'Reincarnate' by Motionless in White: A Decade of Carrying the Torch

There aren't many bands that have made a bigger impact on me than Motionless in White — first discovering them in 2013, shortly after the deluxe re-release of their second full-length album, 2012's Infamous, the Scranton, PA icons were my introduction to metalcore music, and it didn't take long to get me hooked. Just one watch of the “Devil's Night” music video was all it took to capture my curiosity, and from that moment forward, I found myself becoming a huge fan of their music and personalities. I listened to every song I could find and listened to every interview, learning more about their sound and history as a band, and it didn’t take long for me to get caught up on the band’s career by that point. Already teasing another album at the time I had just gotten into them, my anticipation was naturally through the roof with excitement and interest. Little did I know that the result would be one of the most career-defining moments of one of my favorite bands.

Ten years ago today, Motionless in White released their third album, Reincarnate, often credited as the record in which the band “found their sound.” While their previous two albums, Infamous and Creatures, showcased their influences and had plenty of notable moments that defined their sonic and aesthetic identities as a band, Reincarnate felt like the release that put everything into place and felt like one cohesive body of work. It also displayed an exponential improvement in production and musicianship, with Chris Motionless’ vocal range more diverse and impressive than on the band’s previous studio efforts. Motionless in White was already a popular name in the metal community by that time, thanks to the success of singles from the Creatures and Infamous cycles, along with several runs on the annual Vans Warped Tour, but Reincarnate set the band on a path to become one of the genre’s most popular active contributors.

Collaborating with producer Dan Korneff, known for working with the likes of Paramore, Breaking Benjamin, and Ill Niño, Reincarnate was also the first album in which Chris Motionless stepped up as co-producer. Korneff also fulfilled the mixing duties for the album, with Ted Jensen, who boasts one of the most impressive resumes in music, did the mastering. Much like on Infamous, Reincarnate featured a handful of guest musicians throughout the album, with Cradle of Filth frontman Dani Filth appearing on “Puppets 3 (The Grand Finale),” In This Moment vocalist Maria Brink appearing on “Contemptress,” Silencio singer Dessa Poljak appearing on “Wasp,” and Tim Sköld bringing the penultimate track “Final Dictvm” to the table. Sköld also had a hand in co-writing a good chunk of the songs with the band, along with longtime collaborator Drew Fulk and Mick Kenny. The band was also without a drummer at the time of this album cycle, but In This Moment drummer Tom Hane recorded the parts for the album.

The record instantly makes a statement with its opening track “Death March,” featuring no screams or harsh vocals of any kind outside of the occasional gang chants of the title. Opting for a more moody and foreboding Manson-esque tone, Chris Motionless' vocals are relatively subdued on this track, despite the hard-hitting guitars and drums. That being said, the aggression comes out with the title track immediately after, which set the standard for what fans can expect from a Motionless in White song — clean verses, heavy breakdowns, and big choruses. One of the heaviest moments of the album, however, came with the third track, “Puppets 3 (The Grand Finale)” – the vocal contributions from Dani Filth obviously helped, but to hear Chris Motionless scream alongside one of death metal’s biggest names in the studio was an incredible experience. One of Motionless in White’s most unique attributes is the fact that they always reference their musical past through “sequel songs,” a concept that they’ve always practiced and continue to do on their albums to this day, so to have the “Puppets” saga come to a close on this album was just one of the many highlights to Reincarnate.

The following three songs make for my favorite run on the whole album, with “Unstoppable,” “Everybody Sells Cocaine,” and “Contemptress” all offering something different from one another while each having that big radio-ready sound and song structure. Each of these have a similar pattern to the title track, but manage to set themselves apart from each other and have their own energies. It’s odd how none of these songs ended up becoming post-album singles, despite their fan-favorite status, particularly with “Contemptress.” However, the following track, “Break the Cycle,” was a successful single after the full album was released, and continues to be a perennial setlist addition in their live shows today. As one of the heavier songs on the album, it’s a quick pit-stirrer that gets the crowd moving as soon as the drums kick in. The keyboards and synthetic elements from Josh Balz are highlighted on this song, and the Linkin Park-inspired following track, “Generation Lost.” “Dark Passenger” features a similar opening to that of “Break the Cycle,” along with kindred lyrical themes of introspection. What sets “Dark Passenger” apart, however, is the fact that it is heavily inspired by the Dexter TV series, making for some fun references for fans of the show to find. 

An album highlight and cult classic for the fanbase comes in the form of “Wasp,” a slow and moody song that has yet to be replicated in Motionless in White’s discography. Every slow and romantically-related song the band has ever released either takes on a bigger sound towards the end (like “City Lights” or “Sinematic”) or features grandiose choruses (like “Another Life” or “Eternally Yours”), but “Wasp” is a seven-minute track that maintains its subdued nature through the duration of the song. It’s one of the band’s most unique songs, having a sound and feeling that many fans would love to hear the band revisit at some point. While it’s easy to understand why it may be a hard song to fit into a setlist, it’s still hard to believe it’s never been played live at least once.

The Rob Zombie-esque “Dead As Fuck” quickly became another fan favorite for many listeners, enough to warrant a sequel of its own on the following Motionless album, 2017’s Graveyard Shift. Occasionally continuing to find its way on the setlist, the song has taken on a life of its own, with a large majority of the band’s online fanbase constantly singing its praises. “Final Dictvm” is another highlight for several fans, with Tim Sköld’s influence felt all over the track. The fact that the band was able to perform it live with him in 2019 during their winter European tour is another treat for fans. As far as an album closer, “Carry the Torch” couldn’t have been a better choice – another heavier song, this is one of the most energetic and assertive tracks on the whole album. It’s also a fantastic lyrical example of how the band have entered a new phase in their careers in which they’re now one of the most sought-after bands in the scene. It’s also interesting to note that this was the first song written for the album, and even more surprising to learn that the intro section was meant to be the intro to the band’s debut album, 2010’s Creatures.

Ten years later, it’s impossible to understate Motionless in White’s status as one of metal’s biggest active names – selling out tours each time they’re on the road, they’ve been able to command insanely large crowds everywhere they land. On top of that, their music just keeps getting better as well, having a bigger sound and more impactful songs each and every time they enter the studio. The success that they’ve had is nothing short of deserved, and to think that the album that really kicked things into gear is now ten years old is unbelievable. 

Reincarnate has an obvious special place in my heart because it was the first album cycle I was a part of as a Motionless in white fan. I missed Infamous by just a year, but I was all-in on Reincarnate – before anything was officially announced, my excitement would skyrocket just by hearing Chris Motionless vaguely say in interviews that they were writing for a new album at the time. I still remember the elation of hearing the short snippet of the title track for the first time when the album teaser dropped in June of that year, along with what felt like the eternal wait to hear the whole song just a month later. I was a freshman in high school when the album was released, and I can’t even attempt to think of the number of times I listened through it just within the first few weeks of its release. It’s still hard for me to pick a favorite song today, but to say that this album left its mark on me wouldn’t be giving it enough credit.

I never got to see Motionless in White live until the spring of 2022, with my first (and at this time, only) experience seeing them taking place on April 24 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, towards the end of their “Trinity of Terror” triple-headliner tour with Black Veil Brides and Ice Nine Kills. Needless to say, it was one of my favorite concert experiences, but hearing Chris Motionless introduce Reincarnate’s title track as an “old song” made me feel ancient. Now with the album’s ten-year anniversary taking place, it’s easy to look back on how I felt when the album first came out, still in awe that it was already a decade ago. 

To celebrate the album’s anniversary, Motionless in White will be playing Reincarnate in its entirety for the first and only times during their Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Apocalypse Fest performances, taking place on Halloween night and November 1. For whatever tickets may still be available, click here.

Motionless in White also released re-recorded versions of “Reincarnate” and “Contemptress,” along with the NXT edit of “Unstoppable” last week. An anniversary merch drop was also unveiled recently, featuring a wide array of Reincarnate-related apparel and vinyl designs. To see all the options, click here.

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