CD Review: Thrice - The Alchemy Index Vols. I * II: Fire & Water

I am virtually completely unfamiliar with Thrice. They are a band that I have heard of, of course, but the only exposure I have had with them was the 2006 edition of Taste of Chaos when they were the pre-headlining act just before Deftones. I saw them, witnessed their 40 minute set and cannot say that I was terribly impressed, but that was at the end of a long day of music which exposed me to a a number of bands that I did not care for, and on a day that was stolen by As I Lay Dying. Anyway, I was intrigued by the idea for this sequence of concept EPs that Thrice is releasing. For those who may not be familiar with what they are doing, Thrice is/has recorded an EP based around the four primary alchemy elements: fire, water, earth, and air. The first two were released bundled together in this release (Fire & Water), and the remaining two are slated for release in Spring of 2008. Perhaps this is not the best place to start listening to Thrice, but let me say that I am very impressed with what they have created on these two albums that I am interested in getting some more of their work.

The Alchemy Index Vols. I * II are an ambitious excursion into musical experimentation. These two separate albums have distinctly different sounds. They are so different as they sound as if two different bands could have made them. However, for as different as they sound and the ease of belief that two bands were involved, there is something about them that connects them together, and in doing so links them inextricably with their creator, Thrice. Now, despite that connection, I feel it would be a mistake to tackle them as a single entity. Yes, the two disks came packaged in the same case, but they are vastly different beasts that are connected by an overriding concept, yet are strong enough to be deservedly judged separately.

The first album of the set is Fire. This six song collection runs just north of 22 minutes and is comprised of fiery music. There are hardcore, metal, and screamo elements blended together that create a sound that is surprisingly fresh. I have to admit to not knowing what to expect when I pressed play, considering my lack of Thrice exposure.

Fire is an expansive journey through some sort of fiery(sic) post-hardcore world where music goes beyond what it is meant to be and searches for something a little more epic in scope. Heavy music with a variety of sampled and electronic elements blended with strong production values helping to propel the sound from the surface and into the epic realms normally found in other genres. This volume offers plenty of fist in the air rock moments, but the sound has a nicely layered sound that includes other elements than the standard fuzzed guitar, propulsive drums, and screamed vocals.

The opening track, "Firebreather," gets things off to a strong start with a crunchy riff that drew me in immediately, and then the first line, "Tell me are you free!," sold me on the project. “Backdraft” supported the feeling of being swept up in a potential epic with its creepy use of acoustic guitar.

The first element comes to a close with the concise, yet sprawling "The Flame Deluge." I was eager to see where the next volume would go following this strong outing into the epic landscape.

Now Water is a completely different beast than its predecessor. Gone are the screaming voices and fuzzed guitars. In their place are the sounds of a synth and booming electronic drum counds with a softer, more emotional sounding voice. The further I got into Water the more I kept thinking of Radiohead. No, this is not a copy of Radiohead, but a similar experimentation into the traditional rock format and the inventuve use of synth is in the same world.

It is hard to believe that the same band that turned out the expansive, epic-attempting sounds of Fire also created this considerably softer sounding entry. Not that one is weaker than the other, but they are vastly different in their styles. I swear, you could have someone listen to both and believe that it was two different acts.

The second volume steps away from the fiery sound of its predecessor and plays everything smooth, but no less epic. Neither one truly reaches that plateau, but taken together they have taken interesting steps towards doing just that.

Taken together this first pair of Alchemy Index recordings are a fascinating attempt by a band to move into something larger in scope than just an album, or a mere collection of songs. I have to say that I am intrigued by what they have done here and have intentions of seeing how the second half turns out and how it will complement this release. I also think I am going to have to track down some of their earlier work. This is a strong release that should appeal to fans and the uninitiated alike.

Highly Recommended.