Thrice have never been the band you thought they were. Buried beneath a heavy blanket of post-hardcore aggression, they dropped progressive time signatures and unconventional melodies into the mix, painting them as a band not quite comfortable with existing merely as fodder for the scream faction. Even when swept up in the wave of success that celebrated the side of their sound that scuffed up the floors of respectable concert halls with the blunt force of falling bodies, Thrice began a metamorphosis. It was a transformation that has turned them into something far greater than just another band to rattle your brain. Electronic elements, string instruments and poetic concept albums began to emerge in their catalog. And suddenly Thrice had more in common with artists like Tool than with the kinds of bands they were touring with.
Thrice started writing ethereal instrumentals, folk songs and sonnets in iambic pentameter set to music. And yet, impossibly, those new experiments in the studio didn't feel like a band having an identity crisis. (Pun intended – Identity Crisis was the name of their debut album.) It felt instead like a natural progression; it felt like Thrice 2.0. Fortunately for the fans, the music lost none of its sense of urgency, and, fortunately for the band, their fanbase evolved with them.
In 2012, at the height of their popularity, Thrice announced that they would be taking an indefinite hiatus. The band members (Dustin Kensrue, Teppei Teranishi, Eddie Breckenridge and Riley Breckenridge) set out on different paths – some pursued other musical projects, some concentrated on family – only to discover that those paths led right back to each other. "It was natural for us to continue creating during the hiatus," drummer Riley Breckenridge explains. "As a result, we all had a decent stockpile of ideas that felt like they'd make sense for the next Thrice record, and we were able to pick and choose from that group of ideas, as well as write with a bit more intent once we'd decided we were going to bring the band back."
It's been four years since their "Farewell" tour, and five since their last album – that's a lot of time to scribble down lyrics and toy around with ideas. The post-hiatus release, To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere, begins a new chapter in the cathartic journey of Thrice, one that seeks to find the calm eye in the center of a hurricane. "We're trying to make band life a bit more manageable," Breckenridge concurs. "Three of us are fathers, so being on the road for 10 months out of the year and grinding on the road, and grinding out the write-record-tour-tour-tour cycle to infinity is not really sustainable. We're spacing our tours out a bit more ... and just trying to keep things really balanced. I think it's a healthy approach, and our spirits are as high as they've ever been, so I think we're on the right track."
Orlando made the cut for their tour itinerary, with a date at House of Blues that has already sold out. Those who missed out on tickets, or fans who just can't get enough, can also try to catch the band's acoustic in-store performance at Park Ave CDs before the night's main event. Breckenridge stresses that the love is mutual: "We've always felt very welcome in Orlando, and have had a ton of memorable shows there. ... We really appreciate the support."
