I liked Joes story
I’m surprised to see such a huge backlash to be honest. I understand the desire to preserve the original that you hold close to your hearts for sure. I also disagree with the removal of profanity, but i’ve also seen large criticism of the kind of new theming. I’m not religious and in-fact i really do oppose the notion of religion mostly, but to me it’s not really about christianity, more like hope.
A revision to a story of hopelessness and angst, which ultimately has the same ending as before. But this time, it actually shows a process of recovery, and through small hopeful moments like the speaking in the Ravenous House and Joe Drives Again, it honest to god reminds me - that yes, things suck, but that they can get better. I mean how could i go from hearing “i will never see the light” to “he’s got the sunshine in his eyes” and not feel the same?
The story ultimately ends the same on a low, but this time, through the new additions it reminds me that change IS possible, and not a linear and simple path but a path you can choose, and that YOU CAN get through it. Whether you find religion or some other means of hope. Idk, it speaks to me that way. I feel that the fanbase is so comfortable in almost fetishising our own sadness and misery that sometimes we fail to see that it doesn’t have to be like this?
That’s my own opinion, and i still remain to see why people do not like it. We all have an opinion of course, but i feel like the sheer amount of backlash i’ve seen is unrealistic, considering it’s largely the same album we know and love. I think in an objective sense, it’s not “worse” in terms of production which i’ve seen a few people say. And also it’s not supposed to be a grand new release, i mean it has soft launched on an insta story haha. I hope will and the band continue to do what feels true to them and makes them the happiest.
TLDR: Ur not wrong for not liking it, but i feel the amount and severity of backlash towards the record is not needed