Intrinsic (album)
Intrinsic represents the sophomore full-length album by the American progressive metal group The Contortionist, launched via eOne Music/Good Fight Entertainment on July 17, 2012. This record is notable as the last to feature vocalist and keyboardist Jonathan Carpenter alongside bassist Christopher Tilley.
Upon release, the album sold approximately 3,600 units in its initial week, securing the number 125 spot on the Billboard 200 chart.
Release and promotion
The band revealed details including the album’s title, tracklist, cover art, and several pre-order options on May 30, 2012. The lead single, "Holomovement," was unveiled on June 11, 2012, with an accompanying animated video. On July 16, The Contortionist premiered their first official music video for "Causality." Later, on December 3, a second video for "Dreaming Schematics" was released. Both videos form a connected two-part narrative and were produced by KOTK Productions.
On October 3, 2012, Jonathan Carpenter offered an in-depth track-by-track explanation of the album through Metal Sucks.
Concept
Jonathan Carpenter described Intrinsic as a concept album inspired by science fiction themes that blends various instrumental approaches. The record juxtaposes aggressive and melodic passages to evoke a broad spectrum of feelings. Lyrically, the first half delves into concepts related to mind and reality theories, while the latter half explores futuristic topics involving technology and consciousness. This structure provides accessibility for both casual listeners and devoted followers to appreciate the material on multiple levels.
Personnel
- The Contortionist
- Jonathan Carpenter — vocals, keyboards
- Robby Baca — guitar
- Cameron Maynard — guitar
- Joey Baca — drums
- Christopher Tilley — bass
- Production
- Produced by Eyal Levi, Jason Suecof & Eric Guenther
- Engineered and mixed by Eyal Levi & Jason Suecof
- Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music in New York
- Synthesizer contributions by Eric Guenther
- Pro-Tools operated by John Douglass
- Management handled by Jason (Strong Management)
- Public relations managed by Bill Meis (Entone Group)
- Booking coordinated by Cody Delong (The Kenmore Agency)
Charts
| Chart (2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard 200 | 125 |
| Billboard Hard Rock | 12 |
| Billboard Independent | 23 |
| Billboard Rock | 42 |
| Billboard Heatseekers | 3 |
External links
- "Causality" music video on YouTube
- "Dreaming Schematics" music video on YouTube