Thrice
Horizons/East
To emerge from a global pandemic with a renewed sense of situational awareness, hard won insight, and a new album is the kind of move we’ve come to expect from Thrice over the last twenty years. With Horizons/East, Dustin Kensrue and his bandmates address, with candor and courage, the fragile and awkward arrangements that pass for civilization, while inviting us to dwell more knowingly within our own lives. Without surrendering any of the energy and hard edge of their previous albums, they’ve given us a profoundly meditative work which serves as a musical summons to everyday attentiveness.
Since forming Thrice with guitarist Teppei Teranishi, bassist Eddie Breckenridge, and drummer Riley Breckenridge in 1998, Kensrue has never been one to back down from a mental fight. This mood is set by the opening synth-driven number “Color of the Sky,” which sounds well-suited to accompany the closing credits of the Stranger Things season finale. Think Flying Lotus giving way to Elbow and setting the listener down in a new dimension. A self-recorded effort, Horizons/East conveys a palpable sense of danger, determination, and possibility. Scott Evans (Sleep, Kowloon Walled City, Yautja, Town Portal) is on mixing duties, conjuring a landscape of gloom, glow, and glory.
Coheed and Cambria
Comprised of Claudio Sanchez (Vocals / Guitar), Travis Stever (Guitar), Josh Eppard (Drums) and Zach Cooper (Bass), Coheed and Cambria have gripped listeners and press around the globe with their visionary compositions and conceptual mastery. In 2018, Coheed and Cambria made a stunning return with their new album THE UNHEAVENLY CREATURES, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s “Hard Rock Albums” chart, #6 current sales and Top 15 on the “Billboard 200” chart. Boasting 15 songs over 78 minutes, THE UNHEAVENLY CREATURES marked Coheed and Cambria’s furious return to concept albums, the ‘First Act’ in a brand-new story arc set within the backdrop of The Amory Wars universe. The acclaimed record is highlighted by standout tracks “The Gutter,” “Unheavenly Creatures,” “The Dark Sentencer” (premiered by Marvel Studios) and “Old Flames,” the latter of which features an official music video directed by Charles “Chas” Todd. The cinematic clip features striking choreography masterminded by Broadway luminary Jon Rua who is known for his roles in the 12-time Tony nominated Spongebob Squarepants and the Tony & Grammy Award Winning hit musical Hamilton. More recently, Coheed and Cambria teamed up with GRAMMY Award-winning singer Rick Springfield for a sequel to one of the most iconic stories in rock ‘n’ roll history with “Jessie’s Girl 2” and launched their very owncoffee brand, Coheed and Cambria Coffee Roasters.
