MANIFESTO

BOSNIA DISCLAIMER
This Is America was recorded between September 15th, 2014 - November 20th, 2014.

The concept was conceived and developed over the six months prior to that, elaborating more as
production went on. This Is America was written, recorded, engineered, produced, and mastered by Ian
Kurtis Crist.

The original idea for BOSNIA (with the S//T EP) was to create a very snobby, sardonic perspective of
American culture. How it favors the straight white male, the over indulgence of substances, and the
general apathy of the human beings involved in American society.

Sonically, the objective was to create something that left the listener with a weighted and empty fear as
well as a confused anger feeling generally unsettled. In this debut full-length that idea is expanded on in
greater and harsher detail. Exaggerated and dramatized.

The goal of This Is America is to display the dominance of the male gender in American Culture, the
repression of the female gender in American Culture, the blatant homophobia in America, and the general
ignorance of Americans, and America. To paint a very stark caricature of the immediate socio-political
world surrounding the citizens of America. Embody the role of everything that is detrimental in American
society and everything that is breeding a negative culture often excused on any terms and on a daily basis.
Bands that are very politically involved with lyrics, speeches, and pre-requisites to each track played live
are hardly accomplishing anything anymore. They have lost the quickly diverted attention of their already
apathetic audience.

I thought it would be much more severe, irreverent, and realistic to take on the role of the aggressor and
exploit it to the nth degree. Take on the position of providing the first-person perspective of the
aggressor/bigot/racist/rapist/homophobe/and overall privileged white male. The hopes of creating this
were for the listeners and audience members to see/hear this and think somethings wrong with this.
Build an uncomfortable environment of not-so-exaggerated truths for the person experiencing the piece. I

thought it to be more powerful to become something that is truly evil and horrible, rather than scream
out against the things that, on paper, anyone in their right mind would scream out against.

I hope this record challenges men, religious fanatics, and the blanketed, unaware, careless American.

1. I, AMERICA (We have bred a vile culture of ignorance)
2. HOT DATE (The intentions of men should be questioned)
3. PAIN (The male ego is inexcusable)
4. COME ON BABY (Rape is excused by common America)
5. BULLY (The pressure of male dominance is pushed onto the youth)
6. THE PATRIOT (America is soaked in overweening pride)
7. DISCIPLINE (The pressures of male dominance and male pride continue into forming adulthood)
8. FATHER FIGURE (This culture of hate is passed on from one generation to the next)
9. THE FRYER (Americans have willingly created a stagnant and apathetic conscience)
10. ENTERTAINMENT (Americans have developed a mindset of instant gratification)
11. GARBAGE PEOPLE (Americans happily and carelessly pacify themselves)
12. HETERONORMATIVE (America is blatantly homophobic)
13. TITHING (Stupidity in devotion)

Originally I wanted to present this art piece without any sort of disclaimer. I believe that would have made
for a much more intense and valid artistic endeavor leaving all who experience it in question. However, I
had recently shown one of the tracks to a very close female friend of mine and it tore her apart. Of course
that was the intended reaction I desired in creating a piece of artwork that proliferates such shit, however
it really made me question things when a woman I care so much about was legitimately revolted by
something I created with such passion. It became more important for me as a human being to provide a
disclaimer for something that drives such a sensitive topic of discussion potentially hurtful to a general
populous I do care aboutrather than drop all consideration for anyone or anything for the sake of art. It
was a very hard decision to make, but it was definitely a cold realization seeing how my lack of
consideration was painful to someone close to me.