Previous full-length Kentucky put an interesting spin on black metal by adding bluegrass and folk into the mix, but Roads to the North is not simply a rehash of its predecessor. It takes everything that is Panopticon to the next level.
The record begins with what sounds like someone walking through the snow in the cold wind, and the journey begins as "The Echoes of a Disharmonic Evensong" kicks the door down moments later. With its folk bookends, "Where Mountains Pierce the Sky" goes even further.
If you don't have 70-plus minutes to hear to the whole album, then give "The Long Road" parts 1, 2, and 3 a listen. The first part ("One Last Fire") is six minutes of straight-up Appalachian folk and yet somehow doesn't feel out of place. Next comes "Capricious Miles," which is full-on metal at first and then it bends into shoegaze with a bit of a groove. "The Sigh of Summer," a definite highlight and the best part of the trilogy, works its way through Alcest's best qualities and ends with Native American flute.
As for the final third of the record, expect to be reminded of Will Oldham ("Norwegian Nights"), and don't be surprised that the best, including chiming bells and even orchestration, was saved for last ("Chase the Grain").
If you're already a fan of Panopticon, then you should thoroughly enjoy Roads to the North. And if you're not familiar with this artist or album, then check both out immediately. Roads to the North is a record not to miss.
Metallurgical Review: 5.0 / 5.0
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