Search Results: cynic

• THE RETICENT Confronts Mental Health with New Video "The Scorn" Off Upcoming Album "please" Out Nov 2025

  Oct 23, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Progressive metal act The Reticent has unveiled the lyric video for “The Scorn (Those Who Don’t Understand),” the latest single from their upcoming album "please," due out on Generation Prog Records on November 13th. Known for their emotionally intense concept albums, The Reticent continues their tradition of soul-baring storytelling with "please," a harrowing journey through the many battlefields of mental illness.
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  ​“The Scorn (Those Who Don’t Understand)” takes on the voice of those who dismiss mental health struggles, echoing phrases like “just get over it” and “it’s all in your head.” Musically, the track leans into groove-oriented rhythms and major chords to reflect the detached worldview of those who don’t understand. The addition of exotic instrumentation like the oud and hand percussion further separates the song from the rest of the album’s sonic palette.
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  But "please" is more than just an album; it’s a survival mechanism. Written in just six months, the album was recorded under extreme conditions. Drums for "please" and its follow-up were tracked in a single day, while guitars, bass, and keys were completed in two. The vocals, however, took two grueling weeks, during which founder Chris Hathcock injured his larynx so severely that doctors feared permanent damage. Hathcock was forced into six weeks of total silence, even teaching his classes entirely nonverbally. Thankfully, he recovered, mostly.
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  The pain didn’t stop there. While filming the video for “The Concealment,” Hathcock broke two toes, sprained three others, and partially tore his rotator cuff during a scene that required him to violently destroy a room. Just six days later, he performed at ProgStorm Festival in Montreal with those injuries, doubled over in pain by the end of the set. Fans, immersed in the emotional intensity of the performance, had no idea.
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  "please" is the first album by The Reticent to be almost entirely engineered by Chris Hathcock himself. While drums were tracked at The Basement Studios with longtime producer Jamie King (Between The Buried And Me, The Contortionist), all other elements were recorded at Hathcock’s Silent Muse Studio. The album was also mixed and mastered by King, adding his signature polish to the final product. The isolation of self-recording introduced an additional layer of emotional strain, especially during the vocal sessions.
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  Lyrically, the album is rich with references to the work of clinical psychologist Kay Redfield Jamison. Lines like “Night falls fast…” in “The Concealment” and “an unquiet mind” in “The Night River” nod to Jamison’s seminal works on suicide and bipolar disorder. Her voice even appears in samples throughout “Discharge.”
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  Musically, "please" marks a return to 6-string guitars, a first since 2016’s "On The Eve Of A Goodbye," except for “The Bed of Wasps.” The five-year gap between "please" and 2020’s "The Oubliette" is the longest in the band’s history, a reflection of the emotional toll and life events that shaped its creation.
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  ​The Reticent, led by Grammy-nominated music educator Chris Hathcock, has built a reputation for devastatingly autobiographical concept albums. Joined by James Nelson (Nospūn) and Paul McBride (Voraath), the band delivers performances that blur the line between metal show and performance art. Their appearance at ProgPower USA was hailed by Metal Injection as “one of the most heart-wrenching performances in ProgPower history.”​
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  In addition to their recent performance at ProgStorm Festival in Montreal this past summer, The Reticent is slated to appear at the 2026 editions of ProgPower USA in September and ProgPower Europe in October, marking another major milestone for the band’s growing international presence.
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  The lyric video for “The Scorn (Those Who Don’t Understand)” is now available on YouTube and streaming platforms.

  Fans of Opeth, Cynic, The Contortionist, Wilderun, and Devin Townsend will find much to resonate with in "please," which arrives November 13, 2025, via Generation Prog Records. A follow-up album is already underway, shaped by the profound loss of Chris Hathcock’s father during the creation of "please."

  CD pre-order (North America) - https://thereticent.net/please-pre-order

  CD pre-order (EU) - http://www.generation-prog.com/shop/

  Digital Album pre-save - https://show.co/MoPdl8W

  Track Listing:​
  1. Intake – 1:45
  2. The Concealment (Those Who Don’t Want To Wake) – 6:06
  3. The Night River (Those Who Can’t Rest) – 6:55
  4. Diagnosis 1 – 2:18
  5. The Bed of Wasps (Those Consumed With Panic) – 5:47
  6. The Scorn (Those Who Don’t Understand) – 8:12
  7. Diagnosis 2 – 2:39
  8. The Riptide (Those Without Hope) – 6:09
  9. The Chance (Those Who Let Go) – 6:52
  10. Discharge – 2:56
  Album Length: 49:45

  For more info: Thereticent.net | Facebook.com/thereticentmusic | Instagram.com/The.reticent.band

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• This Halloween, Avant-Garde Prog Doom LIMINAL SPIRIT Will Unleash An EP Séance "Unwell"; Streaming Title Track

  Oct 10, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

  

  This Halloween, Milwaukee’s solo project Liminal Spirit unveils its most intense and cinematic offering to date: "Unwell," a five-track EP that plunges deep into themes of memory, guilt, and spiritual reckoning. Helmed by multi-instrumentalist Jerry Hauppa (also known for his work with Deorbit), the release fuses progressive doom metal with avant-garde narrative techniques, crafting what Hauppa describes as “seance music”, a genre-defying sonic ritual meant to stir movement between spiritual realms. Adding to its eerie and otherworldly atmosphere, three of the tracks were composed using microtonal guitars, lending the EP a distinct sense of unease and spectral depth.

  “Unwell” follows the story of Phillip, an elderly dementia patient confined to a nursing home, haunted by the spirits of two children who claim he murdered them decades ago. As Phillip’s mind unravels, the music mirrors his psychological collapse, shifting from jazz-inspired calm to microtonal chaos and oppressive distortion. The EP culminates in Phillip’s death and spiritual judgment, casting him into hell in a chilling epilogue.

  The lead single and title track captures Phillip’s inner turmoil and identity crisis. Composed on microtonal guitars, the song’s alien tonalities and increasing distortion reflect his fractured mental state. “Unwell” is a sonic embodiment of isolation and existential dread, setting the tone for the EP’s descent into darkness.

  “My goal with this record is to explore ideas that represent some of my greatest fears. Having worked in nursing homes, I’ve seen firsthand how miserable they can be. The thought of losing my faculties and facing spiritual judgment terrifies me—and that’s what I wanted to capture,” says Hauppa.

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  For fans of Skepticism, Jesu, Confessor, Cynic, and Anata, “Unwell” will be available on all major streaming platforms on October 31st, 2025.

  EP pre-save - https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/liminalspirit2/unwell​

  EP pre-order - https://liminalspirit.bandcamp.com/​

  Track Listing:​
  1. Admittance (5:27)
  2. Unwell (6:52) 
  3. Visiting Day (8:01)
  4. EOLC (8:26)
  5. A Better Place (5:42) 

  More Info:​
  ​https://www.facebook.com/people/Liminal-Spirit/61575618106702/​
  ​https://www.instagram.com/liminal_spirit_mke

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• THE RETICENT's Fifth Studio Album "please" Explores The Struggles of Mental Illness; Unveil Music Video For Single "The Concealment”

  Oct 3, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

   

  Generation Prog Records is proud to announce the release of “please,” the emotionally searing new album from progressive metal act The Reticent. Led by Grammy-nominated music educator and multi-instrumentalist Chris Hathcock, “please” is a concept album that plunges listeners into the harrowing realities of mental illness, suicide, and survival. The album will be available on November 13th, 2025.
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  The first single, “The Concealment (Those Who Don’t Want To Wake),” is accompanied by a haunting music video that captures the anguish of hiding one’s suffering in plain sight.

  “The Concealment could be thought of as the thesis statement of the new album. It tries to capture what it is to attempt to carry on with your life while struggling with the crushing weight of mental illness. At work, with family, at school, wherever, we have to don masks and pretend we are ‘just fine’ when inside we may wish to go to sleep and never wake up again. 1 in 4 adults will have a mental health crisis this year, and there are 1.5 million suicide attempts per year in this country. It’s all around us, yet most will not talk about it, most will not get help, and most will suffer in silence. We are not alone, yet we feel intensely lonely because of that disconnection. For me, I have to pretend to be someone else every day as a teacher - confident, smart, strong - whilst inside I often wish fervently for oblivion to end my near constant pain. When the despair and the grief and the hopelessness come, the isolation and hollowness of all things can rob life of any color. For those who know what it is like to live with these disorders, it is indeed lonely here,” says Hathcock.

  Featuring ten emotionally driven tracks, the album was written in just six months. Drums were recorded in a single day, all other instruments in two, but vocals took two weeks, leaving Hathcock with a laryngeal injury so severe he couldn’t speak for six weeks. During the filming of “The Concealment” video, Hathcock broke two toes, sprained three others, and tore his rotator cuff. He performed at ProgStorm Festival in Montreal, Canada, just six days later, concealing his injuries behind the band’s emotionally intense stagecraft.
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  ​“please” is also The Reticent's first album, engineered almost entirely by Hathcock at his Silent Muse Studio. Only the drums were tracked at The Basement Studios with longtime producer Jamie King (BTBAM, The Contortionist), who also took care of mixing and mastering for the record.
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  This fifth studio album includes subtle nods to clinical psychologist Kay Redfield Jamison, with lyrical references to her books “Night Falls Fast” and “An Unquiet Mind,” and samples of her voice appearing in “Discharge.”
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  Hailed as “prog’s most emotionally gut-wrenching” band, The Reticent began as Hathcock’s solo outlet for personal trauma. Over time, it evolved into a full-fledged progressive metal force, known for concept albums like “On The Eve Of A Goodbye” and “The Oubliette.” Joined by guitarist James Nelson (Nospūn) and bassist Paul McBride (Voraath), The Reticent delivers live performances that are more performance art than concert, intensely immersive and emotionally devastating.
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  The band has performed at prestigious festivals, including ProgPower USA, where Metal Injection called their set “one of the most heart-wrenching performances in ProgPower history.”
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  For those who seek truth in music, The Reticent offers a mirror to the soul and a plea for understanding.

  Recommended for fans of Opeth, Cynic, The Contortionist, Wilderun, and Devin Townsend.

  “please” will be available via Generation Prog Records on November 13, 2025. A sixth album is also complete, as it was recorded simultaneously with "please" and will follow for release in 2026.

  CD pre-order (North America) - https://thereticent.net/please-pre-order​

  CD pre-order (EU) - http://www.generation-prog.com/shop/​

  Digital Album pre-save - https://show.co/MoPdl8W​

  For more info: Thereticent.net | Facebook.com/thereticentmusic | Instagram.com/The.reticent.band

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• Streaming Now! TUMBLEWEED DEALER Invite You Into Their Lush Psychedelic Swamp With Full Stream Of “Dark Green”

  Feb 6, 2025 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Montreal, Canada's Tumbleweed Dealer is proud to present their monumental fourth album “Dark Green”. This marks the culmination of an eight-year journey for the band, resulting in their most ambitious and fully realized work to date. Listeners can now immerse themselves in all ten tracks of this genre-defying masterpiece, experiencing the album as it was intended - a complete, transformative journey through sound and emotion. The band comments:

  “We simply can’t wait to share this new album with everyone, from old fans, whose expectations we hope to obliterate, to potential new listeners who might be going in with absolutely no clue as to what they should expect. We strived to constantly contrast old sonorities with new tendencies. We layered influences over each other to create something original yet oddly nostalgic.”

  From the opening notes of “A Distant Figure In The Fog” to the closing moments of “A Soul Made Of Sludge”, “Dark Green” takes the listener on an unparalleled auditory adventure. Each track builds upon the last, creating a cohesive narrative that explores themes of nature, consciousness, and the human experience. The album's production quality shines throughout, with every instrument and effect meticulously placed to create a rich, enveloping soundscape.

  As you listen to the album stream, pay attention to the intricate details and hidden layers within each track. Tumbleweed Dealer has crafted “Dark Green” to be an album that reveals new secrets with each listen, much like revisiting a favorite film or novel. Let the music wash over you, and prepare to be transported to the lush, mysterious world of “Dark Green”, which will be especially intriguing to those with an interest in Opeth, Cynic, and Rush.

  Due out on February 7, 2025, "Dark Green" can be heard in full before its official release via its album stream premiere on TheProgSpace HERE.

  Recommended for fans of Elder, Ohm, Camel, Opeth, and Cynic, "Dark Green" is available for album pre-order at https://tumbleweeddealer420.bandcamp.com/album/dark-green

  Video - Dark Green - https://youtu.be/L73im_7hOWs

  ​Video - Ghosts Dressed In Weeds feat. Ceschi - https://youtu.be/E06a90W8hFo

   

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  Track Listing:​
  1. A Distant Figure In The Fog (2:52)
  2. Sparks Adrift In The Louisiana Nightsky (3:39)
  3. A Plant That Thinks It’s Human (3:34)
  4. Becoming One With The Bayou (3:19)
  5. Dragged Across The Wetlands (2:56)
  6. Dark Green (4:48)
  7. Ghosts Dressed In Weeds (5:31)
  8. Moss On The Mind (3:13)
  9. Body Of The Bog (6:34)
  10. A Soul Made Of Sludge (3:49)

  Album Recording Credits:​
  • All songs performed by: Tumbleweed Dealer
  • All songs written by: Tumbleweed Dealer
  • Produced by: Jean-Baptiste Joubaud
  • Mixed by: Jean-Baptiste Joubaud
  • Mastered by: Harris Newman
  • Album Artwork by: Glenn Le Calvez

  Album Band Line Up:​
  Seb Painchaud – Bass & Guitars
  Angelo Fata – Drums & Percussions
  Jean-Baptiste Joubaud – Synths & Programming

  Guest Musicians:​
  Antoine Baril – Mellotron, Hammond Organ & Keyboards on tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9 & 10
  Guillaume Audette – Wurlitzer, Rhodes and Church Organ on tracks 8 & 10
  Jocelyn Couture – Trumpet & Flugel Horn on tracks 4, 5, 7 and 9
  Loïc Roy-Turgeon – Trombone on tracks 4 and 5
  Zach Strouse – Saxophone on track 6
  And special guest star Ceschi Ramos as himself on track 7

  More info: Facebook.com/TumbleweedDealer | X.com/westernhorror | Instagram.com/tumbleweeddealer | Spotify

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