Kurt Deimer did not set out to simply cover Silent Lucidity. He set out to reframe it. In doing so, he has turned one of rock’s most delicate ballads into something heavier, more personal, and rooted firmly in the present.
On his new album A Grog Is Born, Deimer revisits the Queensrÿche classic alongside original vocalist Geoff Tate, creating a version that feels less like nostalgia and more like a continuation of the song’s emotional legacy. His take leans into a deeper vocal tone while preserving the haunting core that made the original so powerful.
“Well, I’ve always loved the original version,” Deimer says, pointing back to a formative memory. “One memory I have from MTV was when Geoff Tate did ‘Silent Lucidity’ at the Music Awards with an orchestra behind him. It was just an incredible moment… The song was just beautifully crafted.”
This version has been years in the making. Deimer first recorded a demo in November 2020 under deeply personal circumstances. “I actually cut the original demo on November 12, 2020… the night before my grandmother… died the next day,” he explains. “What the song really meant to me… is that when people pass on that mean a lot to you… I think they’re looking over you.”
That interpretation became the emotional anchor for the track. While finishing A Grog Is Born with producer Chris Lord-Alge, Deimer revisited the recording and sent it to Tate. The response was immediate. “Jeff, without hesitation… said, ‘We’d love to do it,’ and they love the messaging.”
That message extends far beyond the studio. Deimer has positioned the song and its video as a platform for conversations around mental health and suicide prevention. “I think one of the biggest problems in our world is suicide… it’s become kind of like a pandemic,” he says. “If we help just one a day or two a day… not want to commit suicide… then the song’s making a difference in the world.”
The video, shot across multiple cities during his tour, captures that intention in motion, blending fan moments with raw, unfiltered energy. For Deimer, the response has been just as important as the release itself. “It’s a song that can bring out emotions in people… and it’s interesting to see because there’s so many beautiful comments.”
At the same time, he is mindful of the darker side of that same digital space. “Another problem in this world is there’s people that will say such mean things on the internet,” he says. “How many of those mean things… have caused suicide? Think of the irony of that.”
Rather than replicate the original, Deimer approached the song with a clear philosophy. “Respecting the original artist… don’t copy their work,” he says. “Take their work and… put your own emotion into it, your own style into it.”
His version of “Silent Lucidity” does not try to replace the original. It exists alongside it, filtered through loss, growth, and a sense of purpose that feels urgent right now. With Geoff Tate stepping back into the song decades later, it carries a rare kind of weight. It is not just a revisit. It is a continuation of a story that still has something to say.
Watch the full interview with Kurt Deimer Below!