NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – October 23, 2025
THE RETICENT Confronts Mental Health with New Video “The Scorn (Those Who Don’t Understand)”
Fifth Studio Album “please” Out Nov 2025 via Generation Prog Records
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L to R – James Nelson (Lead Guitar), Chris Hathcock (Vocals, Guitar, Drums), Paul McBride (Bass)
Photo Credit by Justin H. Reich
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.
“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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
The lyric video for “The Scorn (Those Who Don’t Understand)” is now available on YouTube and streaming platforms.
Watch at https://youtu.be/CR-6wCIpasI
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
Music Video- “The Concealment (Those Who Don’t Want To Wake)” – https://youtu.be/1cIKQcJLKtc
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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
Album Recording Credits:
All instruments and vocals performed by Chris Hathcock except
– Lead Guitar and Additional Acoustic Guitar by James Nelson
– Guest Vocals on “The Bed of Wasps” by Brian Kingsland
– Narration by Vienna Gloom
All songs written by Chris Hathcock
Produced by Chris Hathcock
Engineered by Chris Hathcock
Drums engineered by Jamie King
Mixed and Mastered by Jamie King
Album Artwork by Joscelyne Hauserman
Band Line Up:
Chris Hathcock – Vocals, Guitar
James Nelson – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Paul McBride – Bass, Backing Vocals
For more info: Thereticent.net | Facebook.com/thereticentmusic | Instagram.com/The.reticent.band
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“A taut, compelling progressive metal opus.” – Angry Metal Guy (2020 – The Oubliette)
“A narrative masterpiece. 10/10” – Rock Magazine (2020 – The Oubliette)
“Something all fans of music will want to experience.” – Metal Temple (2020 – The Oubliette)
“Prog’s most emotionally gut-wrenching band returns!” – Metal Storm (2020 – The Oubliette)
“One fact is incontrovertible: songwriter Chris Hathcock is a genius.” – Legacy Magazine (2020 – The Oubliette)
“Undoubtedly one of this year’s best albums, if not THE best album.” – Scream Magazine (Norway) (2020 – The Oubliette)
“As beautiful as it is sorrowful, masterful instrumentals and intense sounds accompany the story of this concept album that explores the slow descent into oblivion that sufferers of Alzheimer’s disease experience. Fans of metal will come for the riffs, and stay for the depth of atmosphere and storytelling. You’ll be left pondering existence after one of the best albums of the year.” – Cave Dweller Music (2020 – The Oubliette)
The Oubliette was included on numerous “best of” lists and was called The Most Essential Progressive Metal Album of 2020” by RTMBA Magazine. More recently, The Oubliette was included on Metal Injection’s 10 Extremely Underrated Progressive Metal Albums list and their 10 Extremely Underrated Metal Albums of the 2020s list.
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