Dedicated followers of Thrice love the band for three reasons: their intricate and technical guitar parts; their fast paced and hard hitting drums; and the in-your-face poetry of their lyrics. And in spite of the fact that Vhiessu only brings one of these elements (fully in tact) it's not as disappointing as you might think. Yes this latest LP from Thrice may be slower and less instrumentally challenging, but the compositions are dynamic and full of variety. The band has definitley decided to experiment with more atmospherics on Vhiessu - introducing a lot more piano and keyboard work than fans are used to - still it manages to feel like Thrice.

Overall, their sound has softened, with more focus on ambiance and texture. The way the music has been toned down allows Dustin's vocals to shine like they never have before. His singing is more fine-tuned and his range has expanded considerably. And what little screaming he does on this album is deeper and more powerful than on previous works.

Lyrically, Vhiessu demonstrates a significant step forward in the band's maturity - still as daring, straight-forward and clever as ever, the change in delivery makes it possible to understand most of what is being said the first time through - without having to consult the liner notes. This album is easily their most spiritual, including a song about Judas and his betrayal of Christ entitled "Like Moths To Flame." Overall Vhiessu may be a hard pill to swallow for some of their more hard-core fans, but musicians have to evolve in order to maintain their validity and keep themselves challenged artistically - this new release is a quantum leap for a band that's already way out ahead in a league of their own.