Thrice here for once
Metalcore, hardcore, emocore and scremo sub-genres are abundant in today’s music industry with bands creating hybrid sounds that defy static categories.
Thrice’s drummer, Riley Breckenridge, nostalgically recalls the simpler title of good, old-fashioned rock.
“I’d rather just be a rock band,” Breckenridge said, “because it’s a much broader term and it leaves what we can do open-ended.”
The Southern California band combines metal and punk influences to create its sound, which teeters between genres. The band quickly changes pace between verse and chorus and between playing ambient sounds and thrashing.
This fairly hardcore band also manages to have a ‘soft’ side. In 2001, Thrice signed with SubCity, a charitable branch of Hopeless Records. The 2002 release Illusion of Safety and the re-release of Identity Crisis under the new label both benefited Southern California charities. Thrice did not stop its support for charities and non-profits there.
“We really didn’t see any reason to,” Breckenridge said. “So when it came time to moving to a major label, we made it clear from the get-go that (charity work) was something that we really wanted to continue doing.”
Island Records embraced Thrice’s ideals and released Artist in the Ambulance this year, benefiting the Syrentha J. Savio Endowment, a charity providing financial assistance for cancer screenings.
With three albums of material to choose from, Thrice packs as many songs as possible into its 50-minute set. By creating an intense, energetic atmosphere with no downtime, Thrice raises the bar during its live performances.
“As a fan of music, I hate going to shows and seeing bands play a song and then stop (to talk),” Breckenridge said.
The boys of Thrice remain critical of the band’s performances, Breckenridge points out, and the addition of distorted segue noise instead of downtime not only keeps the audience’s attention but also helps the band focused on a more intense show.
Tuesday, Thrice is joined by New Jersey’s Thursday, another band renowned for its live performances. Thursday has been gaining momentum since 2002’s Warped Tour. The timid members approach the stage like ticking time bombs, exploding with energy when they actually perform.
Thursday’s 2003 release, War All the Time, reveals the band’s diverse abilities. From the energetic “For the Workplace, Drowning,” to the melodic “This Song is Brought to You by a Falling Bomb,” Thursday embraces a range of tempos and styles. Geoff Rickly’s vocals go from screeching hardcore to dripping with honey within seconds. Thursday and Thrice will be joined by Coheed and Cambria for a night of metalcore, emocore or whatever else you feel like calling it.
Thursday, Thrice, Coheed and Cambria play Nov. 11 at Jannus Landing at 7 p.m. and tickets are $16.