Skepticism toward the band and hoax theories

Even after the identities of Panchiko's band members were uncovered, many skeptics remained doubtful that *D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L* was recorded in the year 2000 and questioned the band's validity. Some theorize the original 4chan post to have been a viral marketing campaign or publicity stunt.

Many have compared *D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L* to vaporwave, an internet phenomenon and subculture prominent in the early and mid-2010s, the period during which Panchiko's CD was discovered. It has been noted that the characteristics often found in vaporwave media—including lo-fi music and anime references—are similar to the musical qualities and visual aesthetics associated with *D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L*. The synchronicity of the band's reemergence and the growing popularity of vaporwave has left some critics doubtful, reasoning that Panchiko created their EP in an attempt to cater to a mid-2010s audience.

The band has made attempts to counter these accusations with evidence of their existence decades prior. Wright has spoken of losing interest in combatting hoax claims.

## Proof of Panchiko

Panchikord member Profundemonium contacted Fierce Panda Records owner Simon Williams and received a reply confirming that Panchiko had sent the label a demo EP in the year 2000. They have also received photos from a friend of the band confirming Panchiko's Battle of the Bands competition at the Berlins in Hockley, Nottingham, among other fliers and tickets featuring Panchiko's name; the band performed on July 5, 2000 against 17 other bands.

## Notes

1. ↑ Wright, "I think there’s still plenty of folks who think we’re a hoax or an elaborate marketing campaign."
2. ↑ Semple states, "Vaporwave had emerged in the 2010s. *D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L*’s liner notes claimed the album was released in 2000. Additionally, manga/anime had only reached mainstream popularity in the US in the 2000s and 2010s... Others concluded that they were an intentional choice for the lo-fi vaporwave aesthetic... The girl on the album’s cover, combined with the music itself, seemed perfectly curated for a mid-2010s audience... Given the sheer coincidence, many commenters responded with skepticism, dismissing the album as a hoax designed to drum up interest in a random vaporwave project.
3. ↑ Semple muses that "the girl on the album’s cover, combined with the music itself, seemed perfectly curated for a mid-2010s audience."
4. ↑ Ferreday said, "The doubters thing is a bit odd. The lengths that people have gone to to try and prove it a hoax is incredible. It's like the worst game of *Cluedo* ever. They have gathered so much information and alleged evidence and interpreted it in a truly bizarre fashion. It's just nice to know people care enough to put in that much effort whether they believe it or not."
5. ↑ Regarding skepticism of the band, Davies said, "I can see where [the skepticism] is coming from, there is no concrete evidence really, [but] we did not plan for this to happen... I'm actually new to all this, the story of Panchiko is something I am still processing. It has only been a month or two since finding all of this out. We have tried to provide as much plausible reason and information that could back up the release date. It seems like the more we provide, the more some folks think it is all a hoax. Then the hoax story seems to become more ridiculous and fantastically more complex than the true story. I also tried to prove the release date validity, but it started to become pointless. People will believe what they want to believe. The Discord server has some lovely people on there, but it has also opened my eyes to some of the abusive and disturbing behaviour that young people experience online... To the generally skeptical but reasoned thinker, I respect that. You got to think for yourself, and I encourage you to do so. Make up your own mind."
6. ↑ Wright said, "I really don’t understand the cynicism for the narrative at all. It wasn’t even a 'narrative' for us until a month ago! The majority of bands that make demos never go anywhere, and we were one of those bands. I got quite obsessed with trying to prove that it was real for a while, but people will believe what they want to believe. The whole experience has allowed us to meet some lovely people on the Discord server but also opened my eyes to absolutely abhorrent, completely unjustified levels of weird abuse by what seems like some pretty disturbed kids."

## References

### Citations

Articles, documentaries, and interviews:

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Panchiko Reflect on “D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L,” Lost Y2K Demo Turned Internet Cult Hit (May 18, 2020).
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Panchiko: the internet’s greatest music mystery (February 27, 2022).
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Interview with Panchiko (November 24, 2021).
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Panchiko delve into the widely speculated mysteries surrounding the enigmatic band (December 29, 2021).
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Gig Review: Panchiko at Metronome (December 8, 2021).
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 4Channer Discovers Mysterious Album, Asks “Who Is Panchiko?” (September 4, 2021).
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 The Surprising Story of Panchiko (March 15, 2020).
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Panchiko Interview (June 10, 2021).
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Panchiko's Lost Media Icon, the Internet's Most Searched Band #BandsYouNeedToKnow (Spanish) (December 8, 2020).
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Panchiko premieres 'The Death Of' with the last song they recorded in 2001 (Spanish) (February 15, 2021).
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 PANCHIKO - “UNTIL I KNOW” (March 30, 2023).
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 ‘We didn’t even know they were there’: the little-known bands finding fans years later (August 16, 2022).
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Panchiko - D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L Lyrics and tabs (September 15, 2019).
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 E3 - Liv & Gigi's So-Called Life (Featuring: Panchiko) (February 1, 2022).
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Panchiko Interview: Emotion is an Art. Mosher's Records (March 19, 2023).
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Spectreview: Panchiko – D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L (February 25, 2020).
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 UK cult group Panchiko announce first album in 20 years & North American tour (February 13, 2023).
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Episode 2 - Panchiko Interview. Play By Play Podcast With DC (July 1, 2022).
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 How Dismiss Yourself Became a Hub for Internet Weirdness (July 8, 2021).
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Panchikobin (July 10, 2020).
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 How Panchiko Made Me Fall For Death Metal (January 3, 2021).
22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Panchiko and the Power of the Internet: From Message Boards to an International Tour, Two Decades Later (October 9, 2022).
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Album Review: D＞E＞A＞T＞H＞M＞E＞T＞A＞L by Panchiko (May 26, 2021).
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Panchiko DEATHMETAL - Tales From the Internet (February 3, 2023).
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Panchiko: How a Mysterious Shoegaze Album Sparked an Global InterSearch (February 2, 2022).

### Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous information compiled by fans:

1. ↑ Panchikobin (July 10, 2020).

### Discord messages

Discord messages left on Panchikord by the band members:

### Panchiko sources

Information found on the band's social media: