Fioraidh – An Unquiet Mind CD

An Unquiet Mind is the fourth album from Fioraidh, the solo project of Pyroclast vocalist Mark Reid. Written, performed, produced, and mastered entirely by Markuz, the record explores psychological unrest, moral choice, and the fragile balance between control and collapse.

Opening with “Ghost in the Now,” the album follows a man awakening from a fifty-year coma into a world he no longer recognises. From there, it moves through political corrosion (“Devils Inside”), the discipline of containing extreme intrusive thoughts (“Fractured”), and the paralysis of hesitation in “Roll the Dice.”

“When the Night She Fades” tells the tragic story of a succubus who refuses to take a soul to survive, choosing instead to care for her mortal granddaughter while rapidly ageing. In an act of quiet sacrifice, the narrator allows her to draw just enough life to endure, until time claims them both.

“Change of Reasons” examines how swiftly foundations can collapse, and how resolve can rebuild them. “Chimaera” retells Bellerophon’s battle with the fire-breathing beast of Greek mythology. Closing the album, “Obedience in the Void” pays dark tribute to John Carpenter’s They Live, blending traditional heavy metal with stark 1980s synth textures and a towering choral finale.

While Fioraidh remains a fully solo endeavour, the album features guest guitar contributions from Pyroclast writing partners Chris Horne and Baz Fitzsimmons, as well as Graham McLeod, who was Mark’s original writing partner from the early Fury days in 1990.

Musically expansive yet tightly structured, An Unquiet Mind stands as Reid’s most deliberate and cohesive solo release to date.

TRACK LISTING:

• Ghost in the Now (with Chris)
• Devils Inside
• Fractured (with Baz)
• Roll the Dice
• When the Night She Fades
• Change of Reasons (with Graham)
• Chimaera (with Chris)
• Obedience in the Void