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Rating: I got to know Thrice a couple of years ago with "The Artist In The Ambulance," a decent mix of emo and post-hardcore that at times, however, proved to be too confusing and inconclusive, and indeed, after only a few listens, I let the album slide into my personal oblivion without any effort at all.
Year of Our Lord 2005: this "Vheissu" is released; numerous positive reviews, read around the web, convince me to give it a look. The notes of "Image Of The Invisible," opener and first single, begin: a classic Thrice piece, it could easily seem like a leftover from "The Artist In The Ambulance." And already in my mind, I begin to malign, imagining I have in my hands a photocopy album of the previous one; when suddenly the notes of the second track, "Between The End And Where We Lie," start: the rhythm is slow, the atmosphere is melancholic, and I am shocked that I never realized how beautiful Dustin Kensrue's voice was. After the negligible "The Earth Will Shake," track number three, which returns to more aggressive shores, comes the moment of one of the peaks of the album, "Atlantic": the tempos slow down again, the atmosphere becomes once more rarefied, and the singing, whispered and sweet, is almost hypnotic. A jewel of great intensity. The piano that introduces track number five, "For Miles," a piece surely influenced by heavy doses of Radiohead (apart from the epic scream closure), makes me finally realize the evolution of the band, which in "Vheissu" significantly slows down the tempos and reserves much more space than before, for more mellow melodies and sounds, yet keeping them perpetually balanced with the proverbial roughness that has always characterized Thrice.
What emerges is a sound closer to alternative rock than to the mix of emo and post-hardcore of the beginnings: the guitars, previously overwhelming, are here put in the background, although the excellent work of the guitarist remains perfectly evident; odd-time signatures, as well as electronic and keyboard inserts, are present in massive doses, like never before in a Thrice album (special mention, among other things, right for the rhythm section, in huge form); the scream is reduced to the bare minimum, so as to reveal the great melodic qualities of Dustin's voice, here warmer and more alluring, rather than angry and gritty, just listen to tracks like the aforementioned "Atlantic" and "For Miles," or the fantastic "Music Box" and "Red Sky". The result of all these innovations is decidedly disorienting when compared to the band's previous discography, which has grown enormously both in terms of songwriting and lyrics.
I reach the end of the album quite amazed; I never would have expected Thrice to pull out of the hat an album of such great intensity, beautifully sung and played, that emanates dreaminess from every note. A splendid work that made me reassess a band I deemed neither signed nor praised. Undoubtedly one of the albums of 2005.
Well done, very well done Thrice.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Image of the Invisible (04:14)
We're more than carbon and chemicals
We are the image of the invisible
Free will is ours and we can't let go
We are the image of the invisible
We can't allow this, the quiet cull
We are the image of the invisible
So we sing out this, our canticle
We are the image of the invisible
We all were lost and we are found
No one can stop us or slow us down
We are the named and we are known
We know that we'll never walk alone
We're more than static and dial tone
We are the image of the invisible
We're emblematic of the unknown
We are the image of the invisible
So raise the banner, bend back your bows
We are the image of the invisible
Remove the cancer, take back your souls
We are the image of the invisible
We all were lost and we are found
No one can stop us or slow us down
We are the named and we are known
We know that we'll never walk alone
Though all the world may hate us, we are named
The shadow overtake us, we are known
We're more than carbon and chemicals
Free will is ours and we can't let go
We are the image of the invisible
We're more than carbon and chemicals
We are the image of the invisible
Free will is ours and we can't let go
We are the image of the invisible
We can't allow this, the quiet cull
We are the image of the invisible
So we sing out this, our canticle
We are the image of the invisible
We all were lost and we are found
No one can stop us or slow us down
We are the named and we are known
We know that we'll never walk alone
Raise up the banner, bend back your bows
Remove the cancer, take back your souls
03 The Earth Will Shake (04:29)
We dream of ways to break these,
Iron bars.
We dream of black nights without,
Moon or stars.
We dream of tunnels and of,
Sleeping guards.
We dream of blackouts in the
Prison yard.
Heartbroken we found
A gleam of hope.
Harken to the sound,
A whistle blows.
Heaven sent reply,
However small,
Evidence of life,
Beyond these walls.
Born and bred,
In this machine.
Wardens dread,
To see us dream.
We hold tight,
To legends of,
Real life;
The way it was before
We dream of jailers throwing,
Down their arms.
We dream of open gates and,
No alarms.
We dream of ways to break these,
Iron bars.
We dream of black nights without,
Moon or stars.
We dream of ways to break these,
Iron bars.
We dream of black nights without,
Moon or stars.
We dream of ways to break these,
Iron bars.
We dream of black nights without,
Moon or stars.
Heartbroken we found
A gleam of hope
Harken to the sound,
A whistle blows.
Heaven sent reply,
However small,
Evidence of life,
Beyond these walls.
Born and bred
In this machine.
Wardens dread,
To see us dream.
We hold tight,
To legends of,
Real life;
The way it was before.
Look to the day,
The earth will shake,
These weathered walls,
Will fall away.
Look to the day,
The earth will shake,
These weathered walls,
Will fall away.
Look to the day,
The earth will shake,
These weathered walls,
Will fall away.
Look to the day,
The earth will shake,
These weathered walls,
Will fall away....
04 Atlantic (04:02)
it's been so long, and tin cans and string for years
is all that we've known, could it be you're really here
'cause my eyes are open, and everything still moves in slow-motion,
breathless and blue, and behind your eyes the sea
oceans of light envelop me
but things can't be as they seem, I'm so far from home
this must be another dream, but my eyes are open
and everything still moves in slow-motion,
breathless and blue, and behind your eyes the sea
oceans of light envelop me
my eyes are open, and everything still moves in slow-motion,
breathless and blue, and behind your eyes the sea
oceans of light envelop me
05 For Miles (04:27)
I know one day, all our scars will disappear, like the stars at dawn
and all of our pain, will fade away when morning comes
and on that day when we look backwards we will see, that everything is changed
and all of our trials, will be as milestones on the way
and as long as we live, every scar is a bridge to someone's broken heart
and there's no greater love, than the one shed his blood for his friends
on that day all of the scales will swing to set all the wrongs to right
all of our tears, and all of our fears will take to flight
but until then all of our scars will still remain, but we've learned that if we'll
open the wounds and share them then soon they start to heal
(as long as we live, every scar is a bridge to someone's broken heart
there's no greater love, than the one shed his blood for his friends)
we must see that every scar is a bridge, and as long as we live
we must open up these wounds
when some one stands in your shoes and will shed his own blood
there's no greater love. we must open up our wounds
06 Hold Fast Hope (04:01)
How can you be sleeping, waves like weapons crash
over us, cry for mercy and hold fast hope
who of us is cursed, or do we have to ask
search your souls and hold fast
if no one speaks a word, then let the lots be cast
truth be told and hold fast
white death wakes in black skies, mark your maker's wrath
fear and flames of azure climb the crooked mast
you will yet be baptized, steeped in shattered glass
sink and sing your answer and hold fast
as strong arms grip your shoulders like dead hands of the past
pray as you're tossed over, this breath could be your last
quiet and cold, silent and slow
night black as coal, miles here below
find your faith and dive deep, through living gateways pass
lined with death and ivory, and hold fast, hold fast
deep beneath the black dawn, leagues from lightning?s flash
ribs will raise cathedrals for the morning mass
steel yourself in sackcloth, roll your heart in ash
scrape your skin with steel wool, Cross your heart and hold fast hope
cross your heart and hold fast hope and hold fast hope.
07 Music Box (04:46)
We move for all mankind, a million miles from Everything we've ever known
And we're on their hearts and minds, a million heads Are bowed to bring us safely home
Hemmed in by emptiness, a million ways that everything Could be undone
This hollow in my chest is filled with reasons not to Sing but I found one, I know
We are not alone, we feel an unseen love
We are sons and heirs of grace
We are children of a light that never dims
A love that never dies, keep your chin up child
And wipe the tears from your eyes
In sleep we saw ourselves, a million years we had been Waiting there it seems
While someone weaves a spell, a million stars look on In witness to our dreams
We are not alone, we feel an unseen love
We are sons and heirs of grace
We are children of a light that never dims
A love that never dies, keep your chin up child
And wipe the tears from your eyes
We feel an unseen love
We are children of light
We are not alone, we feel an unseen love
We are sons and heirs of grace
We are children of a light that never dims
A love that never dies, keep your chin up child
And wipe the tears from your eyes
Stand ready and tall, reflect the light
09 Of Dust and Nations (04:50)
the towers that shoulder your pride
the words you've written in stone
sand will cover them, sand will cover you
the streets that suffer your name
your very flesh and your bones
sand will cover them, sand will cover you
so put your faith in more than steel
don't store your treasures up, with moth and rust
where thieves break in and steal
pull the fangs from out your heel
we live in but a shadow of the real
step out from time, see the dust of nations
step out from time, hear the stars ovation
Saturn will not sleep, until the sand has made us clean
still we stack our stones and bury what we can
but it all will be undone, and nothing built under the sun
will ever stand before the endless march of sand
so put your faith in more than steel
don't store your treasures up, with moth and rust
where thieves break in and steal
pull the fangs from out your heel
we live in but a shadow of the real
so put your faith in more than steel
don't store your treasures up, with moth and rust
where thieves break in and steal
pull the fangs from out your heel
we live in but a shadow of the real
11 Red Sky (04:17)
I know what lies beneath, I've seen the flash of teeth
Conspiring with the reef to sink our ship
The wind's a cheating wife, her tongue a thirsty knife
And she could take your life with one good kiss
Can you see the sky turn red
As morning's light breaks over me
Know tonight we'll make our bed
At the bottom of the sea
I know the ocean speaks, I've heard her call to me
And smiling in my dreams she whispers this
(The stars retreat behind their veil
The clouds are clinging to your sail
The storm is coming can you see?)
Can you see the sky turn red
As morning's light breaks over me
Know tonight we'll make our bed
At the bottom of the sea
Look and see the sky turn red
Like blood it covers over me
And soon the sea shall give up her dead
We'll raise an empire from the bottom of the sea
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