Pretension-potential varies from person/entity to person/entity and that’s one of the slipperiest qualities about that question. You have to ‘sound the depth’ of any group or individual — measure what they give of themselves against your perception of quality-in-context. The shadow of anonymity presents an interesting obstacle to any ‘conventional’ assessments of ‘pretension’ as there are now artificially imposed layers of distance that must be reconciled and transcended by both the anonymous and the audience. Anonymity is inherently sus as I see it and am generally inclined to agree that here it feels more like a crutch than a means for augmenting the music experience. But also I am so not invested in critiquing this album. If you like it cool! Seriously

Album Rating: 4.5

'They have, but it's especially necessary in the age of the internet.'



Not really.

*sees username* yep, checks out

go outside nerd

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

I agree Venin, I think it's a curious and effective way to stand out and good for them for doing so. It seems like it really works for them and that's great. I don't necessarily see it as a gimmick; imagination is one of those things we gradually lose as we get a bit older and it's excellent to see artists retain and express that creativity as weirdly as they want to. Fuck it, we all die, life is objectively meaningless, art is one of the few things that gives it all a purpose so I'm all for it. That said, I'm an awkward mf and would probably stand out like a sore thumb at a show like that haha. I bet they're great live.

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

Doc that is a really interesting take, I'll have to process that.

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

dude slipknot did this in the 2000s, why is people in masks still causing outrage, it obviously works so just deal with it or get bent

Album Rating: 3.5

waiting for the inevitable fox news hitpiece on sleep token being satanic

Album Rating: 4.5

Kiss...



There's nothing new under the sun.

Idk I think the cult shit points to a rot at the core of this bands whole vibe for me, like from their viral success to their vague dartboard spread of influences they look and sound and feel like a band that wants to be seen as Innovative and Enigmatic and Untameably Creative without any kind of visible investment in/actively trying to avoid revealing all the cultural threads they are very very very obviously indebted to. I know for a lot of people that's way overthinking it or armchair psychologizing or unfair and that's fine. But it really hit me in my Spidey senses right away- they're total phonies

“waiting for the inevitable fox news hitpiece on sleep token being satanic”
All publicity is good publicity?

Album Rating: 3.5

I mean this band is essentially what came when Vessel's old band (Blacklit Canopy) didn't get super known.

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

Perhaps this is not a particularly informed take, and for that I apologize, but I don't really see the 'worship' thing as being any different from the 'primus sucks' thing. Is that an unfair comparison? Just fans enjoying a band they dig.

Album Rating: 4.0

I'm thinking Johnny doesn't like this album very much...

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

@mkmusic nah bud it's just opposite day don't worry

im tryna give this a full listen but the vocalists over enunciation and lack of restraint is painful

its like that meme about people singing in cursive

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

I find it interesting because the vocalist is exactly what I enjoy about this. Without him none of it really works, it's very vocally driven. That seems the likeliest source of division here

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

"This record is so dull, so bland, that when we as an audience are asked to take “The Summoning”’s unctious funk coda or the token breakdown phoned in at the end of the title-track at face value, as just another part of ongoing compositions that make internal sense and should indeed be Taken Entirely Seriously"



I completely understand the sentiment behind this sentence, but find it wild because that is literally the best part of the song (referring specifically to The Summoning).

Album Rating: 2.0

"Perhaps this is not a particularly informed take, and for that I apologize, but I don't really see the 'worship' thing as being any different from the 'primus sucks' thing. Is that an unfair comparison? Just fans enjoying a band they dig."



"Primus sucks" is more of a meme than like band lore, but I can see how someone could see Primus' shtick as gimmicky. Honestly I think most people can handle gimmicky presentation if they like the music enough, but if they don't like the music the gimmick will just make them more annoyed. I don't see Imperial Triumphant get shit on here for their costumes, even though it's arguably as goofy as what this band is doing.

Album Rating: 3.5

"dude slipknot did this in the 2000s, why is people in masks still causing outrage, it obviously works so just deal with it or get bent" this definitely explains Corey's recent gushing over them.

Album Rating: 1.0

This is just poo. Like chill dudes we get it - you want to be different and edgy. How about good music first? Nice review.