California rock band Thrice has expanded the limits of impossibility and naivety through their newly released track “Open Your Eyes and Dream.” In a gritty ode of hopelessness and impassivity, singer Dustin Kensrue discusses how the harrowing confines of modern, illusory society makes people think that the systemic issues that plague the current world are much more immovable than they are; in actuality, people have the capacity to change the world around then if they only open their eyes to that perception. Kensrue expands on this topic when he advises “But if you look back and zoom out a bit it’s easy to see that this feeling of permeance and inevitability is just an illusion. Most things seem impossible until they happen. This song is about opening our eyes to that reality, and being willing to dream something better into existence.” 

In a song that urges people into a state of everyday attentiveness, Thrice expertly juxtaposes meditative mental awareness with harsh vocals and lyrics that advocate for solidarity and the acceptance of “knowing nothing has to be like this” in a world that seems so rigidly structured and predictable. By pairing such harsh vocals and dark musical tones with a message that promotes active change towards peace and equality, Thrice is able to tap into the rebellious aspect of human nature as they aim for their listeners to speak out loud. As Dustin Kensrue sings in the pre-chorus of the song, listeners should pay close attention to the fact that “our shambled lives are shadowed by a cruel silence” and aim for a world in which those shambled lives are cultivated and improved upon for all, and thus shadowed by prosperity and action. 

Watch the lyric video for Thrice’s new song “Open Your Eyes and Dream” below.

To read an album review of Thrice’s latest album Horizons/East here.

Photo Credit: Owen Ela