Thrice are one of, if not my favorite band of all time. The music they create is some of the most fulfilling, heartfelt and honest you’ll ever hear. Each instrument is respected and plays a vital role in every song and there is never any wasted time or moments that aren’t thoroughly thought out. The lyrics are so deep that after 10 years of listening I’m still discovering more meanings and ideas that have been masterfully woven into each song.
They are revolutionary, inspiring, thought-provoking and genius. This is my review off Vheissu, which remains after 10 years as my favorite album of all time.
Review:
Man, where do I begin with this record. There’s so much here that it’s impossible to ever write down every single one of my thoughts. This album changed who I am as a songwriter and a person. It made me fall in love with music and learn to appreciate the art of songwriting. How you can layer on complexity without overwhelming the listener but also having deep meanings that could be analysed for years. There’s so much to dig into that this will probably be a long review. I won’t talk about every song since that would end up as an essay. These are just the ones I really want to discuss.
As the album begins you hear a classic anthem, ‘Image of the Invisible’ which at the time of released was disregarded as a standard singalong opening song. In many ways it is, I mean it has the rallying chant in-between each line screamed out by Dustin. It’s very easy to get into and yell along with him, however take a second to listen to what he’s saying before you disregard it. ‘We’re more than static and dial tone//We’re emblematic of the unknown’. Now think about how masterfully those lines contrast and work together. The first being relate-able to anyone while the next invokes deeper thoughts and pulls you in to a deeper meaning.
I now want to talk about ‘The Earth Will Shake’ and how I believe it should be considered as a true classic in modern music. Now that’s a bold claim but here’s why I think this. The song itself is made up what equates to three sections. There’s the huge chorus, the heavier verse and the softer sections that interlinks the other parts of the song. It’s in this simple structure where there is layers upon layers of detail and depth that truly make this track a classic. Have a listen to it before I go into detail. I’ve embedded a live version so you can really see the emotion in the song rather than just a lyric video. Thanks to Moshcam from filming this.
The lyrics in the chorus, despite being deceptively simple have layers of depth and are incredibly powerful but in different ways dependent on the area of the song. At the beginning you get this sense of a lone soul looking to escape a prison, either methodically or literally which is yet another reason why it’s such an amazing song. You hear it pounding out and later in the song as a huge section that has crowds stomping their feet in unison. If you see it live, it’s a moment that can’t be replicated. The reason I think the song is so masterful is because it’s absolutely timeless. The way the lines of the verses call to each other, how the guitar work is constructed perfectly, ranging from heavy and massive all the way too soft and beautiful. The vocals are perfect. They’re gritty and forceful yet heartfelt with great amounts of passion behind every line sung. From the opening softness to the building aggression of the ending, the lyrics with the delivery are nothing short of perfect.
For the sake of readability I’m going to talk about two more songs in-depth even though I could go through every song in detail. The first I want to talk about is ‘For Miles’ which is another masterfully written song. It opens with a beautiful piano line and is accompanied by one of the most emotional performances I’ve ever heard. The emotion captured is astounding, it’s thought-provoking while having so much hope within sadness. it’s ultimately a more Christian song however it’s still open for anyone to relate too and interpret however they feel.
The song progresses until you come into a long bridge that gives you so much time to reflect on what you just heard. It gives you this moment of calm and allows you to digest everything before the ending of the song kicks in. Then you’re met with this intense emotional end that nearly pulls tears from me every time I hear it.
Now, the final and my personal favorite song of all time. ‘Red Sky’. The seer amount of raw emotion that this song invokes every time I hear it is incredible. Before I talk about it, hear it is for you to listen.
I just re-watched/ listened to it before writing this and every time I hear it, there’s just so much depth and emotion in the song. The way it begins with a piano and drums, then builds and builds with each element of the track adding so much. Until you hear the line ‘We’ll raise an empire from the bottom of the sea’ and then you are hit with the most uplifting moment in music I’ve ever heard.
It’s the most breathtaking and complete piece of music I have ever heard and will always remain as the only song I will ever consider perfect.
That’s just a few a of the songs from the album. Every song has its own merits and as a whole they all come together to form what I would argue as the greatest album of all time. It is timeless, emotional and heartfelt. If you’ve never heard it then go right now and listen to it. If you’re with me and heard before then just take the time to listen to it again.
Thrice crafted greatness with Vheissu and should be remembered as one of the great songwriters of our time.
10/10 – Best of the Best.
Mess Matty:
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Mess Matty 