Dustin Kensrue

Dustin Kensrue is the main vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist in the post-hardcore/rock/experimental band, Thrice. He has also released several albums under his own name and under the name The Modern Post.

Kensrue’s solo work contains less of the screaming vocal style that is evident in a lot of Thrice songs, but like Thrice’s music, his solo work spans various genres, including folk, blues, classic rock, and alternative rock.

Previous to 2017, Kensrue is a devout Protestant Christian and served as director of worship and deacon in several evangelical churches. Kensrue often quoted or alluded to biblical concepts in his lyrics. In 2017 to 2018, Kensrue publicly shifted away from certain conservative biblical themes that so often characterized his previous lyrics, and shifted towards theological universalism. In 2018, he stated that he no longer believes in biblical inerrancy or the Reformed theological system.

His lyrics are often intricate and have multiple layers of meaning. Many songs are highly poetic, though others read more like essays. Both from his lyrics and interviews, it is evident that Kensrue is a voracious reader and thinker. Beyond those biblical references, there are numerous references in Kensrue’s lyrics to work by Christian writers including C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton. In addition, Kensrue’s subjects include historical people and events, novels, films, politics, Greek philosophy, and a host of other subjects. Regardless of subject, he often crafts the songs to be deeply personal in some way.