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.
Open Water
Thrice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
with stolen treasure they tithe
The open water chills me to my bones
but it's the only place that I feel alive
The ocean floor begins to disappear
I sense that terrible depth
The open water is my only fear
I'm starting to believe the ocean's much like you
cause it gives, and it takes away
Between the devil and the deep blue sea
I stare into the abyss
The open water is an awful thing
but I'm anxious till the anchor is aweigh
I'm starting to believe the ocean's much like you
cause it gives, and it takes away
I'm starting to believe the ocean's much like you
cause it gives, and it takes away
I'm starting to believe the ocean's much like you
cause it gives, and it takes away
The lyrics in Thrice's song "Open Water" describe the intense and exhilarating feeling of being out on the open sea. The first verse describes the many men who have lost their lives at sea, but who are now at rest sleeping on the ocean floor with stolen treasure they tithe. Yet despite the danger and risk of death, the singer finds that the open water is the only place where they feel truly alive. The second verse continues the theme of the mysterious, unpredictable nature of the ocean, with the singer sensing a "terrible depth" that they must navigate. The open water is both awe-inspiring and frightening, but the singer is determined to keep sailing as long as they still have breath in them.
The chorus offers a metaphorical connection between the ocean and a significant other, as the singer states that they are starting to believe that the ocean is much like this person, as it can both give and take away. The final verse returns to the singer's experience of sailing, describing their position between the devil and the deep blue sea as they stare into the abyss of the unknown. The open water is terrible and awe-inspiring, but the singer is anxious and eager until the anchor is aweigh once again. Through the lyrics of "Open Water," Thrice captures the mix of danger, beauty, and awe that comes with a life lived on the open sea.
Line by Line Meaning
Ten thousand men sleep down with Davy Jones
Thousands of men have died in the ocean, their resting place now being Davy Jones' locker
with stolen treasure they tithe
These men have stolen treasures, offering them as tithes to the ocean
The open water chills me to my bones
The vast and unknown open water invokes fear and uneasiness within the singer
but it's the only place that I feel alive
Despite the fear it generates, being in the open water is also what contributes to the artist feeling alive
The ocean floor begins to disappear
As the artist sails further away from land, the ocean floor becomes less visible and more mysterious
I sense that terrible depth
The singer becomes aware of the vastness and depth of the ocean, which contributes to their fear
The open water is my only fear
The singer is afraid of nothing else but the open water
but I'll sail as long as I still have breath in me
Despite being afraid, the artist will continue to sail as long as they are alive
I'm starting to believe the ocean's much like you
The ocean is becoming a metaphor for a person the artist is addressing
cause it gives, and it takes away
Similar to how people can give and take away, the ocean can provide and also bring destruction
Between the devil and the deep blue sea
The singer finds themselves in a difficult situation, having to choose between two dangerous options
I stare into the abyss
The artist looks into the unknown depths of the ocean, which seems to be an endless abyss
The open water is an awful thing
Despite feeling alive while in it, the open water is also something the singer considers awful and terrifying
but I'm anxious till the anchor is aweigh
The singer is apprehensive until they can start sailing again and leave the open water behind
I'm starting to believe the ocean's much like you
The singer repeats this line to emphasize the comparison between the ocean and the person they're addressing
cause it gives, and it takes away
Reiteration of the earlier metaphor, emphasizing how the ocean and the person they're addressing can both provide and also bring destruction
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DUSTIN MICHAEL KENSRUE, EDWARD CARRINGTON BRECKENRIDGE, JAMES RILEY BRECKENRIDGE, TEPPEI TERANISHI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@boturner8328
Ten thousand men sleep down with Davy Jones
with stolen treasure they tithe
The open water chills me to my bones
but it's the only place that I feel alive
The ocean floor begins to disappear
I sense that terrible depth
The open water is my only fear
but I'll sail as long as I still have breath in me
I'm starting to believe the ocean's much like you
cause it gives, and it takes away
Between the devil and the deep blue sea
I stare into the abyss
The open water is an awful thing
but I'm anxious till the anchor is aweigh
@kingkosher6231
This album saved my life when I was 17. Thanks man.
@beezybeez4207
https://youtu.be/UyTLzUBDzYY
so good :) !!!
@tacobob123411
Same here when I was 15 though
@scottecklund1965
Good to have you here man! This album is a beautiful reminder that this life is both treacherous and amazing. And it's up to us to decide how we live in it. The Whaler was always a cool song to me, but it wasn't until I got married and had a kid that I realized how meaningful it was. Thrice evolved and developed with my own life and that's not something that you find much anymore.
@ChrisQuigley414
14
@ryuanhansin6357
2023 and it’s still absolutely flawless
@beezybeez4207
This is so good but you must hear “The Wave” or “Whispering Wolf” by SLT 🐺🎧🎶🎧🐺
@mykulman6308
One of my most favorite songs ever. The lyrics are on point. The beat is cool AF. The melody is transcendent. Such an amazing song.
@beezybeez7231
This is so good but you must hear “Whispering Wolf” by SLT 🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺
@Ligierthegreensun
"Between the devil and the deep blue sea, I stare into the abyss". The Nieztche reference chef's kiss