‘Full Collapse’ was the first post-hardcore record I listened to, and the first album I heard that incorporated melody and heavier instrumentals. It’s a record that did the same for many other people, giving significant exposure to the blossoming post-hardcore scene at the time. In terms of genre it’s a crucial release that cleared the way for similar bands like My Chemical Romance to make a name for themselves and share their music on a wider scale, and I’m glad they did, as it’s safe to say a lot of modern heavier bands wouldn’t exist without the inspiration and influence that Thursday provided with their second full length.

To this day ‘Understanding In A Car Crash’ still remains one of my favourite songs, for good reason, being the records strongest. It’s punchy, lyrically strong and dynamic. It’s also a hell of a way to begin an album (ignoring the brief ‘A0001’). It sets a high bar for the record to follow, and gives a strong hint of its longevity, still being better than a lot of modern releases. On ‘Full Collapse’ Thursday found a perfect blend between melody and heaviness, with Geoff Rickley’s vocals being distinctive and varied, capturing emotion and passion well, using screaming and cleans. It’s a sound a lot of modern bands now emulate. A mix of delicate guitars and heavier drums give the songs their bite, with Rickley riding them to provide excellent songs that still sound fresh today. It’s currently spinning in my record player as I write this and hearing songs like ‘A Hole In The World’ and ‘Cross Out The Eyes’ still gives me goosebumps the way they did all those years ago.

For me, ‘Full Collapse’ is a definitive album, that introduced me to a new genre, that I now consider one of my favourites. I owe a lot of the heavier music I listen to now to ‘Full Collapse’ and to consider it anything less than essential would be an insult.