At the tail-end of last week, Waterparks announced via a lengthy statement posted to their platforms that they were “canceling the release” of INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 2: LOST IN THE PROPERTY. In the post, the trio shared that they would be “dropping one final track from the album titled GUILT,” which has officially arrived.
Coinciding with the statement the band shared, which details vocalist Awsten Knight “constantly being in the headspace of re-approaching my issues with religion is very unhealthy and continues to take its toll on my mental wellbeing,” the track and accompanying short film opens through a voiceover introduction. The voice states that “religious guilt is the name placed on learned trauma through the teachings of the church.”
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The introduction continues, “From an early age, these institutions instill ideas in you that your interests, your natural feelings, and even who you are as a person, are inherently wrong and that at the end of your life, you will face punishment for who you are and the feelings you were born with.”
As the introduction ends, the video immediately delivers a sense of claustrophobia and unease, evoking the red and green color scheme of the original INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY album and the now-canceled INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 2: LOST IN THE PROPERTY era.
While Knight, Geoff Wigington, and Otto Wood appear in the video, none are shown performing and there are no vocals. Instead, the visuals convey a story of religious guilt and finding or perhaps fighting for, religious freedom. The group captures the unsettling experience of losing oneself to religious dogma and fear, manipulated by the church. This is disturbingly depicted by a skinned version of Knight’s face suspended against a black backdrop by chains and hooks. The video borders on an uncomfortable viewing experience, deeply immersing viewers in the dark themes it explores.
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As the video comes to an end, Knight is seen racing down a desolate road. Eventually, he reaches a sign that reads, “You are now leaving THE PROPERTY.” As he exits the car, the symbolic INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY frog jumps across the sign.
Check out the fascinating video for “GUILT” below.