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There aren’t many bands out there like Thursday.

Born from New Jersey basements and raised on DIY, they’re a staple of punk innovation and a testament to how good your music can be if you stick to your guns. And stick to their guns they did. Since 1997, Thursday has shrugged off pigeonholing critics and watched trends come and go, all while putting out some of the most compelling music the 2000s had to offer.

The first time you hear Thursday can be a bit jarring. It’s a dead-on punk attitude with nods to rock and roll, but the moment Geoff Rickly’s hair-raising vocals hit your speakers you know it’s more than that. Hence the sorry invention of words like “screamo.” But genres are like rules, meant to be broken, and the members of Thursday know it. Every song they make is confident in style, whether it’s a metallic assault of distortion or a Sigur Ros cover. They simply know what they’re doing.

After six records of bold turns, chaotic emotions and stylized genre-bending, Thursday called it quits, or rather, called it an “indefinite hiatus.” It was a fitting end for the group and in their classic fans-first attitude, embarked on a series of unforgettable ‘final’ shows before hanging up the ax. Thursday will be remembered as pioneers braving a generally strange period in the music industry while remaining loyal to themselves and their fans. And with nothing left to prove, Thursday called it a day.

But “indefinite” or not, never say never. Fingers are crossed.

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