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.
Flags Of Dawn
Thrice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eclipse our will
A cold wind blows
Across these hills
A swinging gaze
From the hangman's tree
A crows nest view
Of what's left to see
Of shade will turn to silence to this way
Still beneath the craters waiting
For this time to grow
So hold on
Hold tight
Open daylight
We will overcome
So put away your fear
A morning star will soon appear
And bring an end
To this dark night
And we must run for to meet the light
Watered by the blood of martyrs
Blessed and blind as sons and daughters
Sleep with one eye open
And live with both eyes shut
So lets find the place where sight begins
And see the things that we saw when our
Eyes were bright and wet against the light
And hold on
Hold tight
Open daylight
We will overcome
Open your eyes
Over the new sight
Fly the flags of dawn
The lyrics of Thrice's song Flags Of Dawn speak about a dark period in life, a time when the will and spirit of humanity may be eclipsed by an impending doom. The opening lines tell us that the darkness may creep in and take control, while the cold wind blows across the hills, creating an eerie and ominous atmosphere. The swinging gaze from the hangman's tree, and the crows nest view, illustrate the feeling of being trapped, imprisoned even when we're free, with no hope for a brighter future.
As the light of hope shines through, the tone of the song changes, and the lyrics are filled with powerful and hopeful messages. The light that is formed of shade is the hope, the ray of positivity that will enable everyone to survive, because the darkness will turn to silence over time. Despite the waiting, the message is clear, as proclaimed by the song's chorus: the daylight will come, we will overcome, and the flags of dawn will soon fly. It is a call for everyone to hold on, hold tight, and keep faith in the daylight.
Overall, Thrice's Flags of Dawn is a powerful piece of music. The lyrics portray the struggle of humanity, the battle between darkness and light, between defeat and hope. The song encourages us to open our eyes and look at the world with a sense of dawning courage, to find the place where sight begins, and to see the things we once saw when our eyes were bright and wet against the light. The message of hope and the promise that we will overcome the hardships of today, will undoubtedly resonate with many listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
This darkness would
The current gloomy situation has the potential to
Eclipse our will
Overpower and obstruct our motivation
A cold wind blows
An unpleasant feeling of discomfort surrounds us
Across these hills
All around us, everywhere we go
A swinging gaze
An unstable and uncertain vision
From the hangman's tree
Viewed from a place of execution and punishment
A crows nest view
An aerial view of things with dark and ominous undertones
Of what's left to see
Of the little that remains to be witnessed
The light that's formed
The hope that has taken shape
Of shade will turn to silence to this way
However, it very well might fade away and be lost
Still beneath the craters waiting
Lying dormant and unactivated, waiting for something to happen
For this time to grow
For the right moment to come where it can flourish and succeed
So hold on
Don't give up hope or give in to despair, no matter what happens
Hold tight
Stay strong and resolute in the face of adversity, and don't give up
Open daylight
The bright horizon or the new beginning that we all wait for
We will overcome
We'll rise and triumph, despite everything that has brought us down
So put away your fear
Don't be frightened or intimidated
A morning star will soon appear
Good things are around the corner, and brighter days are ahead
And bring an end
This will conclude and come to an end
To this dark night
To this time of hardships and fear
And we must run for to meet the light
We can't make light of this opportunity; we have to seize it
Watered by the blood of martyrs
This new beginning has been built on the sacrifices of others
Blessed and blind as sons and daughters
We are bestowed with unlimited blessings but are often blinded to realize them
Sleep with one eye open
We need to be alert and vigilant, always on the lookout for challenges
And live with both eyes shut
And, at the same time, we need to enjoy and cherish every moment of life, no matter what comes our way.
So lets find the place where sight begins
Let's identify the starting point of progress or growth
And see the things that we saw when our Eyes were bright and wet against the light
Let's recall the times we were optimistic and enthusiastic
Open your eyes
Pay attention and be aware of the world around you
Over the new sight
And realize the new possibilities that come with it
Fly the flags of dawn
Celebrate the new start and wave the banner of hope
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DUSTIN MICHAEL KENSRUE, EDWARD CARRINGTON BRECKENRIDGE, JAMES RILEY BRECKENRIDGE, TEPPEI TERANISHI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Janoy Cresva
Honestly, I think this is my favorite Thrice song ever. It's just so gorgeous.
Joe Harman
+the bonesauce Yea man, Probably for me too.
Bret Hudzietz
Same man, it's definitely in my top 3.
Hoody
So much hope filled within it eh?? 👊😉🍻
Foastcog
I've been a Thrice fan for 15 years and just today, I discoverd this amazing song... Well, better late than never!
Local Motions
Coastfog Yeah man!
Foastcog
@Local Motions Even when I can get through the whole song without any tears, the last "dawn" always gets me.
Local Motions
@Foastcog Heavy.
Benny Lumpkins
flags of dawn and for miles I feel are some of the greatest songs in their catalogue and personally hold a lot of meaning to me
Peanut Turner
This is an amazing lesser-known Thrice song. The chords in the chorus are great!