Classic Cover: The Reticent – “Fade To Black”

Wow. Just wow. Usually we just share videos direct to facebook and the like but I had to put a few lines together to explain how simply incredible this cover is. “Fade to Black” is probably my overall favourite Metallica track anyway, but The Reticent have managed to do to it what Disturbed did to “The Sound of Silence”… only I would argue this is better.

As well as completely stripping the song down to near a capella in form, they’ve taken the meaning behind the lyrics and updated it for the video. The Reticent have focussed the lyrics on the struggle of those suffering from Alzheimer’s.

This is a phenomenal cover version with a beautiful video that draws attention to a hugely important issue. Those shivers down your spine aren’t just because it’s cold outside.

Chris Hathcock, the founder of the band, who performed all main instruments and vocals on the track, goes into depth about choosing the cover:

The original is a timeless classic, but in listening to it I thought that perhaps the sadness of the words were somewhat attenuated by the catchy and driving riffs. It thematically fell right in line with the over concept of “The Oubliette” as that blanket of loneliness and despair can fall over the suicidal and Alzheimer’s patients alike. I decided to reduce the instrumentation as much as possible to increase that sense of isolation and only used effects to increase the atmosphere. Minimalist and empty sounding like a hospital room. The result hopefully draws more attention to the stark hopelessness in the lyrics. The distance and atmosphere in the track are meant to feel not just isolated, but almost ghostly – as if we are hearing the baleful thoughts of a man void of hope trapped in a hospital bed.

The Reticent: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | youtube | bandcamp | spotify

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