I can help ya with 3. Nicole, who is a trans woman, was a founding member of the band. David and Katie (who is the female vox you hear and in general since Harmlessness) say that Nicole was extremely abusive and predatory against Katie. Nicole says otherwise. As far as any proof that's as far as it's ever gone. However, David took it way way too far with lyrics on Always Foreign, especially casually saying "Execute the queen" about a trans woman is a moment dude needed to take a step back and think a little harder.

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Jesus that's awful. Someone definitely should have stepped up and said something before the ink dried, so to speak. I feel for Nicole in that case because regardless of whatever drama occurred in the past it sounds like certain members of the band are continuing to take unnecessarily brutal shots at her. That said, from a musical perspective, I guess I'm a fan of Katie's because the female vox on Harmlessness and Illusory Walls stand out to me more than anything on the band's debut. (Assuming by "since Harmlessness" you mean including Katie and excluding Nicole on that LP).

Yeah I mean the prominent female vocals you hear in Harmlessness and every album since are Katie. She has an absolutely phenomenal voice imo.

It's a weird situation because the only thing that is irrefutably provable is that David wrote some really nasty stuff. I've heard a lot about him sucking in general but again, it's he said she said.

Dylan Balliett wrote and sings the queen line you're talking about

Wait for real? I didn't look super into it cuz it's just gross and I'm friends with Nicole, will admit that is my mistake. Fuck Dylan then lol, and I mean fuck all of em for being cool with the line in general

Album Rating: 5.0

Anyone realize how stunning the lyrics to Invading are? Fantastic biting critique on American society.

They really are, the lyrics are awesome here. Invading is probably my 2nd favorite behind Fewer Afraid

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Still curious about my 1st & 2nd questions so hopefully someone has some insight. Appreciate your answer to the Nicole thing, Slex.



@Mongi those are some of the best lyrics the band has written, indeed.

No problem! I'm definitely not an expert tbh but it's hard to forget when all that shit hit the fan lol. Would also be curious to see someone answer 1 and 2

Cannot get Katie's part at the end of Fewer Afraid out of my head, so good

Album Rating: 4.5

"...the best 1-2 punch of the album is........ Died in the Prison --> Your brain."



love whenever we are on the same exact page Feather

Album Rating: 4.5

and idk maybe about to sound controversial here but i dont see what's so problematic about that line in The Future. i'm not them/i'm not in their situation ie I'm just an outsider looking in but idk people write drastic metaphorical lyrics about being rid of people all the time. why not play up the drama for an art showcase? If you're friends with her than yeah, that sucks to hear but again, the rest of us are removed from this completely



also, and I mean this in a trying to stay as PC as possible way (call me out if I misspeak please) but you're saying "execute the queen" against a trans woman is going too far but the opposite of that would actually be something that alarmed me since that would just be completely transphobic. if I'm following this right Nicole identifies as a woman

Album Rating: 4.5

double oops

On 1 I think it's just a bit- there's a song off an early split they did called "mega steve" so I just think it's funny to go from "mega steve" to "ultimate steve" to "infinite steve". Not sure who Steve and Josh exactly are (although obv there's Josh Cyr and Steven Buttery in the band) but an early EP of theirs is called "Josh is Dead"

Album Rating: 4.5

Yeah, the titles are cheekily about the band members, not sure how they picked 'em specifically tho, although Josh's bass do be sounding pretty infinite on that track



But the Infinite part - (talked about on the big text wall on the band's website doing a sort of making-of for this), talks about it as a means of solidifying positive things as a means of making peace with the fear of dementia (that runs in Bello's family), and that he wrote it intentionally as a slightly more optimistic sequel piece to Infinite Steve.



As far as the album art unfinished/finished circle goes, can probably just say it applies to themes as you want to interpret them, just like anything else. Lot of the album touches on shit the band's done before like you mentioned, so you could prob say that's a pre big part of it

Album Rating: 5.0

@Grey I think the implication is that because she is part of a minority group, it is wrong to say “execute” her. Love that we are aligned on favorite 1-2 punch btw! Not at all surprised though.



Grey nailed number 1.



@Slex that is t Katie singing at the end of Fewer Afraid, that is the singer of For Everest who I can’t remember the name of!

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Okay so it sounds like the mega/ultimate/infinite [insert name]'s are just an inside joke which is sort of what I figured unless someone had profound insight.

Also it seems like my hunch about question 2 was basically accurate, that it's just regular album art that people can take whatever they want from. I just wanted to see if maybe the band made a statement about it anywhere (in an interview or such) explaining if it was meant to symbolize anything specific.

Album Rating: 5.0

Those strings in Rubbermaid are killer. It sounds like it’ll be a metal song but it’s a short song instead haha

Oh hm thanks for the correction Feather, that part is so killer

Album Rating: 4.0

Idk how y'all keep track of all these singers

This is rubbish