The Archaeoptimist

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The Archaeoptimist
Spock's Beard - The Archaeoptimist.jpg
Studio album by
Spock's Beard
ReleasedNovember 21, 2025
StudioBand members' home studios [1]
Genre Progressive rock
Length61:01
Label Madfish
Producer Ryo Okumoto
Spock's Beard chronology
Noise Floor
(2018)		The Archaeoptimist
(2025)

The Archaeoptimist is the fourteenth studio album by American progressive rock band Spock's Beard and the first to feature drummer and backing vocalist Nick Potters and songwriter Michael Whiteman. Produced by Ryo Okumoto [2] , it was released on November 21, 2025, via the band's label Madfish. [3]

Contents

Background and recording

Keyboardist and producer Ryo Okumoto announced the album on his Facebook page on March 20, 2025 [4] , seven years after the band's previous release, Noise Floor (2018). To date, it represents the longest gap between Spock's Beard studio albums since the band formed in 1992. The album's first single, "Invisible," was released on September 12, 2025. [5]

The album was originally planned as Okumoto's second solo album (following The Myth of the Mostrophus, 2022) under the working title "The Destructionist," [6] but was later reworked into a Spock’s Beard release following the addition of drummer Nick Potters. Potters had previously played with Okumoto's solo band on Cruise to the Edge in 2024 and also served as Spock’s Beard's live drummer that same year. [7] [8]

To better reflect Spock's Beard's style, vocalist and songwriter Ted Leonard rewrote the title track. He cited inspiration from The Why Files, particularly an episode discussing pole-shift theory as a possible explanation for extinction events. Leonard described the song as telling the story of a father and daughter rebuilding after a global catastrophe, with the daughter’s optimism serving as a source of hope for their community. [9]

The Archaeoptimist was mixed by longtime Spock's Beard audio engineer Rich Mouser, marking his first mixing project after his studio, The Mouse House, was destroyed in the 2025 Eaton Fire in Altadena, California. [10] Band members recorded their parts remotely from their respective home studios. [3]

The band debuted songs from the album live during a three-night engagement at Alva's Showroom in San Pedro, California [11] , from January 31 to February 2, 2026, before embarking on a European tour that included the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, and Norway. [12]

Reception

The Archaeoptimist received positive reviews and was included in Goldmine 's list of the 11 best progressive rock albums of 2025. [13] Writing for British magazine Prog , reviewer Gary Mackenzie described the album as "complex and multilayered without being bewildering," adding that "it does all feel rather special." [14]

Track listing

All music is composed by Ryo Okumoto, Ted Leonard, and Michael Whiteman. [15]

The Archaeoptimist track listing
No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Invisible" Alan Morse 6:33
2."Electric Monk"
  • Morse
  • Whiteman
6:16
3."Afourthoughts"Whiteman7:31
4."St. Jerome in the Wilderness"
8:46
5."The Archaeoptimist"Leonard20:57
6."Next Step"Whiteman10:58
Total length:61:01

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes. [15]

Spock's Beard

Additional contributors

Charts

Chart performance for The Archaeoptimist
Chart (2025)Peak
position
French Physical Albums (SNEP) [16] 130
French Rock & Metal Albums (SNEP) [17] 33
Scottish Albums (OCC) [18] 43
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [19] 87
UK Albums Sales (OCC) [20] 16
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [21] 12
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) [22] 5

References

  1. ↑ "Inside The Archaeoptimist: Spock's Beard open a new chapter". The Strange Brew. October 18, 2025. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  2. ↑ Beard, Spock's (September 11, 2025). "Spock's Beard announce new album 'The Archaeoptimist'". Spock’s Beard. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  3. 1 2 Ewing, Jerry (September 11, 2025). "Spock's Beard return with The Archaeoptimist, their first new studio album in seven years!". Louder Sound . Future plc . Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  4. ↑ 28K views · 985 reactions | Spock’s Beard making new album. Keyboard overdub started! If you like to hear more about this albums progress follow my page. I’ll give you up date with all the goodies! Soon as I’m done with organ I’ll start with MiniMoog follow by Rhodes, Jupiter 8, Clavinet, Piano and Mellotron!! I’ll upload more videos. | Ryo Okumoto . Retrieved February 5, 2026– via www.facebook.com.
  5. ↑ Beard, Spock's (September 11, 2025). "Spock's Beard announce new album 'The Archaeoptimist'". Spock’s Beard. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  6. ↑ Citro, Michael (November 17, 2025). "Spock's Beard Returns with The Archaeoptimist". Michael's Record Collection. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  7. ↑ thestrangebrew (October 18, 2025). "Inside The Archaeoptimist: Spock's Beard open a new chapter". The Strange Brew. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  8. ↑ Beard, Spock's (January 18, 2024). "Spock's Beard and The Ryo Okumoto Band at Alvas!". Spock’s Beard. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  9. ↑ Citro, Michael (November 17, 2025). "Spock's Beard Returns with The Archaeoptimist". Michael's Record Collection. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  10. ↑ Sarmiento, Isabella Gomez (January 9, 2026). "A year after the LA wildfires, musicians still face a long road to recovery". NPR. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  11. ↑ Camacho, Jairo (October 1, 2025). "Spock's Beard / The Archaeoptomist Album Debut Concert (SATURDAY SHOW) - Alvas Showroom" . Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Tour Dates". Spock’s Beard. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  13. ↑ Whitman, Howard (December 16, 2025). "Top Prog Albums of 2025". Goldmine . Archived from the original on December 21, 2025. Retrieved January 29, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Prog - 2025-11-21". yumpu.com. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  15. 1 2 The Archaeoptimist (booklet). Spock's Beard. Madfish. November 21, 2025.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ↑ "Top Albums Physiques (semaine du 28 novembre 2025)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique . Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Top Rock & Metal Albums (semaine du 28 novembre 2025)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique . Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 28/11/2025 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Spock's Beard – The Archaeoptimist". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Official Albums Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company . Retrieved November 29, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart on 28/11/2025 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart on 28/11/2025 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 29, 2025.
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