''The Illusion of Safety'' is the second studio album by American
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band
Thrice
Thrice is an American rock band from Irvine, California, formed in 1998. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Dustin Kensrue and lead guitarist Teppei Teranishi while they were in high school.
Early in their career, the band was known ...
. It was released on February 5, 2002 through
Sub City Records
Sub City Records is a record label which was created by Louis Posen and Hopeless Records to raise funding and awareness for non-profit organizations. Sub City has been active since 1999, and has now over 30 releases.
The label has donated over $2 ...
, who the band had previously reissued their debut studio album ''
Identity Crisis
In psychology, identity crisis is a stage theory of identity development where it involves resolution of a conflict over the 8 stages of the lifespan.(Schultz, 216) The term was coined by German psychologist Erik Erikson.
The stage of psychosoci ...
'' (2000) through. They wrote new songs at a rate of two per month, prior to recording in July 2001. Sessions were held at
Salad Days Studios with producer
Brian McTernan
Brian McTernan is an American musician and record producer from Baltimore, Maryland. McTernan was the lead vocalist in the hardcore punk band Battery, the guitarist in Ashes, and is the singer in Be Well. In 2009, he was named one of "the 50 m ...
. ''The Illusion of Safety'' is a
melodic hardcore
Melodic hardcore is a broadly defined subgenre of hardcore punk with a strong emphasis on melody in its guitar work. It generally incorporates fast rhythms, melodic and often distorted guitar riffs, and vocal styles tending towards shouting and ...
and
post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has been ...
album, with a reoccurring topic of death and religious references.
''The Illusion of Safety'' received generally positive reviews from
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
, some of whom praised the album's mix of styles. It sold 4,202 copies during its first week of release, reaching the top 20 on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
and
Heatseekers Album
Top Heatseekers are "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The Heatseekers Albums and the Heatseekers Songs charts were introduced by ''Billboard'' in 1991 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new an ...
charts. Thrice promoted the album with a tour with
Anti-Flag
Anti-Flag is an American punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band is known for its left-wing political activism. Their current members include Justin Sane (vocals, guitar), Chris Head (guitar), Pat Thetic (drums), and Chris Ba ...
and
Against All Authority
Against All Authority (often abbreviated -AAA-) is an American Punk rock, punk band, formed in Florida in 1992. Playing in a ska punk style, their business practice follows a stringent DIY ethic.
History
Against All Authority was founded in Cutl ...
, before playing a few shows with
Further Seems Forever
Further Seems Forever is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Pompano Beach, Florida. Over its initial eight-year run the band experienced several lineup changes, resulting in a different lead vocalist performing on each of their first three s ...
. A music video was filmed for "Betrayal is a Symptom", prior to the band supporting
Face to Face, and embarking on a headlining tour of the United States. A music video for "
Deadbolt
A dead bolt, deadbolt or dead lock is a locking mechanism distinct from a spring bolt lock because a deadbolt can only be opened by a key or handle. The more common spring bolt lock uses a spring to hold the bolt in place, allowing retraction b ...
" was posted online, leading to a co-headlining US tour with
Hot Water Music
Hot Water Music is an American punk rock band formed in October 1994 and based in Gainesville, Florida. Since their formation, the group has consisted of Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard on shared lead vocals and guitars, bass guitarist Jason Bl ...
.
Background and recording
Thrice released their debut studio album ''
Identity Crisis
In psychology, identity crisis is a stage theory of identity development where it involves resolution of a conflict over the 8 stages of the lifespan.(Schultz, 216) The term was coined by German psychologist Erik Erikson.
The stage of psychosoci ...
'' in June 2000 through local label Greenflag Records. By September 2000, they were in the process of writing new material for its follow-up. They received
rejection letters from labels that were confused by the variety in the band's sound. The band were put in contact with Louis Posen of
Hopeless Records
Hopeless Records is an American independent record label in Van Nuys, California.
History
Hopeless Records was founded in 1993 by Louis Posen. The label's artists are generally considered to fall under the genres of punk rock, pop punk, post-ha ...
, who was interested in licensing ''Identity Crisis''. It was subsequently re-released on March 6, 2001 by Hopeless imprint
Sub City Records
Sub City Records is a record label which was created by Louis Posen and Hopeless Records to raise funding and awareness for non-profit organizations. Sub City has been active since 1999, and has now over 30 releases.
The label has donated over $2 ...
.
[ To promote it, they went on tour with ]Samiam
Samiam (pronounced "sam-I-am") is an American punk rock band from Berkeley, California, active since 1988.
History
Samiam was formed in late 1988 after the breakup of the Gilman club mainstay Isocracy. Their first show was in January 1989 wit ...
, and played some shows with Midtown. The band were able to write new songs at a rate of two per month in preparation for their next album. In June 2001, Thrice performed a few shows on the Warped Tour
The Warped Tour was a traveling rock tour that toured the United States plus three or four stops in Canada annually each summer from 1995 until 2019. It was the largest traveling music festival in the United States and the longest-running touring ...
. They were in the process of seeking a producer for the new album, finding that Brian McTernan
Brian McTernan is an American musician and record producer from Baltimore, Maryland. McTernan was the lead vocalist in the hardcore punk band Battery, the guitarist in Ashes, and is the singer in Be Well. In 2009, he was named one of "the 50 m ...
's name was mentioned on a number of albums the band was listening to. He had heard ''Identity Crisis'' and was interested, asking the band to provide him with some demos. Thrice set up a dictaphone
Dictaphone was an American company founded by Alexander Graham Bell
that produced dictation machines. It is now a division of Nuance Communications, based in Burlington, Massachusetts.
Although the name "Dictaphone" is a trademark, it has bec ...
recorder in the middle of a rehearsal space; as the band's PA system
A public address system (or PA system) is an electronic system comprising microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers, and related equipment. It increases the apparent volume (loudness) of a human voice, musical instrument, or other acoustic sound sou ...
was lacking in quality, Kensrue had to yell into it for his vocals to be picked up on the recording.
McTernan thought the songs were heavy-sounding, but he was unsure if he was going to take on another project like that. He initially emailed their manager Nick Bogardus, suggesting they find someone else to work with. Bogardus responded by telling him he would be a perfect match, adding that he would supply additional demos. The following month, they recorded ''The Illusion of Safety'' with McTernan over the course of three weeks.[ The band had missed their flight as the airport had changed the times without informing them, prompting the band to drive from ]Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
Sessions were held at Salad Days Studios, where McTernan also aided as engineer.[ As the band were arriving late at night, he told them to let themselves in, as beds could be found in the basement. McTernan had no familiarity with the members on a personal level, leaving him unsure if the sessions would be beneficial. It took him awhile to understand the band's direction, and for them to work out his strengths. Alan Douches mastered the recordings at West West Side.][
]
Composition and lyrics
Musically, the sound of ''The Illusion of Safety'' has been described as emo
Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
, melodic hardcore
Melodic hardcore is a broadly defined subgenre of hardcore punk with a strong emphasis on melody in its guitar work. It generally incorporates fast rhythms, melodic and often distorted guitar riffs, and vocal styles tending towards shouting and ...
and post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has been ...
.[ ''Lollipop Magazine'' writer Tim Den said its " mber melodic hardcore" had "'']Master of Puppets
''Master of Puppets'' is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on March 3, 1986, by Elektra Records. Recorded in Denmark at Sweet Silence Studios with producer Flemming Rasmussen, it was the band's last album ...
'' fingerprints all over it".[ Athom of ]Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic is an American music community website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites. The format of the website is unusual in that it includes both professional and amateur c ...
said it "perfectly blends harsh screams and blistering guitar work with clean vocals and addicting, hook filled melodies".[ In a retrospective piece for '']BrooklynVegan
''BrooklynVegan'' is an American online music magazine founded in 2004 by David Levine. The company is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, United States and originally focused on vegan food and the music community in and around New York City, ...
'', writer Andrew Sacher said saw the band "more strongly embracing their hardcore, metalcore, and thrash influences while toning down the skate punk vibes" of ''Identity Crisis''. Bassist Eddie Breckenridge said the other members began expanding their music tastes, citing that he liked jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
, Kensrue listened to Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
, and guitarist Teppei Teranishi explored pop music
Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describe ...
.[ Breckenridge said working with McTernan helped the band to focus on the overall atmosphere of the track, instead of simply shredding a guitar. When one interviewer asked about the reoccurring theme of death on the album, Kensrue said the "dark themes are used because you can sometimes convey something to someone’s heart when you might not be able to convey it to their brain".] In another interview, the host asked about the death references in the song titles, to which Breckenridge said, "we actually changed them. They were way way more metal sounding. I think 'Stabbing Angels' was the name of one". Athom said that Kensrue's lyrics featured "literary references and religious allusions" as he "struggles with faith, dogma, and friendships".[
The opening track to ''The Illusion of Safety'' is "Kill Me Quickly", which starts with ]metal
A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...
guitar chords, switches to emo
Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
during the verse section, before returning to metal.[ Discussing the track, Kensrue said him and his fiancé had been through a rough patch where they were frequently arguing, and "it came to a point where we wanted it to end .. and beable to work through it".] "A Subtle Dagger" explores similar territory, with its guitar parts evoking Megadeth
Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...
, which is followed by "See You in the Shallows", which recalled the material on ''Identity Crisis''.[ "Betrayal Is a Symptom" deals with being disappointed in one's self as Kensrue explains: "If you're screwing something up, there's probably a reason why; the thing you're doing wrong is a symptom of something deeper".] "Deadbolt
A dead bolt, deadbolt or dead lock is a locking mechanism distinct from a spring bolt lock because a deadbolt can only be opened by a key or handle. The more common spring bolt lock uses a spring to hold the bolt in place, allowing retraction b ...
" evokes 1990s hardcore and screamo
Screamo (also referred to as skramz) is an aggressive subgenre of emo that emerged in the early 1990s and emphasizes "willfully experimental dissonance and dynamics".Jason Heller, "Feast of Reason". ''Denver Westword'', June 20, 2002Access date: ...
, and shuns the verse–chorus–verse form of songwriting. Throughout it, Teppei's guitar parts counter Kensrue's vocals in a call-and-response
Call and response is a form of interaction between a speaker and an audience in which the speaker's statements ("calls") are punctuated by responses from the listeners. This form is also used in music, where it falls under the general category of ...
manner, shifting between post-hardcore and pop-punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
.[ "In Years to Come" opens with a ]speed metal
Speed metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) roots.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' (Berg Publishers, 2007), , p. 31. It ...
guitar part; "The Red Death" recalled the sound of Incubus
An incubus is a demon in male form in folklore that seeks to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; the corresponding spirit in female form is called a succubus. In medieval Europe, union with an incubus was supposed by some to result in t ...
.[ The latter is influenced by "]The Masque of the Red Death
"The Masque of the Red Death" (originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy") is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1842. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plague ...
" (1842) by Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...
, with Kensrue stating that it discusses a "point where the
red death, which is a plague, has manifests itself physically, as a person".[ Dkelsen of '']OC Weekly
''OC Weekly'' was a free alternative weekly paper distributed in Orange County and Long Beach, California. OC Weekly was founded in September 1995 by Will Swaim, who acted as editor and publisher until 2007.
The paper was distributed at coffee ...
'' said "To Awake and Avenge the Dead" showcased the band at their "most breakneck and raw", as its first two and a half minutes are an "all out assault".[ ''The Illusion of Safety'' concludes with two ]emocore
Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
songs, "So Strange I Remember You" and "The Beltsville Crucible", echoing the work of No Motiv
No Motiv is a punk rock band from Oxnard, California. Billboard Allmusic.com The most recent version of the line up as of their 2019 performances includes Jeremy Palaszewski on lead vocals/guitar, Max McDonald on guitar/vocals, Roger Camero on ba ...
.[
]
Release
Following recording, the band performed on the Plea for Peace and Take Action Tour
The Take Action Tour is an annual spring tour that not only hosts several bands, but also tries to get people alerted about the issues with teen suicide, and ultimately tries to prevent it. The tour was created by both Sub City and Hopeless Reco ...
alongside Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Matt Skiba (vocals, guitar), Dan Andriano (vocals, bass) and Derek Grant (drums, vocals).
Founded in late 1996 by Skiba, bassist Rob Do ...
, Hot Water Music
Hot Water Music is an American punk rock band formed in October 1994 and based in Gainesville, Florida. Since their formation, the group has consisted of Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard on shared lead vocals and guitars, bass guitarist Jason Bl ...
, and Cave In
Cave In is an American rock band that formed in 1995 in Methuen, Massachusetts. The band's lineup solidified with the 1998 release of ''Until Your Heart Stops'' through Hydra Head Records, and their early albums were prominent in the metalcore ...
across August and September. On November 6, 2001, "Betrayal is a Symptom" was posted as a free download through the band's website. In November and December, the band supported Converge
Converge may refer to:
* Converge (band), American hardcore punk band
* Converge (Baptist denomination), American national evangelical Baptist body
* Limit (mathematics)
* Converge ICT, internet service provider in the Philippines
*CONVERGE CFD s ...
and American Nightmare on their co-headlining tour of the United States. Following this, the band toured with Piebald
A piebald or pied animal is one that has a pattern of unpigmented spots (white) on a pigmented background of hair, feathers or scales. Thus a piebald black and white dog is a black dog with white spots. The animal's skin under the white backgro ...
for two weeks in December. ''The Illusion of Safety'' was released on February 5, 2002 through Sub City Records. In the booklet, a "thank you" credit is given to police in Texas for "pulling us over three times in twenty four hours". Riley Breckenridge explained that had been pulled over when they toured Texas for the first time for not having the correct registration. A quote from "The Masque of the Red Death" is included in the booklet, which Kensrue felt went well with the album's theme.[ A portion of the proceeds from the release of the album were donated to A Place Called Home, a non-profit ]youth center
A youth center or youth centre, often called youth club, is a place where young people can meet and participate in a variety of activities, for example table football, association football (US soccer, UK football), basketball, table tennis, vid ...
in South Central Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. A release show was held at the Virgin Megastore
Virgin Megastores is an international entertainment retailing chain, founded in early 1976 by Richard Branson as a record shop on London's Oxford Street.
In 1979 the company opened their first Megastore at the end of Oxford Street and Tottenha ...
in Costa Mesa, California
Costa Mesa (; Spanish for "Table Coast") is a city in Orange County, California. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to an urban area including part of the South Coast Plaza–John Wa ...
; over 500 people showed up for the performance.
In February and March 2002, the group went on tour with Anti-Flag
Anti-Flag is an American punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band is known for its left-wing political activism. Their current members include Justin Sane (vocals, guitar), Chris Head (guitar), Pat Thetic (drums), and Chris Ba ...
and Against All Authority
Against All Authority (often abbreviated -AAA-) is an American Punk rock, punk band, formed in Florida in 1992. Playing in a ska punk style, their business practice follows a stringent DIY ethic.
History
Against All Authority was founded in Cutl ...
. In late March, the group performed a few shows with Further Seems Forever
Further Seems Forever is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Pompano Beach, Florida. Over its initial eight-year run the band experienced several lineup changes, resulting in a different lead vocalist performing on each of their first three s ...
, Hot Rod Circuit
Hot Rod Circuit (HRC) is an American emo band from Auburn, Alabama, established in 1997.
History
Early years
The band was originally known as ''Antidote'' under which they released the album ''Mr. Glenboski'', which won the group the award of ...
and Recover. In between tours, a music video was filmed for "Betrayal is a Symptom".[ In April and May 2002, the group supported Face to Face on their headlining US tour; the trek included an appearance at Skate and Surf Fest. In June, the band went on a headlining US tour with Recover and Brand New. Later in the month, the band played a handful of shows on Warped Tour. In August, the band played a one-off show, which served as a music video shoot for "Deadbolt"; it was posted online on October 3. In October and November 2002, the band went on a co-headlining US tour with Hot Water Music; they were supported by ]Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria are an American progressive rock band from Nyack, New York, formed in 1995. The band consists of Claudio Sanchez (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Travis Stever (guitars, vocals), Josh Eppard (drums, keyboards, backing vocals), an ...
. In May 2004, A Place Called Home established the Sub City/Thrice Scholarship, offering six students the chance to take a year's worth of performance lessons and learn professional music theory
Music theory is the study of the practices and possibilities of music. ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' describes three interrelated uses of the term "music theory". The first is the "rudiments", that are needed to understand music notation (ke ...
. By June 2007, ''The Illusion of Safety'' had raised over $100,000 for A Place Called Home. Coinciding with the band's farewell tour, the album was re-pressed on vinyl in June 2012. They performed it in its entirety at the 2022 Furnace Fest
Furnace Fest is an American music festival held over three days at the Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, National Historical Landmark in Birmingham, Alabama. It ran annually each August from 2000–2003, and has since resumed each Sept ...
, and for a series of shows at the House of Blues
House of Blues is an American chain of live music concert halls and restaurants. It was founded by Isaac Tigrett, the co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, co-star of the 1980 film ''The Blues Brothers''. The first location opened at ...
in Anaheim, California
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...
, to celebrate the album's 20th anniversary.
Reception and legacy
''The Illusion of Safety'' was met with mostly positive reviews from music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
. AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
reviewer Jason Anderson highlighted its mixes of styles: "Atypically dynamic for its genre, Thrice stabs at punk-pop with grandiose guitar harmonies, hardcore vocal wails, and a Metallic (note the big "M") chunk that transforms its emo turnarounds into progressive hardcore theater".[ Punknews.org staff member Chris Moran echoed a similar statement, listing off various forms on the first four tracks, before stating that "every track is incredible".][ '']Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' contributor Brad Haywood said despite the "stylistic gumbo", the band "deserves some props", especially as in "terms of their hardcore/metal riffing capabilities, Thrice has the skills to get the job done".[
'']Ox-Fanzine
''Ox-Fanzine'' is a monthly punk zine from Solingen, Germany, founded in 1988. It is edited by Joachim Hiller and has had many contributors. Besides its focus on punk subculture, it also covers similar genres, reviews of comics, books and films, ...
'' writer Joachim Hiller found it to be the "best of all possible worlds between nasty biting new school hardcore, highly melodic Californian style punk rock and emo/screamo elements," highlighting the band's strength of the "clever combination of all these elements in sometimes even just one song". Brian Greenaway of ''Modern Fix'' said the "myriad acts out there attempting to meld melodic harmonies with heavy, relentless guitars would do well to take a page out of Thrice's playbook". In a retrospective piece, Athom reiterated this, saying that "thousands of bands that popped up after its release, trying in vain to capture the power and majesty hidden within its thirty-eight minutes".[
The staff at '']Impact Press
''IMPACT press'' was an Orlando, Florida-based magazine started in 1996 by Craig Mazer. IMPACT press ran for 10 years, printing its last issue in Spring 2006. Most of the articles were political in nature and usually supported the left and far lef ...
'' said Kensrue's singing "nicely offsets the force of the screaming, and more importantly doesn¹t sound wimpy". Den added to this, saying that his "gut-wrenching-yet-tuneful delivery will have you pumped with drama". Greenaway was surprised by Kensrue's "ability to actually sing", easily separating them from their emo peers.[ Sacher said that while a listener was able to point out singers Kensrue was channelling on ''Identity Crisis'', he would "become one of the most distinct vocalists of the emo/post-hardcore boom" on ''The Illusion of Safety''.][
''The Illusion of Safety'' sold 4,202 copies in its first week of release.] It peaked at number 14 on the ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Independent Albums
The Independent Albums chart (previously titled Top Independent Albums) ranks the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays (EPs) in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by '' Billboard'' maga ...
chart, and number 20 on Heatseekers Albums
Top Heatseekers are "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The Heatseekers Albums and the Heatseekers Songs charts were introduced by ''Billboard'' in 1991 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new an ...
chart.[ By July 2006, it had sold 167,000 copies in the US. Sacher said it "would go on to help define the early 2000s post-hardcore boom"; Jack Rogers of ''Rock Sound'' similarly called it a blueprint for the emo genre.][ ]Wolves at the Gate
"Wolves at the Gate" is the third story arc that spreads from the twelfth to the fifteenth issue of the ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight'' series of comic books, a continuation of the television series of the same name. It is written by Dr ...
covered "Deadbolt" for their ''Back to School'' (2013) EP, while the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is an American rock band that was formed in Middleburg, Florida, in 2003. The band has released five studio albums to date. The current members are Ronnie Winter (lead vocals), Joey Westwood (bass), Josh Burke (lead gu ...
covered "Trust" for the compilation '' Songs That Saved My Life Volume 2'' (2019).
Track listing
All music by Thrice, all lyrics by Dustin Kensrue
Dustin Michael Kensrue (pronounced KENZ-roo) is a musician, singer and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist in the rock band Thrice, as well as a solo artist.
Career
2007: Please Come Home
On October 10, 2006, it was a ...
.[
]
Personnel
Personnel per booklet.
Thrice
* Dustin Kensrue
Dustin Michael Kensrue (pronounced KENZ-roo) is a musician, singer and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist in the rock band Thrice, as well as a solo artist.
Career
2007: Please Come Home
On October 10, 2006, it was a ...
– lead vocals, guitar
* Teppei Teranishi – guitar
* Eddie Breckenridge – bass guitar
* Riley Breckenridge
James Riley Breckenridge (born January 5, 1975) is the drummer for the band Thrice. He plays Q Drums, and uses Vic Firth drumsticks, Zildjian cymbals, Remo drumheads, with Drum Workshop hardware and pedals.
Biography
The older brother of Thri ...
– drums
Production and artwork
* Brian McTernan
Brian McTernan is an American musician and record producer from Baltimore, Maryland. McTernan was the lead vocalist in the hardcore punk band Battery, the guitarist in Ashes, and is the singer in Be Well. In 2009, he was named one of "the 50 m ...
– producer, engineer
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...
* Alan Douches – mastering
* Cold War Kids
Cold War Kids is an American alternative rock band from Long Beach, California. Band members are Nathan Willett (vocals, piano, guitar), Matt Maust (bass guitar), David Quon (guitar, backing vocals), Matthew Schwartz (keyboards, backing vocals, ...
- design, photo
Charts
References
Citations
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
''The Illusion of Safety''
at YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
(streamed copy where licensed)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Illusion Of Safety, The
Thrice albums
2002 albums
Albums produced by Brian McTernan