In 2000, Thrice signed with Sub City Records and released two LP's. The first, Identity Crisis (2000), only received 1.5 stars in the AMG review and little buzz. The second, The Illusion of Safety (2002), was widely acclaimed and received attention from major record labels. Even though Thrice's music has always included metal influences, The Illusion of Safety contained a heavier metalcore sound. The album was recorded in Beltsville, Maryland and the track The Beltsville Crucible reflects this.
In 2003 Thrice signed up with Island Records and released The Artist in the Ambulance, which featured more metal oriented songs while keeping true to their hardcore influences. In 2005 a DVD outlining their entire career to date was released under the title If We Could Only See Us Now. It included a CD with live tracks from the Apple Store and various b-sides.
Thrice released their fourth full-length album, Vheissu, on October 18, 2005. The album was characterized by many critics as being experimentally different, using non-traditional Thrice elements in the process. From keyboard melodies ("For Miles") to Japanese music-box undertones ("Music Box") to chain gang chant choruses ("The Earth Will Shake"), Vheissu introduced a new sound to the band's post-hardcore roots. UK producer Steve Osborne, whose past credits include many Brit-pop hits, was sought by Thrice to gain a new perspective on the songwriting process, enabling the band to expand their musical influences and produce a different album. The album garnered widespread critical acclaim and peaked at #15 on the Billboard 200.
The band releasedRed Sky, an EP comprised of various b-sides as well as live recordings, shortly after Vheissu.
Thrice released the first and second volume of The Alchemy Index, a highly experimental project based on the four traditional elements (fire, water, earth, and air), on October 16th 2007. Over the summer Thrice parted ways with Island records and signed with Vagrant. The Alchemy Index Vols. I & II - Fire & Water was released on October 16, 2007, and sold 28,000 copies in its first week. The album consists of the first two volumes, Fire and Water, and features 12 songs, 6 on each disk. The third and fourth volumes, Air & Earth were released on April 15, 2008.
The "Fire" disc features the heavier post-hardcore sound traditional Thrice fans will quickly embrace, harking back to their pre-Vheissu albums. The "Water" disc, however, is comprised of ambient songs similar to those found in Vheissu, Thrice's previous album release. The "Air" disc brings a whole new element of electronic elements and delayed guitar riffs to Thrice's sound. In "Earth", much like Dustin Kensrue's solo album, "Please Come Home", Thrice introduces an indie-folk sound combining intricate piano and acoustic guitar.
Thrice's sixth studio album Beggars was released digitally through Vagrant Records in the UK on August 9, 2009 and in the US on August 11 with a physical release containing bonus material pencilled in for September 15. These dates deviate from the original proposed release date of October 13 because of a leak via Vagrant Records web player, which has meant the artwork for the album has also changed. The first single to be taken from the album is All the World Is Mad and was first made available through Guitar Hero: World Tour on July 23.
Dustin Kensrue has described the album as being "more visceral and more raw - both in the songwriting and in the overall sound. It moves with a different energy than any of our past records. It was born out of us playing together in a room, almost as a backlash to the giant headgame that was The Alchemy Index" and has been well received critically.
The seventh studio album Major/Minor came out on September 20, 2011 through Vagrant Records. Yellow Belly, Promises and a few other songs were made available for the listeners to stream online before the release date. The album received extremely positive reviews from many online websites. Alex Djaferis of Absolutepunk.net gave Major/Minor a rating of 95%. Tracks like Promises and Listen Through Me reflected a natural progression from the sound Thrice created in Beggars, which was widely appreciated by the early listeners.
Thrice decided to take a break from being a full time band on November 21, 2011. In late spring/early summer Thrice announced the 'Farewell' tour for the spring/summer of 2012 , which would be the bands final tour before going into an indefinite hiatus.
In early 2015 it was announced that the band intends to release new music and tour again. Announcements were done via the bands website http://www.thrice.net/ and social media outlets with an accompanying picture with "Thrice 2015" text.
Deadbolt
Thrice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At four in the morning you know where I'll be.
Out running red lights asleep at the wheel.
The sirens feed my nightmares,
I just close my eyes and I'm already there;
Its already too late.
I know its nothing but lies,
I find them too hard to hate.
And she calls from the doorway "stolen water is so sweet,
So lets drink in the darkness if you know what I mean"
And she calls from the doorway "stolen water is so sweet,
So lets drink in the darkness if you know what I mean"
And I'm almost sure
That I've been here before,
That this is not the first time I've stood in front of this door,
With an overwhelming feeling that I shouldn't go in,
But it seems this is a battle that I never could win.
And you!
My true love!
You call from the hilltop.
You call through the streets,
"Darling don't you know,
The water is poison."
And I say!
"come on and give me my poison."
What have I done.?
Is it too late to save me from this place?
From the depths of the grave?
We all are those
Who thought we were brave.
What have I done.?
The lyrics to Thrice's song Deadbolt describe the singer's struggle with addiction and the consequences that come with it. The opening lines suggest that the singer is experiencing deja vu dreams, which is a common symptom of substance abuse withdrawal. The singer is awake in the early hours of the morning because of the lock on the door, and knows that they will soon be out driving recklessly, with the sound of sirens serving as a horrific background noise.
The next lines express the singer's battle with addiction, as they are aware that what they are hearing is a mere manipulation, but cannot help but be seduced by the feeling of sweet water stolen from the darkness. The female voice that appears in the second verse probably represents the allure of the drug or addiction that calls to the singer, coaxing them into a destructive dance. The chorus again places the singer in front of the door they have stood in front of many times and asks the question whether they should go in.
Yet, the singer is unable to resist the attraction of the poison that their true love is warning them against. In the final line, the singer is left to contemplate what they have done and how they can get out of this situation. The song is a powerful depiction of the emotional and psychological struggles of individuals who struggle with substance abuse.
Line by Line Meaning
When deadbolts awake you from deja vu dreams,
You wake up suddenly, feeling like you've experienced this before.
At four in the morning you know where I'll be.
You will be out driving recklessly at this early hour.
Out running red lights asleep at the wheel.
You take dangerous risks while driving, even while sleep-deprived.
The sirens feed my nightmares,
The sound of emergency vehicles trigger fear and anxiety in you.
I just close my eyes and I'm already there;
You can easily envision and transport yourself to these reckless situations.
Its already too late.
You realize that you're in too deep and can't escape the consequences.
I know its nothing but lies,
You recognize that the situations you put yourself in are based on false promises.
But they sound so sincere;
Despite knowing the lies, the promises still sound convincing.
I find them too hard to hate.
You still find yourself drawn to and unable to resist these situations.
And she calls from the doorway "stolen water is so sweet,
A woman lures you in with the forbidden and exciting allure of her offer.
So lets drink in the darkness if you know what I mean"
She invites you to indulge in the sinful and secret pleasures of the night.
And I'm almost sure
You have a strong hunch and gut feeling.
That I've been here before,
You feel like you've experienced this exact moment in the past.
That this is not the first time I've stood in front of this door,
You feel like you've been in this situation before, tempted to enter a dangerous situation.
With an overwhelming feeling that I shouldn't go in,
You have a deep sense of inner conflict, knowing that entering would be dangerous but still feeling drawn to it.
But it seems this is a battle that I never could win.
You feel like you're stuck in a cycle of temptation and danger.
And you!
Switching focus to a new person or entity.
My true love!
Addressing someone who you love dearly.
You call from the hilltop.
The person is calling out to you.
You call through the streets,
Their voice echoes through the city.
"Darling don't you know,
They express concern for your well-being.
The water is poison."
They warn you that the situation you're in is dangerous and harmful.
And I say!
You respond with a disregard for their warning.
"come on and give me my poison."
You demand to indulge in the dangerous situation regardless of consequences.
What have I done.?
You question your choices and actions.
Is it too late to save me from this place?
You question whether you can escape the dangerous cycle you've trapped yourself in.
From the depths of the grave?
The idea of being trapped forever in the dangerous cycle feels like a fate worse than death.
We all are those
You acknowledge how others can relate to your situation.
Who thought we were brave.
You realize that taking risks and indulging in dangerous behaviors isn't true bravery.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DUSTIN MICHAEL KENSRUE, EDWARD CARRINGTON BRECKENRIDGE, JAMES RILEY BRECKENRIDGE, TEPPEI TERANISHI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sinus S
when deadbolts awake you from deja vu dreams,
at four in the morning you know where I'll be.
out running red lights asleep at the wheel.
the sirens feed my nightmares,
I just close my eyes and I'm already here;
its already too late.
I know its nothing but lies,
but they sound so sincere;
I find them too hard to hate.
and she calls from the doorway "stolen water is sweet,
so let's drink it in the darkness if you know what I mean"
and she calls from the doorway "stolen water is sweet,
so let's drink it in the darkness if you know what I mean"
and I'm almost sure
that I've been here before,
that this is not the first time I've stood in front of this door,
with an overwhelming feeling that I shouldn't go in,
but it seems this is a battle that I never could win.
and you!
my true love!
you call from the hilltop.
you call through the streets,
"Darling don't you know,
the water is poison."
and I say!
"Come on and give me my poison."
what have I done?
is it too late to save me from this place?
from the depths of the grave?
we all are those ..
who thought we were brave.
what have I done?
richard butts
For me, one of the most underrated bands ever. The progression of sound through their lifespan was impeccable to say the least. Deadbolt and Trust in particular epitomized one of their earlier evolutions in sound maturity and I’ve been hooked ever since. This song keeps bringing me back to a much better time in music. ❤
whataderk
This will forever be my favorite Thrice song! So much nostalgia and good memories of Vans warped tours and driving hours just to see them live!
Fran Roura
Oh... the old days when you could record videos with a calculator and still say it was the band's official vid <3
jordandrawsstuff
Fran Roura I got a whole family that luvs thrice!!!
Crybabo
@jordandrawsstuff I think you replied to the wrong comment.
André Soenderbaek
This reply is more to the kids that come around later and see this pixelated, weird ratio, funky ass video. Screens were smaller, and resolution was lower, so when this came out it did take up the entire screen, and it look as great as anything we'd seen at the time. Rendering technology was also way less efficient, so once it hit youtube it got a lot worse to look at. Compression was a bitch back in the 00's.
If you knew all this, this comment wasn't for you.
Sean Ridley
tin can actually
Darrien Craven
It amazes me how Thrice was probably one of the only bands in history to make such a smooth, yet speedy transition from punk to prog. rock. I don't think any band in the world could do that in 1 album.
Marty McFly
The drummer got injured before Vheissu so they had to change their sound
Natalie Witvoet
Whoa i didn’t realize THRICE has been around so long! Getting excited to see them perform at Aftershock next month!