When bands release a Split EP there is usually a sense of pressure to whichever band finds the other the bigger influence. Here, New Jersey’s Thursday willingly step up to the challenge to have their work released alongside arguably the better band, Japanese post-hardcore veterans Envy.

Envy’s output throughout the years has somewhat mellowed (as much as one who started out as a punk band could), releasing music similar to Mogwai or Isis, and seem very happy with their place in music. So complacent, in fact, that this is the closest they have come to phoning it in – for any latecomers it’s bound to impress them, and by all means it’s still great stuff, but in line with previous releases it just runs through the motions like a sequel – You have seen it before but it’s entertaining nevertheless. Isolations Of A Light Source is the best offering on the split, which shows off vocalist Tetsuya Fukagawa’s powerful vocal style, along with some frantic drumming any budding rhythm section should do well to listen to. The book ending tracks are slower, sedate affairs, more in line with Envy’s direction for the past few years, and the guitar work is more like listening to a movie than a mere band. 

But it’s Thursday who shine here, despite aping some of Envy’s stylistic approach to music. Looking at Thursday’s previous at a glance, they could be wrote off as a generic emo-esque band, but here they express a depth, especially with a use of electronics and a great sense of space. An Absurd And Unrealistic Dream Of Peace has some elements which suggest that a concept album could be a direction Thursday could be more than capable of exploring, but with little suggestion that they could disappear into their own ego’s, like some bands before them. 

7 out of 10

Available as a 12” Vinyl packaged with CD on Temporary Residence Records - http://www.temporaryresidence.com/ 

Tags | envy, ep, review, split, thursday