Listening to "Vheissu" it's hard to imagine that Thrice could once be easily compared to a band like Poison The Well. Undergoing yet another evolution and change in their musical outlook, the group have now morphed into an 'indie' outfit with equal parts post, prog and space rock utilized to accomplish their goals.

Generally, this results in a empowering, albeit mopey, experience through atmospheric rock. The detached melancholy found in the verses (and occasionally the choruses) is alluring, if not somewhat predictable after a few tracks in. Piano and other instruments are brought onboard to build up density, and yet there's a certain condensed aesthetic the band enlist to ground themselves. A few gruff barks reminiscent of Cave In's more aggressive recent output are in place and add some elements of hostility and unrest. But for the most part, much of this album sounds like an odd cross between Fugazi and Coldplay.

The artistic progression of the band is entirely admirable on this release and it's nice to see them mature and develop. The songs now have a fairly epic scope to them and the ambitiousness of it all is almost intoxicating at times. The problem with "Vheissu" though is that much of it feels forced and a matter of the brain rather than the heart. The droning instrumentation and busied compositions in place are well constructed and often easy to get lost in, but the emotion sadly feels reluctant and strained.

This is most damning on the albums slower numbers as the songs can soon come off as workman-like with the group almost feeling like they are out of their element. Tack on that the formula for nearly every song packs the same bleak momentum and dense atmospherics and these flaws slowly begin to hold the band back. The dynamic mixture of a few jarring riffs and lush build-up's is appreciated, but ultimately it all tends to be overdone and worn thin by the closing track. Undoubtedly, this will be an album of the year for many, but to those who have done their homework, it often feels more like a wolf in sheepish clothing than anything else.