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The Oubliette

by The Reticent

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c_c_chaos
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c_c_chaos There are many concept albums I like, but most of the time the concept at best serves as a gimmick that motivates me to listen to the album in one go. The Oubliette's take on dementia, by contrast, I find truly moving. On top of it, this is stellar progressive metal.
Iravu
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Iravu I have no words to describe it. Its a masterpiece and a must listen for all metalheads. I've never had such a visceral and emotional reaction to an album before this. Favorite track: Stage 3: The Palliative Breath.
hidethemilk
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hidethemilk This is absolutely terrifying. I've never really allowed the empathy earned by The Reticent to other bands. The apprehension of "This might happen to me" is unnerving and horrifying. Favorite track: Stage 2: The Captive.
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1.
No one comes around anymore He is the furthest thing from their mind Henry thinks that he’s going home But he was abandoned here, and here he’ll stay As kind as a man can be Discarded with hardly a word He doesn’t yet know His whole world is gone A warm smile and hopeful eyes Greeting everyone as a friend Inoculated against woe Of doom and gloom he’s unaware Patient is he, waiting in vain For the door to open They’re analyzing (agonizing), penalizing (neutralizing), criticizing (minimizing), fantasizing (ostracizing), paralyzing, supervising (and surmising) all will be lost soon At times the hazy static in his mind would give way to momentary lucidity. Recollections as real and focused as sunlight Separations vanish as his senses would thoughtlessly betray [Reality or merely] the memory (of a memory) here? Only to forget, only to vanish Awake and in the moment yet pitifully unaware He knows with resolute conviction here he does not belong. The dull ache of an absence he's yet to realize This parting yet to be understood "Let me go," he begs. With tearful eyes, he smiles to hide he’s desperate Get away. He wants to scream yet still he Just smiles Hoping for Mary. This ceaseless dream confounds, bears no understanding “Am I a prisoner?” His fears swirl and swarm like flies Parades of unfamiliar faces passing by Stolen from his home or his home stolen from him? Parades of unfamiliar faces passing by
2.
What have you done with my wife? (Get away from me!) Mary can you hear my voice? (I don’t belong here) Open this door Release me from this cage You have the wrong man I’m not a criminal Tell me what have you done with her? Terrifying to believe I’ve been locked away Must be some kind of mistake Who would leave me here alone? I can’t see the sunrise through these walls Who do they think I am? What do they think I’ve done? They try to tell me that this is my home Malefactor they must think me to be Get out! Let me go! How can I convince them that I’m not the one Deserving to be here alone Get out! Let me go!
3.
The holes are deepening in my mind. Memories like phantoms die Approaching doors, extending hands Turn the knob and what do I find? Only a stark emptiness Nothing here now. No future mine But no past behind I’m just another empty shell. Death of the mind No one beside Perhaps this is my own hell Do not ask me to remember Don’t try to make me understand Let me rest and know you’re with me Kiss my cheek and hold my hand I’m so confused and I’m so lost. So the best of me is done. All this time Further away I know there’s even worse to come Leaving me My faculties A young man passed by here today, He said, “good to see you.” He seemed so kind the more we spoke He told me of his father old. Poor boy was confused, called me “Dad” left in falling tears I don’t understand why he’s so sad it makes me want to runaway in fact I just want to fly away I still want to fly away So the best of me is done. All this time Further away I know there’s even worse to come Leaving me My faculties
4.
Float out away from this place. And all that they know. Beneath a sunless sky you might Remember who you are. Henry is it in you to give up? Live in dust? Turn to rust? In a night or in a day In a vision or in none Hope it seems will disappear Do you see? Do you seem? Will they be there when You open Eyes again? Mary I can See you standing Wrapped in white So beautiful I’m so glad to See you again I’ve been so alone. Hold my hand No more fear Lost so much You appear Stay with me Where have you been? Why can’t I hear you? Your lips are moving But nothing’s clear. My hands are trembling My wings are broken Will you lift me up with Your song? Do I dream? Is this real? Can I see? Can I feel? Flying higher, clouds so far beneath us. I knew you'd come back to me. Gravity is calling us back home. We can break it, we can break free Henry you know I'm not really here. No, I won't let you go! All dreams dissolve I too disappear. Please don't leave me alone again! Falling down…
5.
No one’s listening You’re alone now Henry We will take Everything Starting with Memories Your true love Remember she is dead? We will Take your hands Take your legs Take your lungs Take your eyes Paralyzed Like an insect pinned in place Though you feel it all Steal from you that sweetest melody Feel the tide drawing you further down Here exists no more reverie Just melancholy and woe See now, your body won’t obey Trapped inside an endless night You'll never wake again... Relive the darkest of all your days Real and dream will cease to have a line Watch as you burn without flame Fugitive is hope So pitiless are we Here on this despondent shore Now or then Then or now Tell me Henry, Is it now or is it then? The pitiful fragments of your mind Won’t permit you to differentiate All woe Shall be Visited upon you, Henry No more light in your eyes No more words from your lips Rejoice in this mute hell All this chaos concealed (you won’t reveal) In this imprisoned mind Left with no recourse (no where to go) You will wish you could die Death comes – so slowly in this blankness You’ll beg – for it to all end Hope leaves – all now extinguished Trapped here – a corpse that can’t die Sullen – your body a casket Frozen – a glacial mind Bottomless – perdition to dwell Empty – is your hell All woe Shall be Visited upon you, Henry No more light in your eyes No more words from your lips Rejoice in this mute hell All this chaos concealed (you won’t reveal) In this imprisoned mind Left with no recourse (no where to go) You will wish you could die There is no way out.
6.
Can’t speak Can’t eat Cemented to this bed Can’t breathe Can’t think An empty oubliette now Pieces of who I was… Forming a river under… Listless and unaware… Not dead. Not asleep. I am awake. Never knowing. Never showing you. White coats do not see me… Machines talk to them… Each day a new stranger… Think I’m gone but… I am awake. I know… My mind won’t heal. My body died And left me behind. Blank space Where memories once were. Please god Just let me die.
7.
...sleep now.

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An emotional journey into the 7 stages of Alzheimer's Disease.

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released September 25, 2020

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The Reticent Charlotte, North Carolina

"Prog's most emotionally gutwrenching band." - Metal Temple

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