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.
Treading Paper
Thrice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been treading paper in the space between the words
And there implied is that I'm but another body for the birds
Carrion, absurd and accidental atoms
Beating air, carrying on
Unwitting orphan of an unyielding despair
But linger on, just for a moment
Or the assumptions of these self-indicted brains
Because I contend that all of this
Is more than just a meaningless charade
That each and every moment is a bottle with a message hid away
If anything means anything
There must be something meant for us to be
A song that we were made to sing
There must be so much more than we can see
But all our lives
We've been treading paper in the space between the words
And there implied the thought
That we are barely more than bodies for the birds, carrion
They say that we're just accidental atoms beating air
Carrying on and on unwitting orphans of an unyielding despair
But our hearts tell a different story
Our hands feel a different pulse
If anything means anything
There must be something meant for us to be
If anything means anything
There must be something meant for us to be
A song that we were made to sing
There must be so much more than we can see
Something fathomless
Deeper than our pride can dive
Numinous higher than our hearts can rise
Transcendent further than our thoughts can reach
Immanent closer than the air we breathe
The lyrics of Thrice's song Treading Paper explore the idea of existentialism and the search for meaning in life. The opening lines "All my life, I've been treading paper in the space between the words" describes the feeling of being stuck in a void, with no real purpose or reason for existence. The reference to being a "body for the birds" suggests that life is just an accidental and meaningless existence, with no greater significance. The concept of being an "unwitting orphan of an unyielding despair" reinforces the idea of despair and the struggle to find meaning.
However, the song goes on to suggest that there is more to life than just existing. The line "If anything means anything, there must be something meant for us to be" introduces the idea of purpose and the possibility of a greater meaning to life. The repeated phrase "There must be something meant for us to be" conveys a sense of hope and the possibility of finding fulfillment and purpose.
Towards the end of the song, the lyrics suggest that there is something greater and more profound than our limited human understanding can comprehend. The last stanza suggests the existence of something "fathomless" and "transcendent" that is beyond human comprehension. The song ends with the repetition of "There must be so much more than we can see," leaving the listener with a sense of wonder and curiosity.
Line by Line Meaning
All my life
From the beginning of my existence up to now
I've been treading paper in the space between the words
I am like a person walking on a stationary treadmill, seemingly moving forward but not really going anywhere significant
And there implied is that I'm but another body for the birds
I feel like I am insignificant, just like a lifeless body that birds use as food
Carrion, absurd and accidental atoms
I feel like I am just a random collection of senseless atoms
Beating air, carrying on
I feel like I am exerting effort into something futile
Unwitting orphan of an unyielding despair
I feel like I am a helpless and hopeless person who is destined to suffer
But linger on, just for a moment
But let's pause and reflect for a while
Until we can ascertain if something's wrong with me
Until we can figure out if there is something wrong with me
Or the assumptions of these self-indicted brains
Or if it is just my own pessimistic thoughts that are making me feel this way
Because I contend that all of this
Because I argue that all of what we experience
Is more than just a meaningless charade
Has a deeper and more significant purpose
That each and every moment is a bottle with a message hid away
That every moment is filled with a hidden message or meaning
If anything means anything
If there is any significance to anything
There must be something meant for us to be
Then there must be a reason or purpose for our existence
A song that we were made to sing
A mission or calling that we were destined to fulfill
There must be so much more than we can see
There must be a greater reality that we are not fully aware of
But all our lives
Throughout our entire existence
We've been treading paper in the space between the words
We've been just like walking on a treadmill, not making much significant progress
And there implied the thought
And it is suggested that the idea
That we are barely more than bodies for the birds, carrion
That we are just like lifeless bodies being preyed upon by birds
They say that we're just accidental atoms beating air
It is believed that we are just random and meaningless existence
Carrying on and on unwitting orphans of an unyielding despair
Continuing to exist with a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness
But our hearts tell a different story
But deep inside, our hearts are telling us something else
Our hands feel a different pulse
Our actions or behaviors are driven by a deeper purpose
Something fathomless
Something that is immeasurable or infinite
Deeper than our pride can dive
More significant than what our egos or self-esteem can comprehend
Numinous higher than our hearts can rise
More divine than what our emotions can perceive
Transcendent further than our thoughts can reach
Beyond what our intellect can understand or explain
Immanent closer than the air we breathe
More intimate than the very air that we breathe
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: DUSTIN MICHAEL KENSRUE, EDWARD CARRINGTON BRECKENRIDGE, JAMES RILEY BRECKENRIDGE, TERANISHI TEPPEI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pedro Lara
"If anything means anything, there must be something meant for us to be."
Awesome.
Darrkness
such an amazing song. still my favorite band after all these years. see you guys this summer for my 14th thrice show.
Jeeology
I feel as if Thrice are underated lyrically. They can find a way to word even the most simple of messages poetically, while keeping the meaning clear.
They've wowed me with things that I have, in essence, heard hundreds of times before, just by changing how it's delivered.
Oleksandr Hryshchenko
You have to admire the lyrics in this one
his airness
Such a great song!
Adam Herrick
Favorite from the album so far.
Hetženauer
The best of this album
HardwareG33k
All my life, I've been treading paper in the space between the words.
And there implied is that I'm but another body for the birds,
carrion, absurd and accidental atoms - beating air,
carrying on; unwitting orphan of an unyielding despair.
But linger on, just for a moment, until we can ascertain if something's wrong with me -
Or the assumptions of these self-indicted brains.
Because I contend that all of this is more than just a meaningless charade,
That each and every moment is a bottle with a message hid away.
If anything means anything,
There must be something meant for us to be,
a song that we were made to sing.
There must be so much more than we can see.
But all our lives, we've been treading paper in the space between the words.
And there implied's the thought that we are barely more than bodies for the birds, carrion.
They say that we're just accidental atoms beating air, carrying on and on,
Unwitting orphans of an unyielding despair.
But our hearts tell a different story;
our hands feel a different pulse.
Something fathomless, deeper than our pride can dive;
numinous, higher than - our hearts can rise,
transcendent, further than our thoughts can reach;
immanent, closer than the air we breathe.