For over two decades, Thrice has held a unique place in the post-hardcore landscape — a sonic environment where introspection and evolution are not only expected but also essential. With each album, the band introduces new layers to their unmistakable sound and continues their aural expansion, all the while refusing to conform to predictability or fade into nostalgia. I’ve been lucky enough to follow their musical journey for quite some time, and I love to think of them as an ever-evolving constant in my musical library. With a knack for exploration into the concepts of balance and dichotomy, the band is back with their new album, Horizons/West. This is their 12th album release and the long-awaited continuation of 2021’s Horizons/East.
The album opens with “Blackout,” a very cinematically building introduction to the mise en scène of Horizons/West that combines foreboding programming with the essential sounds of Thrice. Next is the album’s singles, “Gnash” and “Albatross.” The former dusts off the heavier-hitting sound of earlier songs, like “Silhouette” and “The Arsonist,” combining loud guitars and lyrical imagery that not only encourages me to bang my head but also to ponder the allusion of gnashing teeth. The latter is reminiscent of the Beggars era: great drumline, layered guitars and bass, and thought-provoking lyrics of love and loss. I absolutely love the way that this song was mixed, particularly the panning between the different guitar parts and the rhythm it created in tandem with the drum and bass lines for an extremely fun stereo listening experience!
The fourth track on this album, “Undertow,” I have deemed as my favorite! The layers of the sonic space created in this song were so interesting to listen to, and I can’t seem to pull myself away from it! I love the contrast between the instrumentation of the different sections of the song; the verses are built around a simple programmed beat with shaker triplets and a subtle acoustic guitar, while the chorus and bridge sections utilize a full-band/live sound. While this song embraced some of the experimental qualities the band has to offer, the next song on the tracklist, “Holding On,” returned me to the sound I most closely associate with Thrice. This song holds power in being lyrically poetic and creates a feeling of reassurance through singer Dustin Kensrue’s delivery, which is somewhat casual in nature. Phrases like “Just hold on, I know you’re tired / And you doubt that you’re quite sane” propel the themes of personal identity and introspection that are woven throughout the lyrical fabric of the album as a whole. This first section of the album closes with the interlude “Dusk,” a moody instrumental that carries the ambient themes from what we’ve already heard into what we are soon to experience.
The second half of Horizons/West begins with “The Dark Glow,” a song that I couldn’t help but compare to the progression of a summer rain storm. It opens with the mysterious feeling of clouds rolling in through the subtlety of instrumental presence, the first wave of chaos coming through the full sound of the first chorus and breaking just enough to roll through the second verse. The beautifully simplistic drumline gently guides us further through the storm. The bridge creates a subtle “break in the clouds” as it were, only to plunge the listener directly into a final downpour in a culmination of powerful vocals, thrumming bass, meticulous drums, and compelling guitars. The soft outro feels like the clouds and rain are finally rolling out, while the song itself doesn’t musically find a natural resolution, leaving the listener subconsciously waiting for the next movement.
The energy picks back up with “Crooked Shadows” and “Distant Suns.” The strength of these songs is carried by the rhythmic presence of brothers Eddie (bass) and Riley (drums) Breckenridge. My first listen through of both songs in the car had me tapping away on my steering wheel like it was no one’s business! I’m fond of the subtlety in the support that lead guitar line lends to the bassline by following its initial rhythm while sitting comfortably outside of the center of the mix. It aids in creating a bit of a connected disconnect between the different musical parts that creates a really beautiful balance. Both songs are also very strong lyrically in the picture they paint for the listener. Made of clever rhymes and near rhymes, thoughtful uses of imagery, and cerebral metaphor.
The second-to-last song is called “Vesper Light,” and it is a clear representation of the progressive and experimental elements Thrice fans have come to know and love. I found this one to be truly interesting to listen to for a few different reasons, beginning with the instrumental arrangement sounding as if it pulls some inspiration from non-Western musical traditions and the utilization of a higher register vocal. It reminded me a bit of Tool’s Lateralus through the arrangement of timing, rhythmic variations, and timbre of instruments used. Additionally, there is an interesting pattern in the song’s skeletal form and lyrical construction that fosters a cyclical feeling to the story being told. To me, these more experimental qualities added a new texture to the band’s repertoire, and I was automatically intrigued to continue the journey through the song.
The record closes with “Unitive/West,” which is a perfect conclusion to the musical and lyrical themes presented through the album. I am particularly fond of the connection between the piano lines of the previously released “Unitive/East” and the different bell tones used in “Unitive/West.” Certain similarities like this really highlighted the connections between the two albums and the story they are meant to tell in succession, and ultimately, a really cool way to musically encourage the narrative of endings and beginnings. The presence of such an intentionally conclusive element immediately made me think of the sonnets at the end of each EP from The Alchemy Index, which I think is such a unique quality in the band’s discography.
Overall, I really enjoyed Horizons/West from start to finish. I think it is an amazing addition to Thrice’s discography! Each song kept my intrigue and made me want to keep experiencing what was being heard. There’s such a methodical balance between acoustic and electronic sounds that really added to the evolution of Thrice’s quintessential sound; I never questioned who I was listening to. I was absolutely entranced by the way the entirety of the album was mixed and engineered, a major hats off to guitarist/engineer Teppei Teranishi. The sonic scape that was created with the brilliant instrumental tones really reinforces the cleanliness and precision of the band’s intentions for how this album is received, no doubt the biggest takeaway from it being self-produced and engineered. Whether it is being heard as a continuation of Horizons/East or as a standalone record, Horizons/West is a fantastic new chapter for Thrice — a band that continues to evolve but never compromises on what makes them unique.
Horizons/West is set for release on October 3rd and is most definitely worth many a listen. Be sure to catch Thrice in a city near you as they embark on their fall tour beginning on October 17th in San Diego, CA!
