After one spin of this record I was totally flabbergasted, as Please is a very intense, heartfelt, dark, and heavy album, an album which is by no means easily to digest! The Reticent began as a side project for multi-instrumentalist Chris Hathcock and he released a debut album called Hymns For The Dejected in 2006. After that album, The Reticent released four more albums of which the last two were concept albums. In 2020 The Reticent released the critically acclaimed concept record The Oubliette and now five years later we are treated to Please, another concept album, and this one delves into the heart of mental illness and suicide; so, a very heavy and emotional concept. The music on this awesome prog metal album shows similarities to the music of bands like Tool, Opeth and even Dream Theater and the album needs a couple of listening sessions to fully appreciate it, as the lyrics are dark, emotional and not very easy to digest. Please features a couple of non-song tracks, like Intake, Diagnosis 1 and Diagnosis 2 and Discharge, which are meant to explore and explain the story and the concept. So, the first real track is called The Concealment and that one sets the tone for the rest of the album, as it is a heavy metal based prog rock song in the veins of Dream Theater, with lots of melodic vocals, aggressive hooks and splendid instrumental passages. Follow up The Night River is a fast paced, hectic guitar based song which reminds me of Tool, while The Bed Of Wasps is definitely the most "scary" song of the album, packed with growling vocals, trashy riffs, heavy pounding drums; in other words a must for dark metal fans. The Scorn is a rather straightforward song, mixing clear and growling vocals and fantastic prog rock characteristics. Riptide starts with sounds of ocean waves, features no drums and is a ballad-like song and the resting point of this album. Finally, Chris Hathcock, ends this album with The Chance, another melodic neo prog rock track with excellent vocals and great guitar work. Please is one of the best prog metal albums I have heard this year, it is poignant, emotional, dark, heartfelt and a MUST have for fans of this genre. So, check it out and play it LOUD! Listening tip: The Chance. **** Martien Koolen (edited by Dave Smith) Where to buy? |
