Biggest disappointment of the year?
OK, I know that’s a reasonably bold statement to make at the top of a highly anticipated release, but I feel it’s relatively valid. Thrice are, without doubt, one of the best bands around for what they do. If ‘Vhiessu’ was perhaps the sound of a band beginning to disappear up their own arse, you cannot say the same about the first couple of records. Aggressive, melodic, passionate – and with riffs in abundance – they became the band that defined a genre. But as their Radiohead influence grew further, Thrice have started to disappear from view, shifting from ‘mainstream’ appeal to a band making the music they want to make. It’s an admirable take (after all, this record was produced and recorded by the band themselves), but the end product is ultimately disappointing.
A four-disc set was always going to be ambitious, so the first two in the series, ‘Fire’ and ‘Water’ are different in styles. Although Dustin Kensrue‘s roar is still evident in places, the six tracks that accompany both discs don’t really go anywhere. ‘Fire’ is more aggressive; lots of burning analogies and lyrics involving fire. It’s also where all the riffs are, but even then there’s no ‘Deadbolt’ or anything quite so vitriolic. It’s toned down I guess, ironically I don’t believe there’s the fire in Thrice‘s belly as there may have been in previous years.
‘Water’ is also a bit of a damp squid. Again there are some dodgy analogies, but the six tracks just washed over me (no pun intended). For all the bravado and pre-release hype, the concept of having four records in this way really hasn’t lived up to expectations. It’s not that either record is particularly bad, it’s just neither is anywhere near as the Thrice we’ve come to love. The second set of dics have some way to go if they’re going to impress.