#zel yaps

[thenight-comes-down-likeheaven]

To kind of add onto @vagueconfusion 's post from yesterday about ai bands:

fellbrink always knows whats up and is one of the only people in the alt/metal influencer scene on instagram & the clock app that seems like he doesn't suck

[thenight-comes-down-likeheaven]

So, I'm surprised no one (at least that I've seen) has really talked about this in the biblical context, but in Look To Windward we are presented with the line "I am the demon of Sodom" and I have seen a lot of people make gay jokes and use it to speculate on Vessel's sexuality because "there is no demon of Sodom, so it must be a referemce to him being gay and feeling bad about it" and I just don't buy that (also please stop speculating). The Book of Ezekiel says that the people Sodom were guilty of pride, greed and selfishness. The term "demon" can also refer to parts of yourself that you don't like, experiences that left scars, former bad habits, things like greed, pride, jealousy, that can be ugly and painful when they rear their heads.

LTWW is very much about losing and finding yourself, starting to understand why the cycle keeps repeating, knowing what has happened to you and what you've done, and trying to move forward. It's about fighting to get to the light after spending so long in the dark.

Therefore: "...I am the demon of Sodom/ I am the blood of an angel / the fate of the fallen / nobody knows where I came from / even I have forgotten..." ->->->-> "I lost myself, I forgot who I am. I was selfish, I was too proud, and I don't want to be anymore. I lost something, and I'm going to fight to get it back; I'm going to find my way again."

[thenight-comes-down-likeheaven]

[thenight-comes-down-likeheaven]

LITERAL chills

[thenight-comes-down-likeheaven]

vore, yeah, kinky cannibalism song, haha woohoo

BUT

"will we remain stuck in the throat of gods? will the pain stop if we go deeper?" do you want this the way i do? will we stay in this place forever or will you venture on with me? "follow me between the jaws of fate so i can have you to myself for once / so let's get swallowed whole / i wanna go where nobody else will ever go" stay. be here with me. let it consume us, let me know you, see you. will you turn away when you see all i am? do you understand me? "are you in pain like i am?"

[thenight-comes-down-likeheaven]

i am having a religious experience (drag me under is playing)

[thenight-comes-down-likeheaven]

If anyone else would care to sign, here's a petition to try and get RCA to stop getting ST cosplay and art accounts taken down, cuz they're still at it. It's currently at almost 800 signatures

Can you spare a minute to help this campaign?

Stop Management team taking Sleep Token Cosplayers and fan artists accounts down

[thenight-comes-down-likeheaven]

The other day I said that it's probably time for "Is it wrong to know who Sleep Token are?" posts to circulate again. It seems I was correct, but I have seen some takes here that are very aggressive and honestly, just unrealistic.

It is not inherently bad to know their names, what they look like or to follow their other projects, especially if you found out accidentally. What is wrong is to purposely go looking for their information and invade their privacy. It is wrong to dig up details of their lives or search for information that they, themselves, have not given us. It is wrong for you to post that info online when they clearly don't want it out there. That is stalking.

They are all adults. They have all had an online presence at some point and they have all been in the music industry for years. I doubt that they thought they would be able remain fully anonymous forever, especially not with the very nature of the internet and the advent of algorythmic social media (screw you, TikTok and Instagram); but fame and an online presence do not negate their right to privacy or their right to choose exactly how private they want to be. I am sure they knew from the beginning that ST fans would eventually find and interact with their other work. If they had problems with that, they would let us know, but we still shouldnt be broadcasting any of that information. Just knowing those things is not wrong, it's what you do with them. We can, in fact, support their work outside of Sleep Token while still respecting their boundaries and keeping things separate.

Under the cut I talk VERY vaguely about their other projects and social media. Obviously no names of members or projects, no faces, but I think it's important:

As far as anyone knows, Vessel and ii are not active online other than through the official ST accounts. There is a reason for that. Leave it alone, don't go looking. Their past works are still public. Vessel's past project put out an extended edition of their EP last year, it's not something he is trying to hide like a lot of people claim, BUT he clearly does not want it to have anything to do with Sleep Token. Listen to them, enjoy the music, but don't bring them up unless you're in a space for it, and especially don't bring up their names or post their faces. The music should be appreciated, but their boundaries are the most important thing.

iii and iv are both in other bands and those bands are publicly online. In ivy's case, his other band predates him joining ST, so it's not totally unthinkable that people would find out about it. Do not bring ST into those bands' spaces, and do not bring those bands into ST spaces. Again: listen to them, enjoy them, just be respectful! Don't use their names or post their faces unless you're in a space for the respective band and it's allowed.

iii used to stream on twitch, many of us know that. There was an unspoken rule: do not bring up anything ST related. No "Worship", no "omg hiii bassy <3", nothing of the sort. That same principle works for both ST and their other work. When in doubt, just don't say anything.

There is nothing wrong with knowing about these things! There is nothing wrong with enjoying the music! What's wrong is when people take it too far, when they overstep the very clear boundaries that have been laid out and invade the band member's carefully cultivated privacy. When people demand information and interaction, and deny the guys basic decency and respect, that is where the problems lie. People that do that have no place here.

Don't go out looking for information, don't hunt down pictures, don't call out their names at shows or bring signs or merch for their other projects. Respect their boundaries. We owe them that.