Chris "Mordrid" Hathcock comes from a very metal background. As a member of groups such as Werhwolfe and The Torture Cell, he knows how to rock as hard as anyone. But when he really had something to say, he decided to step out from behind the drums and sit down with his acoustic guitar and transform himself into The Reticent.
And just what does he have to say? Well, that is a more complicated question than you could possibly imagine. Hathcock draws upon the more tortured times in his life to produce this stark and very compelling work that is as much therapy for the soul as it is music to the ears. They say that one of the best ways to rid the demons that dwell inside is to lay them out for all to see. Chris bares all that hurts inside and in doing so, gives the listener a chance to do the same. Depression feeds on itself and once released, loses its power. You can thank The Reticent for the chance to chase out what is haunting you with this surreal work.
The minimal instrumentation on this disc is one of the things that really captivates. Never feeling as if you are listening to a dreary folk singer, there is more a sense of listening to the hardcore metal guy doing an unplugged version of his work. There is still an edgy quality that I am sure would not be there if not for his background. This is not to say that it should have been an electric album, far from it. He shows some of the most terrific acoustic work I have heard in quite some time. I would bet that he has some classical training in his background. The instrumental song "If…" is a fine example of the beauty that he can evoke from the guitar. The melancholy subject matter is only enhanced by his choice of instruments.
There is one brief time when he pulls out the electric guitar to dramatize the effect with the song "Slough of Despond". Here he creates an atmosphere of finality with the powerful addition of the amplified guitar. In this slowly building piece, which is my favorite on the album, The Reticent brings all of us to the brink with the tale of despair and how it can swell and overwhelm. He manages to evoke that feeling with the lush crescendo of his six string.
You can get no starker than just Chris and his voice. With an eerie echo, he leaves you with the haunting "To Be Forgotten." Believe me, by the time he is done with this song, this album will be anything but forgotten!
Track listing:
1. Amor Mortem Mei Erit
2. Afterthought
3. Emancipate
4. Years in a Moment
5. Hurt
6. Remission
7. Painless
8. If….
9. Slough of Despond
10. To Be Forgotten
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