The Bishops

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Lore & Background

The bishops govern Dema, a fictional location set within Trench. The city's name draws from *dakhma*, or "Tower of Silence," in Zoroastrianism, where dead bodies were disposed of by vultures. The band explained on Reddit they were inspired by the "sad and intriguing concept of a dying religion... the reason it was dying was something they could never control: The lack of the vultures needed to carry out their theology. Something so natural and logistical can get in the way of your religion." A group called the "Banditos" aims to liberate the people of Dema. They adopt the color yellow, specifically 0xFCE300, which the bishops are unable to see, instead seeing it as grey. The song "Nico and the Niners" is about resisting the bishops, a theme found in "Doubt" from the previous album, denouncing their religion, "Vialism," and leaving Dema.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of the bishops unfolds across the album *Trench* and its accompanying marketing and music videos. The song "Nico and the Niners" fuses reggae, rap, rock and psychedelia and is about resisting the bishops. The track "Morph" explores themes of life after death and references the leading bishop, Nico. The bishops' rule is challenged by the Banditos, who use the color yellow to evade the bishops' sight. The story of the bishops and Dema was expanded upon in the albums *Scaled and Icy* (2021) and *Clancy* (2024), and concluded with *Breach* (2025).

Reader's Guide

The nine bishops of Dema are named Nico (Nicolas Bourbaki), Andre, Lisden, Keons, Reisdro, Sacarver, Nills, Vetomo, and Listo. Nico is the chief bishop, identified as Blurryface, the personification of Tyler Joseph's insecurities. The bishops rule Dema, a city named after Zoroastrian Towers of Silence. Their religion is called Vialism, denounced in the song "Doubt." The Banditos, a rebel group, oppose the bishops and use the color yellow (0xFCE300), which the bishops cannot see. Key songs involving the bishops include "Nico and the Niners" (resisting them), "Morph" (referencing Nico), and "Bandito" (accepting the role of a rebel). The narrative continues in *Scaled and Icy*, *Clancy*, and concludes with *Breach*.

Did You Know?

• The chief bishop Nico's full name is Nicolas Bourbaki, based on a collective pseudonym of a group of mainly French mathematicians.
• The city of Dema draws its name from dakhma, or 'Tower of Silence,' in Zoroastrianism, where vultures disposed of dead bodies.
• The Banditos use the specific color yellow 0xFCE300, which the bishops are unable to see, instead seeing it as grey.
• The song 'Nico and the Niners' is about resisting the bishops and denouncing their religion, Vialism.
• The narrative of the bishops and Dema was expanded upon in Scaled and Icy (2021) and Clancy (2024), and concluded with Breach (2025).