thoughtful”.
Many critics tied the album's conceptual roots with its sound; Piero Scaruffi felt it “achieved a kind of supernatural tension”, and it was described as “[evoking] a sense of creeping voyeurism”. Some noted, though, that this notion is ‘subverted’ by the album's sound. As Mike Diver of Drowned in Sound
Drowned in Sound
DrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:...
explains in a glowing review, “['Panopticon' is] a misleading title; nothing terrifying emerges from the multiple layers of sound. Indeed, as far as Isis records go, this is positively joyous”. Similarly, its feel, likened to contemporaries Pelican
Pelican (band)
Pelican is a post-metal quartet from Chicago, Illinois.-Biography and description:The band is known for its dense combinations of different melodies and extended track lengths. Its distinctive sound draws from stoner rock, doom metal, post-rock, and other influences...
's 2005 record The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw
The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw
The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw is the second full-length studio album by Chicago post-metal band Pelican. It was released May 22, 2005 on Hydra Head Records. Regarding the lengthy and unusual name of the album, guitarist Trevor de Brauw joked, "The title is meant to confuse people...
, is described by Andrew Bonazelli as ‘triumphant’.
Reception
The critical response to Panopticon was generally very warm; some offered extremely high praise, whilst others deemed it average. Although it was not lambasted by any major publications, several deemed it slightly inferior to Oceanic, released two years previously. As Michael Chamy noted in his review for the Austin ChronicleAustin Chronicle
The Austin Chronicle is an alternative weekly, tabloid-style newspaper published every Thursday in Austin, Texas, United States. The paper is distributed through free news-stands, often at local eateries or coffee houses frequented by its targeted demographic...
, it does not “reach the heights or descend to the depths of Oceanic, but it's an amazing journey to a place unlike any other.” A Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, as well as its mix tapes generator.-History:Originally called Tiny Mixtapes Gone to Heaven and...
review agreed, stating that Panopticon “doesn't outshine Oceanic”. Detailing this further, a Punknews reviewer noted: “the only flaw that I found in this otherwise exemplary recording was the less engrossing overall structure of the record; while Oceanic was [...] novel like in its structure with each chapter forming an overall arc, Panopticon is more like a series of short stories – disconnected, perhaps – but clearly penned by the same hand.” Others disagreed; Pitchfork
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
's Brandon Stosuy held it to be a “stronger record” than Oceanic. Isis' next album, 2006's In the Absence of Truth
In the Absence of Truth
In the Absence of Truth is the fourth full-length studio album by Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band Isis, released by Ipecac Recordings on October 31, 2006...
, was met rather less fondly by both critics and the band themselves.
Reviewers agreed that “those with long attention spans will find [the album] utterly rewarding”; as a Punknews review expounds, “this record demands a great deal from the listener – attention and patience, certainly – those who give it a chance will find a band that is truly special, and manages to consistently exceed expectations.” Similarly focusing on the length of the tracks, Brandon Stosuy of Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
branded the record “stellar classical music”. This contributed to “the record [being] imparted with a completely new melodic sense [making the album] their most friendly and accessible work to date”.
Nick Green highlighted "Wills Dissolve" as a standout track, whilst Drowned in Sound
Drowned in Sound
DrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:...
's Mike Diver selected "Backlit" and "Altered Course" as “two of the most emotionally engaging rock songs of a decade, or more”. Chamy deemed "Altered Course" “a masterfully constructed glacial flow, with Aaron Harris
Aaron Harris (Isis drummer)
Aaron Harris is an American drummer, best known for his career with Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band Isis. He was with the band from its inception in 1997 to its dissolution in 2010...
' heavy drumming keeping the mast pointed through the crushing turbulence”. Opener "So Did We" was deemed, throughout the entire Isis back catalog
Isis discography
Isis was an American post-metal band, active from 1997 active until their disbandment in 2010. They released five full-length albums, five extended plays , five live albums, two singles and have collaborated with other artists on numerous other projects....
, “second only in visceral satisfaction to Celestial's] 'Celestial (The Tower)'”. Dissecting that track further, the Punknews review found that “[t]he structure of repeating themes with an underlying 'storyline' is more like the classical Aristotelean narrative than a song; with no conventional verses, choruses or anything else familiar to be found.”
Mike Diver of Drowned in Sound
Drowned in Sound
DrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:...
was unequivocal in his assessment, stating: “[t]hat this is the metal record of the year is indisputable”. Decibel went on to rank Panopticon as the 33rd-best album of the decade.
Track listing
Track listingPersonnel
Band members- Jeff CaxideJeff CaxideJeff Caxide is an American bassist, best known for his time with post-metal band Isis, of which he was a founding member and present until its dissolution in 2010. He was also a founding member of Red Sparowes, but left after the release of their first full-length. He also contributed to...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Aaron HarrisAaron Harris (Isis drummer)Aaron Harris is an American drummer, best known for his career with Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band Isis. He was with the band from its inception in 1997 to its dissolution in 2010...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Michael GallagherMichael Gallagher (Isis guitarist)Michael Gallagher is an American guitarist, best known for his work with post-metal band Isis. He joined them in 1999 for their debut LP Celestial, having previously been a member of Cast Iron Hike...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Bryant Clifford MeyerBryant Clifford MeyerBryant Clifford Meyer is a keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist, best known for his tenure with Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band Isis. He was with the band since its debut full-length, Celestial, in 2000. Previously, he was a formative member of Boston-based rock band The Gersch...
– electronics and guitar - Aaron TurnerAaron TurnerAaron Turner is a musician, singer, graphic artist, and founder of label Hydra Head Records. He is most widely known for his role as guitarist and vocalist for the post-metal band Isis, while also participating in several other bands and projects such as Old Man Gloom and Lotus Eaters.Though raised...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitar, photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
and design
Other personnel
- Matt BaylesMatt Bayles-Information:Bayles is known for his work with bands such as Isis, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Botch, Mastodon, The Fall of Troy, Minus The Bear, Burnt by the Sun and Norma Jean....
– audio engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, audio mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
and productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Justin ChancellorJustin ChancellorJustin Gunnar Walter Chancellor is an English musician formerly in the band Peach but best known as the bass player for Grammy Award-winning rock band Tool. Chancellor is of Norwegian and English descent...
– additional sounds and bass guitar on "Altered Course" - Bill Dooley – mastering
- Greg Moss – live sound