Thrice
To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere

Suspended on a fine line between pathos and logos, between heart and mind, between soft and loud, these are Thrice.

It would have been a shame to lose along the way the artistic intelligence of this Californian band, always on point and never banal. A band that has earned respect on the field, a promoter of an artistic maturity that has few equals in terms of consistency and performance. Not everyone can seamlessly transition from post-hardcore ("The Artist in The Ambulance") to a revitalized version of indie ("Vheissu") to electronic experiments and country (the volumes of "Alchemy Index") to temptations and post-rock dilations ("Major/Minor").

After a break caused by intense live and studio activities, the return to live performances in 2015 was the natural launchpad for diving back into the mix with "To Be Everywhere is to Be Nowhere".

Thrice have always delivered remarkable surprises to their listeners with almost every release, hence the great curiosity surrounding their latest work.

The ninth studio effort, although drawing from some past experiences, is a standalone episode. Certainly, compared to the previous "Major/Minor," there is a noticeable hardening of sounds at the expense of certain post-rock expansions, which are drained here.

Released before the platter’s arrival, "Blood on the Sand" could be defined as the perfect single, a track that smoothly and quickly flows, catchy and notable also for its anti-war lyrics. The references to the political situation, more or less hidden, will not be lacking in other songs, where the story of whistleblower Edward Snowden, who embarrassed the USA government for illegal spying activities on its citizens, is also revisited.

Tracks like "Hurricane" and "Long Defeat" evoke vast open spaces and represent two of the best episodes of this adventure, with the latter becoming notable not only for its lyrics but also for a significant emotional surge in which Dustin Kensure’s voice stands out.

The negative surprise, on the other hand, is represented by "Wake Up," a predictable arena-rock piece that I expect from one of the thousand fake alternative bands and not from Thrice. Another part that leaves me somewhat perplexed is "Stay With Me," while I appreciate more the angularity of "The Window."

The positive surprise is the final postcard with a sunset backdrop "Salt and Shadows," a piece with a remarkable charge of pathos, sweetness, and epicness that recalls the liquid and ethereal experiments of "Water," the second volume of "Alchemy Index."

It must be said that compared to past albums, "To Be Everywhere is to Be Nowhere" risks being somewhat overshadowed due to the remarkable creative and qualitative vein of many previous works, more than for its own demerits. What remains, despite a few less interesting passages than usual, is nonetheless a record that will overall make fans happy, and for others, the recommendation is to start with the rich previous catalog.