Thrice - Vheissu (2005)

Vheissu is where Thrice really broke out of their shell. I'll admit, I haven't given any of their albums previous to this a chance, but from what I've heard, It's all pretty sophomoric and shallow in terms of concept and content. With their brand new direction, some of the first things you notice are more complex song structures, more experimental songwriting and deeply insightful lyrics inspired mostly by Thomas Pynchon's book V.. One of the reasons this album stands out to me is how they implemented unorthodox methods in the songwriting process. Just listen to "The Earth Will Shake" and how the intro creates a feeling of desperation with a jangly guitar and a more lo-fi sound before bursting into the first verse. Later in the song, all of the music is cut out and there's what appears to be a whole chain gang chanting the chorus and stomping out the beat. It's all very epic and creates a very atmospheric and immersive listening experience. I highly recommend this album along with Thrice's newest project, The Alchemy Index which I posted earlier this year in four parts, Fire, Water, Air and Earth.

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

Vheissu