Thrice have never been strangers to taking a leap of faith in their career. From the early metal days of crowds shouting at them to “Play ‘Deadbolt!'” from The Illusion of Safety, to the risk/reward effort found on Vheissu, all put on a spin cycle throughout their stunning post-hiatus output that includes some of my favorite records of all time, Thrice keep on truckin’ along with veteran ease on Horizons/West. A direct sequel to the sound and direction the band took on Horizons/East, I feel like this second part is a better version of Thrice and finds them reaching deep into their bag of tricks while not losing the magic that made them such a fun band to be a fan of in the first place. “This is the first time we leaned into something that felt like a direct continuation, like a sequel to a previous album,” says frontman Dustin Kensrue. “A lot of this record is about parsing reality,” Kensrue explains. “We’re constantly being influenced by algorithms, by fear, by our own social echo chambers. Horizons/West tries to pull the curtain back on some of that. We’ve always just followed our curiosity, wherever it leads. We want to keep growing, exploring, and making something that feels honest to who we are right now.” By keeping their artistic integrity firmly intact, Thrice quickly showcase why they’re one of the best and consistent bands to ever grace our scene.