Thursday celebrate 20 years of War All the Time at Chicago’s Metro

New Brunswick, New Jersey’s Thursday graced the Metro stage in Chicago as part of a Riot Fest aftershow, marking the 20th anniversary of their third album, War All the Time. The record is a visceral journey through the tumultuous human experience, teetering on the precipice of anxiety and loss.

The show, akin to the album itself, commenced with unmatched intensity from the first riffs of “For the Workforce, Drowning” and surged forward with ferocious vigor. Geoff Rickly’s vocals sliced through the air with the same potency as they did two decades ago while the band’s sonic assault left the audience breathless. Norman Brannon and Steve Pedulla’s scorching guitar work, in harmony with Tucker Rule’s thunderous drumming, delivered a sonic wall that washed over the crowd like a tidal wave of emotion.

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As the band delved into the album, track by track, it felt as if time had stood still. “Signals Over the Air” and “Division St.” had the crowd swaying and singing along while Thursday took us on an escalating journey of tension and unease. The album’s apex, and arguably its emotional epicenter, came with “This Song Brought to You by a Falling Bomb.” At this pivotal moment, the tone of War All the Time underwent a dramatic shift. The relentless anxiety that had built up throughout the first half gave way to a poignant exploration of mourning and loss. Rickly’s lyrical prowess shined as he delved into themes of despair, the profound impact of tragedy, and the “war” that is our everyday lives.

As the full album drew to a close, the band followed the final track, “Tomorrow I’ll Be You,” with the fan favorite “Jet Black New Year,” which was originally intended for the album. The two tracks were to serve as a “before and after” story of a New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day gone horribly wrong.

It was revelatory to discover that Rickly, initially skeptical of the album due to its overwhelming anxiety, had come to realize that it reflected the world’s collective turmoil during that era. In many ways, it served as a time capsule of the anxieties and uncertainties that defined the early 2000s. Rickly has since grown to love the album. The combination of his heartfelt lyricism and the band’s intricate musicianship left no doubt as to why this album is hailed as a post-hardcore masterpiece.