Thrice is an American rock band that formed in Irvine, California in 1998. The lineup includes Dustin Kensrue (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Teppei Teranishi (lead guitar, keyboards), Eddie Breckenridge (bass), and Riley Breckenridge (drums).
The band released their first EP called First Impressions in 1999. They then signed with the indie label Greenflag Records and released their debut album Identity Crisis in 2000. Thrice started to gain a following in the melodic hardcore and punk scene with their fast-paced, distorted guitar-driven sound.
Thrice Takes Off with The Illusion of Safety and The Artist in the Ambulance
In 2002, the band released their second album The Illusion of Safety on the underground punk label Sub City Records. The album further established Thrice as a rising band in the post-hardcore scene, known for their melodic yet aggressive style, unconventional time signatures, and thoughtful lyrics. Songs like “Deadbolt” and “To Awake and Avenge the Dead” became fan favorites.
The group achieved mainstream success with their 2003 album The Artist in the Ambulance, released on Island Records. The album peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200 chart and included the singles “All That’s Left” and “Stare at the Sun.” Thrice toured extensively to support the album, including stints on the Vans Warped Tour and opening for bands like Dashboard Confessional and Hot Water Music. As with prior releases, the band donated a portion of the proceeds from The Artist in the Ambulance to charitable causes.
Thrice Evolves Their Sound on Vheissu and The Alchemy Index
In 2005, Thrice released their fourth album Vheissu which marked a stylistic departure. The band incorporated more experimental, nuanced elements like electronic beats, keyboards, and varied instrumentation. Vheissu is seen as a pivotal creative shift into a more expansive, progressive sound while still retaining their hardcore roots.
The band continued in an ambitious, experimental direction with their next project The Alchemy Index in 2007-2008. Released as two sets of two EPs, The Alchemy Index: Vols. I & II and The Alchemy Index: Vols. III & IV, the discs each musically represented one of the four classical elements – fire, water, air, and earth. The EPs spanned an array of styles from heavy rock to atmospheric indie to electronic. The Alchemy Index showed Thrice’s boldness in pushing the boundaries of their sound.
Thrice in the 2010s: Beggars, Major/Minor, and Hiatus
Thrice returned to a more visceral, stripped-down sound on their 2009 album Beggars. According to Dustin Kensrue, the band wanted Beggars to “be a little more upbeat and energetic” compared to the “sleepy” feeling of their prior few releases.
For their eighth album Major/Minor in 2011, the band aimed to combine all their different sonic explorations while crafting a cohesive record. Kensrue said Major/Minor blended the band’s “weird, creative” side with their more aggressive tendencies.
In 2012, the group announced they were going on indefinite hiatus, but not breaking up. The band played a farewell tour that summer ending with a 33-song marathon set in California. Thrice’s live album Anthology, released in late 2012, featured recordings from that final tour.
Thrice Reunites with To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere
In 2015, after a three-year hiatus, Thrice reunited and began working on new music. The result was their ninth album To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere released in May 2016. Kensrue said the new music represented the “next step” for the band and recalled elements from each of their past records while moving forward. To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere debuted at #1 on the Billboard Alternative Albums chart and #17 on the Billboard 200.
Thrice released their tenth album Palms in 2018, again exploring diverse influences and styles. Journalist Jason Pettigrew wrote that Palms showed how the band has “managed to encompass all of their seemingly disparate creative urges into one wildly ambitious body of work.” In 2021, Thrice released the album Horizons/East and announced plans for a companion Horizons/West, showing that 25 years into their career, they remain as artistically driven as ever.
Throughout their career, the band has been known for their musical shape-shifting and constant evolution. “We’ve always tried to be a band that wouldn’t get stuck in any one place sonically,” Kensrue told Kerrang! in 2021. This spirit of creative restlessness, combined with a deep commitment to their craft, has made Thrice one of the most enduring, important bands in alternative rock.
