Third  by Portishead

Portishead return in 2008 after an eleven-year recording absence. The album Third is considered one of the most daring "comeback" records in the history of music, as the band chose to completely depart from the musical identity that established them. After eleven years of silence, Portishead abandoned the "smoky" trip-hop sound, cinematic samples, and scratches that characterized Dummy and Portishead.

The sound became more raw, dark, and "aggressive." They introduced elements from krautrock (strong, repetitive rhythms), industrial, psychedelic rock and made extensive use of analog synthesizers in the creation of the album. A characteristic example is the track Machine Gun, based on a harsh, mechanical drum machine rhythm, or The Rip, which starts acoustically and ends in a hypnotic electronic crescendo. Beth Gibbons' voice remained the only connecting link with the past, yet transmitting an even more intense sense of vulnerability and existential anxiety.

Despite its "difficult" nature, the album achieved massive success. It made the band's highest debut in the U.S. (No.7) and reached No.2 on the UK charts.