Over the course of the album, Kensrue examines America’s foreign policy, war, oil-grabbing, immigration as well as a few other issues on the social climate. Not to mention overall stance on God. He signals this intent off the cuff with the present, kicking off via a Pixies-eques intro. The calm before the storm. It quickly barrels into soaring melodies, as most of the tracks do, and explodes at the end. A few 90’s and 2000’s bands come to mind as Thrice pays homage to an era most would consider forgotten or by now antiquated.
While as dynamic as ever, it’s hard to deny how mainstream and commercial a few of the songs are. “Blood On The Sand” is an excellent example of this as well as the depth of writing Kensrue puts in. The aggressive bassline and post-hardcore/grunge sound feel familiar but you can tell Thrice isn’t keen on playing it safe. The break they took makes a lot of sense as you can feel the tension in his voice as well as how each tune segues into the next. The structured approach to how the tracks were laid, flows remarkably, which surprised me in particular given that a lot of the creative engine was built away from each other with families and distance accounting for the gents being apart. In past interviews, you could hear the cynicism when they indicated they’d be making music again. Their confidence just wasn’t there, but thankfully, all those doubts have been exorcised.
A record of imagination. A record of reality. Punishing and as accomplished as ever. They retain their best qualities, instrumental wise. Even the Grammys though so when they named “Blood On The Sand” as one of the 12 powerful songs that inspired social progress. The album is raw but polished. Dramatic but with a purpose. All on top of a soulful rasp that emphasizes to all of us, how precious second chances are. Such a riveting experience to listen and  write this review.