I didn’t share my post to change anyone’s minds about Emily - I think about my stance regularly and am looking for more information when I can. I don’t think she’ll ever address anything you’ve laid out above publicly, unfortunately, as Scientology is so dangerous, her family and friends are in there, and she’s such a private person. I’m just providing some sources and we can all have our own views from there I do, however, believe that someone brought up in a cult deserves some compassion, and also accountability for things they did while attached to it. It’s complicated and not up to any of us to forgive or even really judge her when we don’t have that much public information
i get that completely (re: her not sharing more, having compassion for those indoctrinated, forgiveness and accountability), and i don't think you were trying to change anyone's minds about her. i do think it's helpful to lay out information like that. i don't expect her to say anything further about it either. my comment was to mainly say that there are a lot of unknown factors, and as cool as it would be to know that she got out, it would probably take a lot more secondhand evidence to fully convince people that was the case beyond "i have a complicated relationship with my mother" and "the guy who shot Leah Remini's book cover also photographed me". i think a lot of people in fandom spaces (also not referring to you here) like to grab a select amount of information to back up a point about their favorite celebrity and say "see, this proves X didn't do that", and given what we've seen about the LP fanbase (particularly on Reddit), they're willing to go to bat and find anything that might support the notion that Emily left. but again, the small amount of evidence we do have mostly comes from secondhand sources and accounts, and there's probably just as much to suggest that she's still involved as there is to say she's not. i just genuinely don't know.
If Emily has left that cult.. it would be a long time until she actually go public about it on her own on social media or in an interview.. for example: Laura Prepon who use to be on That 70's Show use to be in that cult for years but left in 2016 but didn't confirm it publicly until 2021 in an interview she said that cult is no longer part of her life. So if Emily has left then it's gonna be years until she confirms it publicly when she's ready to.
this one sounds the least like a traditional LP song so far, and for that, i have some respect for it. but on the other hand, there's nothing really striking or unique about it beyond Emily's vocal performance? idk what to think.
Not gonna listen. A month out from the album and we have already heard 2/10 tracks (intro won’t count unless it’s something extended which would be rare for them - Foreward is basically Don’t Stay and Wake is an interlude into Given Up). I’ll be surprised either way.
I'd probably compare it to something off Post Traumatic before any LP albums. Something like a mix of World's on Fire and Final Masquerade. Wish I vibed with the actual song more cause I dig the atmosphere in the first verse/chorus
RE: the photoshoot conversation. I do think it seems pretty unlikely that she would be working with someone who has direct ties to Leah Remini, biggest public enemy of the church, if she were at all actively tied to it. It would be so easy not to do that. Not that I would take it as irrefutable proof or anything, nor does it absolve her of the Masterson stuff, but it is at least an encouraging sign.
Heavy is the Crown has definitely been the best single so far. This is going to be an interesting album.
I can hear why it was compared to Final Masquerade. It's fine but it feels too short as well? Guess the live version will certainly sound better, especially if they extend the Depeche Mode sounding intro
The song starts losing me after the first chorus. Going full straight-ahead with the rhythm was probably the least interesting direction they could've gone with it IMO
Not a fan of this one, and I very quickly grew out of Heavy is the Crown. That song really is the poor man's version of Faint.