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Special Containment Procedures: Upon Foundation discovery of SCP-XXXX, www.cognito-bastards.com and the Bandcamp page believed to be operated by the entity have both been terminated. The Foundation’s current objective regarding the secure containment of SCP-XXXX is to completely eradicate the anomaly from the collective memory of the civilian population. In order to determine the identities of civilians that need to be amnesticized due to prior exposure to SCP-XXXX, containment specialists are to refer to web traffic data collected from both websites prior to termination.
In order to efficiently suppress public knowledge of SCP-XXXX, MTF Sigma-17 ("Outgrowth") is to be dispatched to the locations of individuals believed to be aware of the entity in order to administer amnestic treatment. Any additional civilians found to be aware of the anomaly during interrogations with identified subjects must also be promptly amnesticized. In addition, agents are required to dispose of any information regarding the anomaly found to be in the possession of civilians, especially recordings of SCP-XXXX-1.
A single copy of each known instance of SCP-XXXX-1 is to be saved on a Foundation hard drive and kept in a standard anomalous object safe. All other existing phyiscal and digital copies of instances of SCP-XXXX-1 are to be terminated. The hard drive may only be accessed by personnel with Level 3 security clearance or higher.
As of 07/██/2019, all Foundation experimentation involving SCP-XXXX has been suspended indefinitely by order of the O5 council.1
Description: SCP-XXXX is an anomalous entity that presents itself as an emo math rock band named “The Cognito-Bastards.” The entity consistently claims to be composed of four individuals: a vocalist, a guitarist, a bassist, and a drummer. However, no direct observation of these individuals has been recorded by civilians or Foundation personnel, even during live appearances. As a result of the ambiguity of their existence, the members of SCP-XXXX have been classified as PoI-XXXX-A, PoI-XXXX-B, PoI-XXXX-C, and PoI-XXXX-D respectively.
Initially, SCP-XXXX's discography was observed to be composed of a total of 6 singles, referred to as SCP-XXXX-1a through -1f. These tracks were officially released by SCP-XXXX on both its website and Bandcamp page. However, 3 additional instances of SCP-XXXX-1 have been observed since the initial discovery of the anomaly. Despite colloquially being referred to as songs, every instance of SCP-XXXX-1 that is known to have been created by SCP-XXXX contains no actual audio; when a living creature is exposed to SCP-XXXX-1, music is perceived entirely telepathically. The means by which the anomaly is able to transmit this information are entirely unknown.
Psychic exposure to any instance to SCP-XXXX-1’s extrasensory information is considerably abstract, and as such, those who have been exposed to SCP-XXXX-1 are unable to sufficiently describe the music in terms of tempo, meter, melody, harmony, or instrumentation. However, sapient individuals are able to successfully identify a general mood for each instance of SCP-XXXX-1, and are able to transcribe lyrics and recall song titles for any given track with acute accuracy.
The primary anomalous effect of instances of SCP-XXXX-1 manifests when any sentient being is exposed to it through a recording or live performance. Perception of the telepathic information transmitted by any instance has a memetic influence on the listener, compelling subjects to perform certain actions or experience certain feelings or sensory stimuli for the duration of the exposure.2 The occurrence of these effects is entirely universal between listeners, and subjects have no control over these experiences.
A number of civilians have been observed to expose themselves to instances of SCP-XXXX-1 on a regular basis, despite the sometimes unpleasant memetic effects caused by these anomalies. However, psychological evaluations of these civilians prior to amnesticization has revealed that the anomaly's memetic effects are not the source of this behavior. Rather, this voluntary and repeated exposure to SCP-XXXX-1 appears to be out of a genuine enjoyment of the material on the behalf of the listener. During interrogations, civilians have often justified this behavior by expressing their fascination with the anomalous properties of SCP-XXXX-1. Recorded conversations between multiple enthusiasts of SCP-XXXX contain similar expressions of genuine intrigue.
Experiment Log XXXX-1: The following documentation presents the results of Foundation experimentation intended to determine the psychic and memetic effects of all instances of SCP-XXXX-1. It should be noted that all D-class personnel involved were selected for their distinct musical indifference and ineptitude in an attempt to collect a relatively unbiased data set.
Experiment XXXX-1a
Subjects: D-576691, D-320704, D-284510
Procedure: D-class personnel were exposed to SCP-XXXX-1a, a song titled “Grass Stains” with a duration of 3 minutes and 13 seconds, via a pair of soundproof wireless headphones in an isolated environment. After exposure, the D-class were individually asked to transcribe the lyrical content of the song.
Results: Following initial exposure to SCP-XXXX-1a, all 3 D-class personnel immediately got up from their chairs and began rolling around on the floor, smiling. The subjects all promptly began laughing exuberantly after a period of 11 seconds, and tears became present in the subjects’ eyes following a period of 22 seconds. No changes in behavior were observed until the conclusion of SCP-XXXX-1a. Following exposure, all 3 D-class transcribed the exact same lyrics.
Notes: Transcribed lyrical content of SCP-XXXX-1a consists of expressions of longing regarding the narrator’s childhood, as well as recollections of various previous romantic partners from their youth.Experiment XXXX-1b
Subjects: D-576691, D-320704, D-284510
Procedure: D-class personnel were exposed to SCP-XXXX-1b, a song titled “Let Me Catch My Breath” with a duration of 2 minutes and 26 seconds, via a pair of soundproof wireless headphones in an isolated environment. After exposure, the D-class were asked to transcribe the lyrical content of the song.
Results: Over the course of the song, the heart rate of all 3 D-class personnel accelerated steadily, and the subjects were observed perspiring in excess and breathing heavily during the latter half of the track. No changes in behavior were observed until the conclusion of SCP-XXXX-1b. All of the subjects transcribed the exact same lyrics.
Notes: Following exposure to SCP-XXXX-1b, all of the D-class reported sore muscles and mild abdominal discomfort during the experiment. A physiological examination of each subject performed during a second exposure revealed elevated heart rates and muscle cramps in the diaphragm; in addition, blood samples taken from the D-class personnel contained a relatively high concentration of lactic acid. It is postulated that the song’s memetic effects on listeners are meant to reproduce the body’s natural response to intense exercise. Transcribed lyrical content of SCP-XXXX-1b consists of expressions of the narrator’s desire to “run away” from all of their social and academic obligations. This metaphor of “running away” is used ubiquitously throughout the lyrics.Experiment XXXX-1c
Subjects: D-576691, D-320704, D-284510
Procedure: D-class personnel were exposed to SCP-XXXX-1c, a song titled “Lovesick (Sick of Love)” with a duration of 1 minute and 45 seconds, via a pair of soundproof wireless headphones in an isolated environment. After exposure, the D-class were asked to transcribe the lyrical content of the song.
Results: Shortly after being exposed to SCP-XXXX-1c, all 3 subjects put their heads down in their arms on the table and were unresponsive to communication from supervising personnel. No movement from any of the D-class following this action was observed until the conclusion of SCP-XXXX-1c. All of the subjects transcribed the exact same lyrics.
Notes: After the experiment’s conclusion, debriefing of the subjects revealed a previously unobserved memetic effect of exposure to SCP-XXXX-1c. All of the D-class personnel reported experiencing a profound sense of loneliness and isolation during the experiment, with subjects recalling forgetting friends, family, and romantic partners entirely. Transcribed lyrical content of SCP-XXXX-1c consists of a narrator expressing their inability to maintain a stable romantic relationship and their exasperation with romance in general. The narrator also laments on their consequent belief that they will remain without a romantic partner forever, stating that they “just want to forget.”Experiment XXXX-1d
Subjects: D-576691, D-320704, D-284510
Procedure: D-class personnel were exposed to SCP-XXXX-1d, a song titled “Better Off Without / Pieces of Mind” with a duration of 4 minutes and 50 seconds, via a pair of soundproof wireless headphones in an isolated environment. After exposure, the D-class were asked to transcribe the lyrical content of the song.
Results:
Notes:Experiment XXXX-1e
Subjects: D-576691, D-320704, D-284510
Procedure: D-class personnel were exposed to SCP-XXXX-1e, a song titled "Crash" with a duration of 2 minutes and 3 seconds, via a pair of soundproof wireless headphones in an isolated environment. After exposure, the D-class were asked to transcribe the lyrical content of the song.
Results:
Notes:Experiment XXXX-1f
Subjects: D-576691, D-320704, D-284510
Procedure: D-class personnel were exposed to SCP-XXXX-1f, a song titled "Fuck Off, Chris" with a duration of 4 minutes and 24 seconds, via a pair of soundproof wireless headphones in an isolated environment. After exposure, the D-class were asked to transcribe the lyrical content of the song.
Results:
Notes:
Incident Report XXXX-1: Shortly after the discovery of the entity, Foundation intelligence reported that SCP-XXXX scheduled a live appearance at a venue in ███████, Wisconsin on 04/██/2019. Field agents were dispatched to the location on this date in order to confirm the presence of the entity at the venue. The following is a transcript of a recording of an interview performed by Head Researcher Hernandez with Agent Rigby, who was among the agents dispatched to the venue.
Interviewed: Agent ████ Rigby
Interviewer: Head Researcher ██████ Hernandez
Foreword: After the conclusion of Incident XXXX-1, Agent Rigby was called in for her debriefing, which included the following interview.<Begin Log, 23:43>
Hernandez: Agent Rigby, welcome. Please, take a seat.
[Agent Rigby sits in the chair across from Hernandez]
Hernandez: Now, I’d like you to tell me exactly what happened during the show, starting from when you entered the venue.
Rigby: Well, I walked in with the other two agents about half an hour before the show started. We picked a spot near the center of the pit and waited for the show to start. And then, when they were supposed to come on, well… How do I say this?
[5 seconds of silence]
Hernandez: …Did they not show up?
Rigby: In a way, no, they didn’t show up. But the thing is, we could still hear the music. Like, the stage was completely empty—no one was up there—but when it was time for them to come out, we could hear music. And then, before we could relay what was going on to the research team… Well, we’ve both seen the experiment logs.
Hernandez: I see. [brief pause] Could you describe the set list?
Rigby: If I remember correctly, I think it was just all the songs they’d released on the website. But then, after they played all of those, there was another one. I think it was called, um… [pause] “Now I Just Miss Missing Her,” or something like that. Something kinda sappy.
Hernandez: Can you remember if it had any psychic or memetic effects?
Rigby: Man… It was unlike any of the other songs they’d played. I think we were having hallucinations, delusions… It had to have been psychosis of some kind. I remember seeing a girl, and a cemetery too. And there was this huge black statue of an angel, and the girl and I sat under it together. It felt really good—it was like I was there, like I was in love with this girl. And then she just sort of… disappeared. I can’t explain it. And the cemetery did too, they both just melted away, and I suddenly felt so… sad.
Hernandez: …I suppose we’ll have to get you to transcribe some lyrics. [brief pause] What happened after that?
Rigby: The song ended, and the whole crowd was completely silent. And then, the crowd just erupted into applause, and the three of us—me and the other agents, I mean—we pushed our way out and contacted the research team. And then, well, here we are I guess.
Hernandez: Well, alright then. Thank you for your time, Agent Rigby. You are dismissed.
<End Log, 23:48>
Closing Statement: Subsequent interviews with the other two field agents dispatched to the venue yielded similar answers. All three agents transcribed the exact same lyrics; the lyrical content of the song consists of descriptions from the narrator that coincide with the episodes of psychosis described by the agents. As a result of the information gathered over the course of this incident, the new instance of SCP-XXXX-1 has been given the designation SCP-XXXX-1g.
Incident XXXX-2: On 06/██/2019, Site Director ██████ Mitchell received an email from █████████@cognito-bastards.com, an address believed to be associated with SCP-XXXX. The IP address of the sender was completely absent from the email, and it is unknown how the entity was able to access the Foundation’s intranet without the proper clearance and acquire Director Mitchell’s email address. Below is a copy of the email.
From: █████████@cognito-bastards.com
To: ██████████████@█████████████.org
Date: 06/██/2019, 13:53
Subject: hello!to whom it may concern,
this is levi █████ from the cognito-bastards. idrk what the scp foundation is but you guys seem interested in our shit. we arent really sure why, but our fans are forgetting about us completely and our website got taken down and a bunch of other crazy shit. its been a pain in the ass lmao. but yall seem to know who we are and about our whole schtick, so im emailing you to ask if youd be willing to let us do a gig at your place. dont worry, we wont charge anything lol. we just need a little exposure atm [sic].
thanks,
levi
Based on the contents of this email, as well as subsequent correspondence between the entity and Director Mitchell, it is hypothesized that SCP-XXXX was able to contact the Foundation directly as a result of increased awareness of the anomaly among personnel. Shortly after this exchange, Mitchell permitted SCP-XXXX to perform for a small audience of D-class personnel in order to carry out additional experiments with the entity. See Experiment XXXX-2 for more information regarding these tests and their results.
Experiment Log XXXX-2: The following documentation presents the results of an experiment intended to determine differences between the anomalous effects of live performances and recordings of instances of SCP-XXXX-1.
Experiment XXXX-2
Subjects: D-576691, D-320704, D-284510
Procedure: Prior to the experiment, PoI-XXXX-A was contacted in order to arrange a performance for the experiment at 18:00 on 06/██/2019 in a soundproof room equipped with a small stage. The PoI was also instructed to have SCP-XXXX perform the exact same set list as it had during Incident XXXX-1. PoI-XXXX-A agreed to these terms. The same 3 D-class personnel employed for Experiments XXXX-1a through -1f were recruited for the experiment for the sake of consistency. At 17:55, the subjects were escorted into the room where SCP-XXXX was expected to appear.
Results: All D-class personnel present exhibited the same behavior as they had during Experiment XXXX-1a through -1f with no noticeable differences. When exposed to SCP-XXXX-1g, the subjects entered a vegetative state for a total of 4 minutes and 47 seconds believed to correspond with the psychotic episode described in Incident XXXX-1. Subsequent questioning confirmed that the D-class personnel, indeed, experienced the same hallucinations and delusions as the 3 field agents.
Notes: Following the conclusion of SCP-XXXX-1g, all 3 subjects were briefly fully conscious before falling unconscious yet again, this time entering a deep sleep. After a period of 6 hours and 16 minutes, all 3 subjects awoke simultaneously. The cause of this episode is, as of yet, unknown.
Refer to Incident XXXX-3 for additional details regarding the aftermath of this experiment.
Incident Report XXXX-3: At the end of Experiment XXXX-2, all 3 of the D-class personnel present went unconscious and remained in this state for a period of 6 hours and 16 minutes before waking up. The subjects were observed to have entered REM sleep a mere 5 minutes and 15 seconds after falling unconscious, and they remained in this state for the full duration of the episode. Additionally, in this state, the D-class personnel were completely unresponsive to all stimuli provided during attempts to awaken them. The following is a transcript of an interview with D-711465 performed shortly afterwards regarding this incident by Head Researcher Hernandez.
Interviewed: D-711465
Interviewer: Head Researcher ██████ Hernandez
Foreword: After the conclusion of Incident XXXX-3, D-711465, along with the other 2 D-class personnel involved, were brought in for an interview by Hernandez in order to identify a possible cause of the event, as well as any unseen effects.<Begin Log, 1:57>
Hernandez: Alright, D-711465, let's begin. Tell me, did you hear any music before you fell unconscious?
D-711465: [sigh] Well, that's a little tricky, doc. I don't really know how to say this… [brief pause] Like, I remember what it sounded like, but I don't remember actually hearing it. At all. I mean, at some point I must've heard it though, right? That's how all this shit works?
Hernandez: That's what we've observed, yes. Hmm… [sound of a pen tapping against a clipboard] …I don't suppose you remember the title and lyrics, like all the other songs?
D-711465: Yeah, I remember. The title was something like, "Only a Matter of Time," I think. And I think I can remember the lyrics too.
Hernandez: We'll have to get those transcribed after we're done here, then. Now, did you have any dreams while you were unconscious?
D-711465: Yeah, I sure did. Wasn't a very nice dream though, I'll say that. [brief pause] You probably want me to describe it, huh?
Hernandez: Yes. Please, go on.
D-711465: [sigh] Well, I'm not even sure where to begin, doc. It's a bit muddy in my head. Can't remember all the details. It was definitely long, though. Felt like hours and hours—it was kinda fucked up, you know? And I just remember feeling really… disgusted, I guess. And maybe a bit guilty, too.
Hernandez: Anything distinct? As in, visual or auditory memories?
D-711465: Yeah, I was getting to that. [brief pause] It was a very vivid dream. I remember, there were lots of beaches, covered in trash. And homeless people—at least, they seemed pretty poor. Like, living on the street, you know? And… I think there was a battlefield, with lots of explosions and bodies and soldiers running around and shit. Can't really remember the rest too well though… It was kind of insane, doc.
Hernandez: And you were just watching all this happening?
D-711465: …Are you accusing me of not doing anything about it? [audibly irritated] I couldn't have helped if I wanted to, man. What would I have been able to do about all that on my own?
Hernandez: Please, D-711465, calm down. I didn't intend to accuse you of anything.
D-711465: [sigh] …Right, yeah. Sorry. I guess it was just pretty hard seeing all that shit laid out in front of me. I mean, everyone knows the world sucks, but… It was a bit shocking to actually see it all, you know?
Hernandez: I understand. Is there anything else about the dream you can tell me?
D-711465: Hmm… [brief pause] Well, I guess it ended pretty abruptly. One second I was standing in that battlefield, and then I was immediately awake. There wasn't a solid conclusion, it just ended. Other than that… I don't have much else to say, really.
Hernandez: Well, in that case, I suppose this interview is over. Thank you for your time. We'll have you transcribe those lyrics very soon, I expect.
<End Log, 2:03>
Subsequent interviews with the other two subjects yielded similar answers. All three D-class personnel transcribed the exact same lyrics, which include descriptions of polluted beaches, the plights of economically challenged civilians, and a battlefield filled with dying soldiers and explosions, corresponding with D-711465's memories from the dream. In addition, the song's lyrical content contains various accusations at the audience for doing nothing to fix the aforementioned issues.
As a result of the information gathered over the course of this incident, the new instance of SCP-XXXX-1 has been given the designation SCP-XXXX-1h. It is theorized that the brief period of time subjects spent unconscious before entering REM sleep was the period during which they received SCP-XXXX-1h's telepathic information.
Experiment Log XXXX-3: On 07/██/2019, the address believed to be associated with SCP-XXXX contacted Site Director ██████ Mitchell with the following email:
From: █████████@cognito-bastards.com
To: ██████████████@█████████████.org
Date: 07/██/2019, 21:23
Subject: new songhey ██████,
whats up? listen, weve been hard at work writing some new shit and wed be interested in gettin a second opinion? theres like, nobody else out there who seems to remember us anymore. but this shit is my passion, you know? so if youre down, then maybe we could set somethin up like we did last time. let me know what you think [sic].
levi
After additional correspondence between Director Mitchell and SCP-XXXX, as well as discussions with Head Researcher Hernandez over the possibility of further experimentation, arrangements were made for the entity to perform at Site-██ once again.
Incident Report XXXX-4:
Addendum XXXX-2: As of 07/██/2019, the O5 council has officially suspended testing with SCP-XXXX indefinitely, overriding Site Director Mitchell's approval of Head Researcher Hernandez's requests for additional experimentation. This decision was made following the aftermath of Experiment XXXX-3 and Incident XXXX-4. O5 command currently has no intention of allowing SCP-XXXX's planned testing regimen to resume as a result of the events which transpired during the incident. SCP-XXXX's containment procedures have been updated accordingly.
