[5][6] According to the band's lead singer, Jonathan Davis, the title of the album was inspired by a villain from The NeverEnding Story.

[7] This is the first album recorded after the deaths of Davis' wife Deven and mother Holly Marie Chavez, which is reflected in the lyrics of songs such as "Finally Free".

[11] On June 25, 2019, the band revealed the title of the album, official release date and unveiled its first single, "You'll Never Find Me",[12] and the second, "Cold", on August 2.

The podcast bears the same title as the album and is a fictional show about a journalist who travels to a small Kansas town to investigate a teenager's disappearance.

[28] AllMusic gave the album a positive review saying, "Over atmospheric NIN-like piano and towering drums, he exposes his guilt-stricken soul in a final confessional.

It's one of the saddest moments in their catalog, a low point that ironically elevates this album to one of their strongest statements.