The release of
Thursday's Five Stories Falling EP offered a convincing argument for the New Brunswick, NJ, band's status as true comers in the hardcore rock hierarchy and unequivocally proved their mastery at creating tumultuous, anthemic emo-rock, built upon a fiercely confrontational affront and a melodic subtextual base. Albeit,
Cure influences are readily palpable throughout (most apparent in the leadoff track, "Autobiography of a Nation"), the five-cut disc (featuring four live tracks from their 2001
Full Collapse CD, and one unreleased studio recording) showed
Thursday's astonishing ability to completely captivate a live audience while also allowing for a fully realized demonstration of their cathartic guitar-heavy sound, replete with sentimental takes on impending death ("Standing on the Edge of Summer") and unreserved, freely vented rage ("Jet Black New Year"). ~ Roxanne Blanford