Album Rating: 4.0

I have this as their best post-hiatus record, a modest improvement over Horizons/East. Loving the Tool vibes in Vesper Light and Unitive/West. Vesper Light is a godd*mn masterpiece, glad you took the time to break that one down.



Great review as always Sowing. I was gonna write one but your review pretty much captured how I’m feeling on this one. My only quibble being that you gassed up TBEITBN… that album is a major snooze for me.

Vheissu was their peak 🙏

But I wouldn't fault anyone for picking any pre-hiatus album as their favorite

Album Rating: 3.5

Illusion of Safety will always be my fav



Deadbolt is the best song they've ever written

Album Rating: 4.0

Musically, Alchemy or Vheissu

Lyrically, Beggars



Hard to pick favorites beyond that

Album Rating: 3.5

So far... This isn't better than East. I'm kind of bored by it on first listen.

I've been on a big Illusion kick lately. So many rippers on that one

Album Rating: 4.5

thrice has like 30 songs better than deadbolt, and i love that song.

Album Rating: 4.5

this review says they could stand to dial up the aggression, but i feel like they did quite a bit and honestly feels like one of their heavier albums overall.

Album Rating: 4.5

albatross is a friggin jam man, why are people hating on that track?

Album Rating: 4.0

Closing track reminds me of Ulver’s Shadows of the Sun album. I dig it

Album Rating: 4.0

Havnt enjoyed a Thrice album this much on first listen in what feels like forever.

Album Rating: 4.0

Glad to see people enjoying this for the most part. It just feels like a very whole, representative Thrice album.



Edit: and thanks, @whitecastle!

Album Rating: 3.0

I guess it's cool people are digging it but this does nothing for me

Album Rating: 4.0

The production is a lot like Palms, which people on this site didn't like very much, so I'm not overly surprised that opinions of this are divided. For those on the fence try listening to this tracklist:



Blackout

Gnash

Vesper Light

Undertow

Holding On

Crooked Shadows

Distant Light

Albatross

Dusk

The Dark Glow

Unitive/West

Album Rating: 5.0

The first 3 songs work really well together

Album Rating: 4.0

My way or the original way?



I actually have no issue with the normal tracklist, I just think getting Vesper Light in earlier elevates the whole experience.

Album Rating: 3.5

Gnash, Undertow, Dark Glow and Vesper Light are all excellent. I wish those high points where more prevalent throughout. Them Crooked Shadows is boring as hell and would have easily fit on Palms, an album I did not like. Idk, it's an alright album that might need more time to marinate in my ears.

Album Rating: 3.0

"For those on the fence try listening to this tracklist"



I'll try again with this tracklist.



Update: I tried your playlist and yes it sounds a bit better, but honestly, I don't have much of an issue with the original tracklist except maybe moving "Albatross" way down in the tracklist, probably before "Vesper Light". I just think the songwriting overall took a hit with this release in comparision to Horizons/East.

Album Rating: 3.5

Nice review Sowing, always enjoy your analysis.

Here's my two cents: The Thrice boys are doing themselves a major disservice by self-producing on the last couple albums (and co-producing Palms).

Obviously I get the allure, especially for musicians & composers as accomplished as the four of them. They clearly have pretty strong and specific artistic visions for their albums, which are easier to execute when you do everything yourselves.

But unfortunately, I think the result is the worst of both worlds:

1. Thrice are simply not professional record engineers/producers. The mix and production quality is noticeably lacking compared to the professionally-produced albums earlier in their discography. Especially in the heavier parts of songs, Dustin's vocals are repeatedly lost in the sauce and sound muddy instead of cutting through the mix. Some of those muddy mixes almost sound like the result of instrumental tracks that simply haven't been compressed enough...the kind of thing an outside engineering/production pro would know to clean up.

2. Self-producing also means there's nobody to edit and/or push back on the band when it comes to refining the songs and making composition decisions. It really feels like most of these songs are still in draft mode, like the band said "eh, good enough" before they quite reached final form. A couple of the commenters have said "where are the hooks?" — and bringing those hooks to the forefront is one of the primary roles a record producer would typically play. The absence of that editing/refining presence is definitely felt.

The good news is, Thrice's rough drafts are so good they still make for a pretty solid album. But I feel like those rough edges are the difference between great Thrice and just "pretty good" Thrice.

I may have to organize these thoughts into my own review, didn't mean to go this long lol

Album Rating: 4.0

Not entirely what I expected, but love it. Doing my first East/West shuffle now. Having a great time.