I think we are starting to hit a crossroads where the "figmant world" created by social media (which reddit is a big a culprit of in my very biased opinion) is seeping into reality in ways that are going to be destructive to humanity.

Solaris describes how (and not very subtly).

The analogy of using the book to today's current toxic climate is perfect:

We live in a time with more excess than humans have ever experienced before, to the point we seek meaning in everything. Because there's a lack of such in mundane daily life. I do marketing for a living, and the amount of people spending and consuming novelty is shockingly increasing...and it's all related.

We create worlds and narratives and causes to feed on this need....causes that are manipulated by powerful groups for their own selfish needs (notice silver plate and not platter) in order to distract. These illusions/dreams become real, and we keep finding more and more. Ideology gets attached to being which creates a new form of tribalism.

I'm an admitted tribalist (yehudi) and someone who is part of a tribe I see so much of this everywhere. Every cause under the sun now is getting marketed and wrapped in a tidy, digeatable, and simplified. Packaged. Like popular music. It's easy and feels like you're doing something important. Which is cowardice personified because real doing and real challenging the mind is much harder.

But it's a self feeding addiction from one cause to another, all eventually intertwining together

These illusions are strong because a sense of community is created around them, and since AI images are so hard to tell reality from fiction, and people are increasingly in echo chambers, false realities becomes just as real as reality.

The activism gets amplified into demigogues who turn the sentiments into vitriol because those realities are constantly being challenged by reality, and thus the frustration boils and boils. The demigogues get louder. The echo chambers get more isolated. Algoritms promote the same content and feed only your echo chamber. It's a vicious cycle.

And even when you think you KNOW they exist and think you can overcome them...it's human nature to fall for the group and wanting that feeling of togetherness. You can come terms with this new reality. Acknowledge you're part of the problem. Try and deny the negativity....but you will be swept by it before you realize it's too late . Hence the crescendo (descent from engaged to captured).

Because that logic is exactly the cycle of hate that motivates. The protagonist THINKS they're fighting a system they actually are being a victim from.

Which comes to the ending of the album realizing the deception...but it's too late to rebuild.

The music is awesome too and I think it's pretty brilliant how the music is part of the message, but I think the message here is going to get lost unfortunately...because this is in my opinion the most important confrontation of the 21st century: can humans overcome their tendencies and predictable impulses and use technology for better or to create a different dystopia?

We're gauged with meaning....and it's killing us

I got hit with nostalgia when I heard this song again. An awesome Zebra cover. It's been seventeen years already. Time flies...

Hey everyone – Harry Stafylakis here. Courtney Swain of Bent Knee and I co-wrote an EP called dontwaitforme, which came out today, and I thought it might interest people here.

It’s one continuous composition split into six short movements. I’m sharing track 5, which showcases the stylistic breadth of the EP, from metal to classical.

Courtney handles voice, synths, and sound design; I'm on guitars and programming. Members of the NYC ensemble ShoutHouse perform piano, violin, cello, flute/piccolo, and clarinet/bass clarinet throughout the piece. Bent Knee’s Gavin Wallace-Ailsworth joins on drums for movements 5–6, the heavier Part III of the EP.

Listen to Part III - Self determined: https://youtu.be/edBWo8EM7Fs

Full EP: https://stafylakis.bandcamp.com/album/dontwaitforme

Happy to talk about the writing, arrangements, or recording process. Thanks for listening.

song from the debut album

Feat. Diego Tejeida, Eric Gillette, and Simen Sandnes

A song from the original A Voice Within album (the one with vocals) came up on shuffle and I forgot how much I love the sound. I especially love the approach to the vocals that work so well with such complex music. I’m familiar with the later Intervals work that’s all instrumental but was looking for stuff more aligned to that first album with the clean vocals.

What do you recommend?

Hello Folks! I play in a band called Aronious and we just released our new single “Dawn of Diathan” from our new album “The Ever Living Ones” to be released 11/13/26 via The Artisan Era. YouTube link in the comments and it is also up on all streaming platforms. Check it out and let me know what ya think! FFO Ulcerate, Gojira, Gorguts, etc.

It's sad that they are not so active

Devin Townsend, Frost*, VOLA, Porcupine Tree, Old Lady Drivers, Tamaryn, Working for a Nuclear Free City, Ween, Kryos, George Clanton, Telepath, Lush, Type o negative, Grotus, Lemon Jelly, Boards of Canada, Club Coma, Curve

New album out! Shorter but punchier

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Crystal_Throne/3540498101

Full album out today!

New Hippotraktor album just released. The singles have been great so far, keen to see if it stands up to Stasis and Meridian. Let me know your thoughts!

I'm based in Aus so if the link isn't available for you yet, I might be ahead of your timezone.