Thursday: No Devolucion (Epitath 11/04/2011)

Last Updated on Sunday, 26 June 2011 11:06 Written by Dave

Epic, atmospheric, post-hardcore, cerebral,  searching and emo shading are the preferences for the continuingly reflective New Brunswick troupe, with their sixth studio album. A more epic slant is deployed this time around. Their anthemic touches of old that no doubt won them slots on tour with the likes of My Chemical Romance, are put on the backburner in favour of mood building and inner delving, by front man Geof Rickley.  ‘Fast To The End’, opens out with a chiming atmospheric intro, before sturdy 1-2 percussion combos pave the way for Rickley’s winding low-key vocal slide. It’s a multi-textured number that ups in profile to complement the poetic musing of the lyrics:

“You’re fast asleep on a one-way train; it’s bin eight years it’s bin a day.”   

‘Sparks Against the Sun’, epitomises Rickley and co’s return to a more searching, expansive and journeying instrumental and vocal base, as oppose to their screamo skirting flashes of old. Drummer, Tucker Rule, takes centre stage for this foray, with a sturdy, mood-implanting performance. It underlines the shift in strategy by using the ranging instrumental element and more vocal sparseness to make their mark, instead of increases in vocal intensity. This approach also makes the body and volume increases that bit more bracing when they come along, ‘Open Quotes’. Even here, atmospheric interludes are also indulged in, to add inter-song contrast and range. 

Post four minute mini-epic ‘Past and Future Ruins’, builds from a chilling and  trotting percussion base that rubs against Rickley’s delving pitch. It builds up to create a searching rock ballad, morphing into a grizzly post-hardcore gnarl towards the conclusion. The biting poetic lyricism and candid, heart wrenching conceits like that on show in ‘Magnets Caught in a Magnetic Heart’, set against the generally more percussion revved, lower guitar profiled instrumentals. Highlights the band’s cognitive power.

‘A Gun in the First Act’, gives off a tormented feel as the aching vocals melt, almost helplessly into the robust, tribal percussion shoved instrumentals. Searing energy breeds life into the classic post-hardcore crush, ‘Turnpike Divides’. This album is well structured, ranging, cognitive and deep-seated, Thursday have definitely still got it!

www.epitaph.com

Rating: 4.5/5