Pounce Online

Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: in Review(s)

Thrice has experienced with a lot of music, but listen to this disc and you will hear the flow. (Credit by wordpress.com)

Six months ago Thrice released the first half of their experimental concept album called "The Alchemy Index."

Volumes I and II of the Alchemy Index, Fire and Water, came out on October 16, 2007.

Each disc of this project is representative of the element of the Earth. Thrice tries to capture the sound and energy of each different element on each disc.

Fire was the heaviest music of the elements, while on Water Thrice experimented with some digital beats and rhythms to capture the effect of being in and/or around water.

For the end of each EP the lead singer/lyricist, Dustin Kensrue, wrote an English sonnet. Each sonnet was written as that element speaking to man about how it has been mistreated, abused, over-looked, etc.

Each couplet at the end of the sonnet ends on the same four musical chords for each disc. This was used to connect all the elements together.

There are some standout tracks on Volumes III and IV of the Alchemy Index.

Volume III: Air, has a mix of all the different sounds of the elements. The disc starts out with the song "Broken Lungs," that slowly builds up in the beginning and then finishes off with a bang.

The one song that brings in all different types of instruments and other sounds is called "The Sky Is Falling." This song has sounds ranging from the smooth sound of the saxophone in the background to the entire group clapping their hands between verses.

The final song on the Air disc is the sonnet, "Silver Wings."

This soothing song sends your emotions all over the place. The band really makes you feel like you are floating in the air. The movements throughout the song show you how far this band has progressed over the past ten years they have been together.

The final disc of the entire "Alchemy Index" is the Earth disc.

The Earth disc is mainly an acoustic set of songs with only the song, "Come All You Weary," having a full drum set in it.

Thrice recorded this disc in an open room, with wooden floors, playing together instead of recording the parts separately.

This really makes this disc the greatest sounding of the Index as you can hear the creaks coming from the wooden floor as the band moves around between tracks as if they are playing all the songs in succession.

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