We went way too far down the rabbit hole with AFI's cryptic messages: Here's what we know - UPDATED
UPDATE: Sunday, Oct. 23 at 10:40 a.m. EST
AFI took to Facebook again on Oct. 22 this time posting a video of what looks to be Jade Puget recording some tracks for what could possibly be a new song. The video was played in reverse like the previous one, however there was one moment where the all too familiar three red tears appeared and what sounded to be a preview of a possible new release. Check out the original video and the video reversed down below:
ORIGINAL POST: Friday, Oct. 21 at 3:19 p.m. EST AFI has been teasing us nonstop for only about four days, but that still didn't prevent us from diving way too deep into the AFI rabbit hole and trying to find every connection and possible hint we could.
We've known AFI has been working on a new album since June, but by Oct. 14, the new music began to seem more and more real with teasing from the band. It all started with the band changing their Facebook and Twitter profile pictures to just a solid black image. Their Instagram was also completely cleared.
Read More: AFI originally wrote roughly 120 songs for ‘Decemberunderground’
Since Oct. 17, the band has been posting cryptic videos on their Instagram every single day. They all start the same way, with black liquid falling onto a white background with the same music playing in the background. However, on Oct. 19, the liquid finally hit the white background and formed three tears on what became a red background. It also was posted with the caption, “OCTOBER 28. MIDNIGHT EASTERN.”
Fans began speculating that the three tears might be a reference to the lyric, “Three tears I saved for you,” featured on their 2000 release, “Ever and a Day.”
However, things got even weirder on Oct. 20 when the band said that something was going to be posted on their Facebook at midnight.
But they didn't just tease on Instagram on that day. On Spotify, they posted a 43 second song called “O-” which features the same three tears as the single art. However, these tears are red on a dark background, whereas on the Instagram post, they were black on a red background. They also put the song on a playlist simply entitled “BLOOD.”
“O-” was not like any regular song though, because why would anything be normal at this point? It features what sounds like a man speaking backwards, along with sinister music playing in the background.
Fans had plenty of time to try and figure out what was going on before the surprise happened at midnight, including one dedicated AFI fan who reversed the clip and uploaded the results to YouTube. Check it out below:
Once the video was posted, speculation began of what the man in the clip was actually saying. Fans mainly agreed on what the man, who is believed to be Davey Havok, seems to say at the end of clip: “Follow me into this room. Promise me, you'll keep your eyes closed. I can't let you see me sleeping.”
AFI's official website also featured the same image that was featured as the single art, but with nothing else.
Even AFI's official Youtube channel, which hasn't been used in two years, has been changed so the profile picture and channel banner match the familiar three red tear design, featured on their website.
Fans who are a part of the Despair Faction, AFI's Fanclub, also began receiving a postcard featuring the same three tears, however, the colors are different in the postcard, as well, featuring them in almost a gold reflective color. Check out the postcard below:
However at midnight, the curtain was finally revealed and the fans were treated to a livestream by the band. One or two minutes went by, and the screen was still completely black, but soon the screen was replaced by a DVD player's standby screen and then a video started playing, and to add to the mystery, it was in backwards just like “O-.” Check out the video below:
It didn't take long for fans to play that video in reverse as well and begin to decipher it. It appears that it's the same track as “O-” and features the same lyrics as well. Check it out below:
What are we supposed to do now until Oct. 28? Better yet, has anyone played all of AFI's songs backwards? We can find a hint somewhere.
What do you think of all of AFI's teasing? Let us know in the comments!
