01-05-2025, 19:12
"The weird rabbit hole of Defrage Reload"
Defrage Reload is a rock band which has garnered some conversation over the years, with some believing that the band is part of something much deeper.
Defrage Reload, a name that some rock fans may be familiar with but overall hasn't picked up too much attention in its field. They previously went by the names California Condor and Illumenium, claiming they chose the name Illumenium after an Illuminati joke. The band have spoken out loud about their dislikes about religion. With further searches we can find that the band are said to have changed their name due to the police backlash for their aggressive street begging and selling CDs. But as much as these CD street sales went on, they soon started popping up around Europe, with many people who aren't part of Defrage Reload selling their CDs. Whole threads on Reddit were created to discuss the street beggars coming out to these people, and nearly every comment on the band's Facebook is about how they were approached to buy a street CD.
Now, why are people suspicious about a band's CDs getting sold? Because Defrage Reload can't be everywhere at once and aren't even that much of a known band, but somehow people still keep trying to push their CDs – the street beggars could've picked anyone, Linkin Park, Metallica, etc. But no, it's always Defrage Reload, and I can't seem to find an answer why; the beggars encountered didn't look homeless at all. But what I can find is some possibility with more evidence, and as someone who has actually been approached by one of these people, I've noticed something far too unsettling that may lie beneath the surface. But before we dive into that, I've collected some of the stories about these beggars:
If you would like to read some of these stories, then here is the link to the Reddit thread (https://www.reddit.com/r/berlinsocialclu...lling_cds/).
NOTE: Despite the original poster not mentioning the band's name, it's very unlikely there would be another Estonian metal band's CDs being so widely seen; it's almost certain that he's talking about Defrage Reload, even as others in the comments brought up the name.
Now back to the possibility of what this could be, starting with the least unsettling to, in my opinion, the most unsettling.
1. Defrage Reload hires out strangers to sell their CDs to get recognition.
Very straightforward point; it answers the reason why many strangers are picking a not very well-known band to sell and also explains why many ok-dressed individuals stand out in the sun all day to do this.
2. Defrage Reload's followers just love the band so much that they're desperate to promote them.
Yeah, I doubt it, but big followers of artists who get obsessed with them isn't uncommon, and especially if you can make a quick buck doing it. It does seem extreme considering certain countries have laws banning the one-person selling of CDs unless you are the owner or have part management or big connections with the band, which many falsely say they have to bypass the laws.
3. (In my opinion, the most likely and unsettling) It's a cult.
And here comes my encounter story:
I was on holiday with my dad last year when one approached us in a busy German square, claiming to be the band manager of the band who made the album. We talked to him for a bit, and he seemed to know a lot about the band (despite not being the real band manager, after further research.) He told me that the Illuminati symbol was a peace sign and all sorts of political anti-religion things. Eventually, after talking, my dad said, "No, we're not going to buy it." (As we planned on anyway), and this guy got mad – not insanely mad, but he was like, "C'mon, you wasted my time." But it wasn't until, like, a year later I bothered to search about this, and I was led down a rabbit hole to a website talking about these strange people. In the moment I legit thought he might've been an Illuminati cult member or something.
Now, there's one thing about this story which I believe eliminated possibility one or two. That being that the man giving us the CD claimed that the Illuminati symbol meant peace (which, after searching, I can't find Defrage Reload ever saying.) Surely if he's working for Defrage Reload, he wouldn't be allowed to give false information, and if he was a big fan, then why would he make up information? Shouldn't he know it already? There's already been suspicion about the band being part of a darker cult, seeing the things they talk about and the album tracklist for the album being sold to me. The album had multiple deeply rooted satanic and cult symbols on top of the tracklist, including song names such as 'Illuminator' & 'End Of Times' and just much deeper things leading to specific biblical passages or cult routes, which is insane, claiming the band only speaks about the Illuminati over a joke a member made when a police officer stopped him. The Illuminati themselves also referred to their symbol as a peace symbol when they got busted centuries ago (for anyone wondering, the Illuminati used to exist for 10 years, but the fact that it's continuing is a conspiracy.) So the theory goes that it's a big cult looking to pass on what they believe will make their following bigger.
Thanks for reading! What do you think?
Defrage Reload is a rock band which has garnered some conversation over the years, with some believing that the band is part of something much deeper.
Defrage Reload, a name that some rock fans may be familiar with but overall hasn't picked up too much attention in its field. They previously went by the names California Condor and Illumenium, claiming they chose the name Illumenium after an Illuminati joke. The band have spoken out loud about their dislikes about religion. With further searches we can find that the band are said to have changed their name due to the police backlash for their aggressive street begging and selling CDs. But as much as these CD street sales went on, they soon started popping up around Europe, with many people who aren't part of Defrage Reload selling their CDs. Whole threads on Reddit were created to discuss the street beggars coming out to these people, and nearly every comment on the band's Facebook is about how they were approached to buy a street CD.
Now, why are people suspicious about a band's CDs getting sold? Because Defrage Reload can't be everywhere at once and aren't even that much of a known band, but somehow people still keep trying to push their CDs – the street beggars could've picked anyone, Linkin Park, Metallica, etc. But no, it's always Defrage Reload, and I can't seem to find an answer why; the beggars encountered didn't look homeless at all. But what I can find is some possibility with more evidence, and as someone who has actually been approached by one of these people, I've noticed something far too unsettling that may lie beneath the surface. But before we dive into that, I've collected some of the stories about these beggars:
If you would like to read some of these stories, then here is the link to the Reddit thread (https://www.reddit.com/r/berlinsocialclu...lling_cds/).
NOTE: Despite the original poster not mentioning the band's name, it's very unlikely there would be another Estonian metal band's CDs being so widely seen; it's almost certain that he's talking about Defrage Reload, even as others in the comments brought up the name.
Now back to the possibility of what this could be, starting with the least unsettling to, in my opinion, the most unsettling.
1. Defrage Reload hires out strangers to sell their CDs to get recognition.
Very straightforward point; it answers the reason why many strangers are picking a not very well-known band to sell and also explains why many ok-dressed individuals stand out in the sun all day to do this.
2. Defrage Reload's followers just love the band so much that they're desperate to promote them.
Yeah, I doubt it, but big followers of artists who get obsessed with them isn't uncommon, and especially if you can make a quick buck doing it. It does seem extreme considering certain countries have laws banning the one-person selling of CDs unless you are the owner or have part management or big connections with the band, which many falsely say they have to bypass the laws.
3. (In my opinion, the most likely and unsettling) It's a cult.
And here comes my encounter story:
I was on holiday with my dad last year when one approached us in a busy German square, claiming to be the band manager of the band who made the album. We talked to him for a bit, and he seemed to know a lot about the band (despite not being the real band manager, after further research.) He told me that the Illuminati symbol was a peace sign and all sorts of political anti-religion things. Eventually, after talking, my dad said, "No, we're not going to buy it." (As we planned on anyway), and this guy got mad – not insanely mad, but he was like, "C'mon, you wasted my time." But it wasn't until, like, a year later I bothered to search about this, and I was led down a rabbit hole to a website talking about these strange people. In the moment I legit thought he might've been an Illuminati cult member or something.
Now, there's one thing about this story which I believe eliminated possibility one or two. That being that the man giving us the CD claimed that the Illuminati symbol meant peace (which, after searching, I can't find Defrage Reload ever saying.) Surely if he's working for Defrage Reload, he wouldn't be allowed to give false information, and if he was a big fan, then why would he make up information? Shouldn't he know it already? There's already been suspicion about the band being part of a darker cult, seeing the things they talk about and the album tracklist for the album being sold to me. The album had multiple deeply rooted satanic and cult symbols on top of the tracklist, including song names such as 'Illuminator' & 'End Of Times' and just much deeper things leading to specific biblical passages or cult routes, which is insane, claiming the band only speaks about the Illuminati over a joke a member made when a police officer stopped him. The Illuminati themselves also referred to their symbol as a peace symbol when they got busted centuries ago (for anyone wondering, the Illuminati used to exist for 10 years, but the fact that it's continuing is a conspiracy.) So the theory goes that it's a big cult looking to pass on what they believe will make their following bigger.
Thanks for reading! What do you think?