Now that they can see, The Thermals want to work on how they sound. In a newly published interview with Paste Magazine, the Portland power-punk trio made it very clear that their new album, you know the one that is due out like 10 months from now, would be something much different compared to past efforts. In other words, it will hear the band that formed in 2002 move away from some of its most basic punk roots.

“I’m trying to make a record that sounds different than the last. Or really, the last four,” frontman Hutch Harris said. “As a guitar player, I’m trying to get into more riffs, away from the Ramones-power chord thing that we do. So there’s a lot more space on this record.”

Part of that sound undoubtedly comes from the fact they’re now recording as a trio, with permanent drummer Westin Glass, since 2004′s Fuckin’ A. The album, under the working title of Double Negative (bassist Kathy Foster isn’t quite sold on the name yet), won’t be quite as lush and poppy though; Harris said while he loves the work of Phoenix and Grizzly Bear, “…more than anything in the past two months I’ve been listening to Thin Lizzy and ZZ Top.”

And, of course, when you speak Thermals music, there has to be some kind of theme. Whether it’s slamming the political and religious right or the subtle poking of the institution that is politics, their sparse, minimalist sound driven by years of angst and tons of energy just wouldn’t be complete without subtext. And now they’re going for the worst institution of them all: Love.

“It’s hard to be in love with someone. If there’s a theme to this record, it’s that,” Harris said. “A lot of the songs are pretty brutal lyrically. It’s really negative thoughts about love and relationships.”

Sounds great. Really, we can’t wait.

The band recently wrapped up their first two-week recording stint with producer and Death Cab for Cutie genius Chris Walla in Portland. As mentioned, Double Negative is scheduled for release on September 7th, 2010.