Once, twice, thrice times the harm

Thrice, a four-man band from sunny California, formed in 1998, with only the desire to start… Thrice, a four-man band from sunny California, formed in 1998, with only the desire to start making music and see where it went from there. It’s been a long road to where they are now, but it was well worth it for the band; they recently signed with major label Island Records.

Their new album, The Artist In The Ambulance, is their third release to date, their previous two being pushed by Hopeless/SubCity Records.

The nice thing about Thrice is that proceeds from their album sales not only benefit the band but also go to charity organizations. This concept was formed for Thrice while starting out with Hopeless/SubCity who are major supporters of charities.

The Artist In the Ambulance benefits the Syrentha J. Savio Endowment (SSE). The endowment, based in Washington, D.C., aims to provide free cancer screening for individuals who cannot afford the expense. If someone is diagnosed, the endowment will provide financial assistance for those who cannot afford treatment on their own.

It’s a noble thing for a band on a major label to continue to do, and shows that these guys know where they come from and stick to what they find works.

One thing that doesn’t work, however, is that the album is confusing to the listener. Maybe it’s confusing to the band too, because it’s hard to tell if Thrice is a heavy punk band or a soft-core metal band.

They seem to be torn between the two styles, and it makes the album a jumbled mess. It’s a very good thing to have diversity in your songs, but when they push and pull the way they do on Artist, it just leaves the listener wanting more of one style and less of the other, and it pulls the whole album down.

The first track, “Cold Cash and Colder Hearts,” is a good opening track that is a driving and somewhat heavier punk song, with subtle screams and raging guitar riffs.

The first single to be released, “All That’s Left,” follows two heavy tracks on the album, and it seems awkward and out of place where it lies on the track listing. It’s a significantly lighter track then “Cold Cash” and the second track “Under a Killing Moon,” which is one of those heavy metal songs that doesn’t fit right for Thrice.

If they had simply picked one style and ran with it, this album would have gotten three stars. It would be a solid album perfect for multiple spins. But the way it is, it falls short miserably, and is better off resting on the shelf at the record store, gathering dust.