Thrice -- Vheissu

8/10

I always felt too old to listen to Thrice's music until 2007 and 2008's Alchemy Index albums. At that point, I went to their back catalogue to see if I had been wrong. Their older records, where I made those snap judgements, still proved to not be my cup of tea. 2005's Vheissu, though, shows a band who's maturing and growing, beginning to incorporate much of the complexity and sophistication that made Alchemy Index click so well with me. From the first notes of opening track, "Image of the Invisible," it's clear Thrice are set on progress, beefing up their sound, production, and songwriting. "Image of the Invisible" is a high energy, dynamic hard rock track, frenetic drumming and Dustin Kensrue's frantic call-and-response vocals building up to a huge, anthemic, uplifting chorus that makes me want to run through a wall. The guitars and bass allow much more room for space, the emotion is real, and Kensrue's lyrics, building to a strength before, are set to become a major asset. 

Dynamics really are the key here, as Vheissu contains some excellent, more quiet moments, with better use of keyboards, piano, and other ancillary instruments, which almost act like punctuation to the rest of the album's more aggressive nature. This also allows the songs and album as a whole to stretch its legs a lot more, which in turn gives Kensrue more space as a vocalist and lyricist. His voice sounds far more polished here, and he never has to rush to get to what he is saying. Overall, Vheissu shows enormous growth over Thrice's earlier work. By the end, it almost feels a little too overstuffed, as the band do eventually exhaust their bigger toolbox. Perhaps culling one of the last three tracks would have been to Vheissu's benefit. Still, this is a good album from an up-and-coming band.


2005 Island Records
1. Image of the Invisible 4:14
2. Between the End and Where We Lie 3:56
3. The Earth Will Shake 4:29
4. Atlantic 4:02
5. For Miles 4:27
6. Hold Fast Hope 4:01
7. Music Box 4:46
8. Like Moths to Flame 4:26
9. Of Dust and Nations 4:50
10. Stand and Feel Your Worth 5:52
11. Red Sky 4:17