Thrice will tour their latest album, 2018 release 'Palms', down under this month.
The US band has been around for 20 years, maintaining the same four members – Dustin Kensrue, Teppei Teranishi, Eddie Breckenridge and Riley Breckenridge – throughout.
After facing fatherhood, an ever-changing music industry and a hiatus, the lads have matured over the years and with them so has their sound.
Riley, the group's drummer, describes their current sound as “heavy, melodic rock music. We can also be scatter brains at times for better or worse. We can write some mellower stuff, but we still like to write heavy rock music.”
Riley puts the band's sustained success down to their ability to evolve. “The thing that's made us last as long as we have been a band, is that we aren't afraid of progressing and exploring the different types of music we are into. We are kind of all over the place in a good way,” he explains.
The value of evolving is one of the important lessons Thrice have learnt in their 20 years in the business. “We've learned a lot. I guess just stay true to what musically is coming out of us.
“If we had tried to stick to the hardcore, heavy punk-rock that we were doing in the mid to late 2000s we probably would have burned out,” Riley says.
When it comes to songwriting, the band has a very sustainable approach. “We operate as a democratic collective rather than just a having a songwriter... that's helped us because everyone feels like their voice has been heard when it comes to writing a new record.”
It's been more than ten years since the boys last toured Australia, but not from a lack of effort. “It's been a long time and it's long over due [our return to Australia],” Riley says.
“I think the last time we were down there it was like 2008 or 2009... we had some trips planned that fell through; whether it was a family emergency on our part or something fell through with a booking agent down there.”
But Thrice are excited to be coming back. “We can't wait to get back down there. The two tours that we have done down there have been some of the best international tours we have ever done.
“We are so thankful that people have stayed interested and stayed supportive,” Riley says.
While there is no track titled 'Palms' on their 2018 album, the band chose to title the album 'Palms' as a gesture. “The open palm can mean a lot of things to people: whether it's a welcoming thing, a wave or if it's a hand held up in protest, like a stop sign almost.
“A lot of the [album’s] lyrics deal with the palm being more of a welcoming gesture, trying to bridge some of the divides between people right now, listening to different opinions, accepting people who are different to you, and trying to find a middle ground in a lot of the unrest that's going on globally.”
Thrice Australian Tour 2019
Thu 16 May - Metro Theatre (Sydney)Fri 17 May - Lion Arts Factory (Adelaide)
Sat 18 May - The Triffid (Brisbane)
Sun 19 May - 170 Russell (Melbourne)
Tue 21 May - Amplifier Bar (Perth)
