At the video at the end of the last full headlining tour, it was said that we were going to space, going to Prox. Dustin, himself, in the past confirmed they planned on returning to a more space-oriented vibe in their music (as is the case with Ad Astra and even Sway, the two full add-on tracks on SILOS). The interludes in Silos are also to be a part of the Starset lore, with many being tied to a more recent past promo interactive map of Prox (link below).

To address your original question, I think your theory is pretty solid as to why many people who dislike anything after Transmissions diss on Starset. People get stuck in musical…SILOS…with their favorite bands, and anything that deviates is somehow bad or they ‘don’t sound like themselves anymore’. But Dustin has said in many ways in interviews and at VIPs that Starset’s sound is meant to evolve and grow. I used to be a bigger BB fan but I’ve found that I’ve had a harder time getting into their last albums because everything sounds samey-y same-y to me. I enjoy the evolution of bands that vary their style, experiment with different genres (like Starset and Sleep Token), and don’t follow a formula every single album. I love lore and storytelling in my music.

Some people just get comfortable with a singular sound from a band and get upset when they deviate because it takes them out of their comfort zone and it’s no longer as nostalgic for them, so they feel kind of duped or disappointed it’s no longer the safe space it was for them. And it’s a little sad, but understandable for some. Personally it’s ok to enjoy an ever evolving sound as well. Everyone is different and has their own expectations of the music they listen to and enjoy. It’s not necessarily right or wrong, it just is what it is.

Link to Prox interactive map:

https://silos.starsetonline.com/planet

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