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It's amazing to see how far Thrice have come since the days of The Illusion of Safety.  This post-hardcore band has stretched itself in so many directions, the only thing fans can do at this point is wonder if there is anything Thrice won't do in their vibrant career.  When I first heard about The Alchemy Index I was wary of the pretentiousness that would likely be inevitable from such a concept.  The idea goes that each volume is a self-contained EP that embodies—with unique musical and lyrical themes—one of the basic elements: Fire, Water, Air and Earth. Volumes one and two, released last fall, quelled my fears with a Thrice that was continuing to explore the musical styles found on their previous release, Vhiessu. Volumes three and four, on the other hand, forge ahead in completely new directions.  Thrice has stripped down and reassembled their sound on this release, giving us two discs that are fresh, effective, and often stunning.

Volume three revolves around the element of air. Thrice has traded in the screaming and emo of earlier releases for a varied, experimental experience. This is the least predictable of the volumes, as each song seems to go wherever it needs to rather than be forced to fit into a specific template. Songs such as The Sky is Falling and Deadalus are reminiscent of past Thrice releases, although the former song is accented by plenty of synth, horns and even hand-clapping. The somber Broken Lungs is a tribute to the events of 9/11, building into a crashing, reverberating crescendo in the last few moments.  As the Crow Flies, feels as fragile as it does incomplete. It is simple and touching, yet doesn't seem to go as far as it could have. Moreover, as an acoustic song, it feels more like a part of the “Earth” disc than it does here. Volume three is effective in its delivery. Where the first two volumes seemed very blunt in their delivery of the elemental themes, this volume feels very organic and natural. It is emotional and evocative, with tight drumming, memorable melodies, and powerful songwriting by Dustin Kensrue.

Volume four, the last piece of The Alchemy Index, is the greatest departure from what is typical of Thrice. The songs are a collection of acoustic, folksy, rockabilly tunes that took me by surprise and refused to let go. Stripped of the usual instruments, there is a raw magnetism here which is hard to dislike. Moving Mountains and The Earth Isn't Humming are acoustic pieces where Dustin sings with the imperativeness of a preacher, creating a brooding, heavy mood. One of the biggest surprises from volume three or four would easily be Digging My Own Grave, a downtempo jazz number that exemplifies the myriad genres Thrice has sampled over the course of this concept album. The only track in which the traditional band setup is used is Come All You Weary.  This is the only track where you will find electric guitars on this volume. The final track, Child of Dust, is a haunting piano driven song with the whole band singing in unison. While not particularly noteworthy, it makes for a fitting conclusion to The Alchemy Index. Volume four is gratifying if not slightly predictable thematically. The songs are stripped to just a few instruments and vocals, but the result perfectly captures the world-weary feel that the band was striving to achieve in this final installment.

Thrice pushed their sound to the limit with this release. The result is immediately better than the first two volumes, and a must buy for any fans of experimental contemporary rock. The lack of their traditional post-hardcore sound should be attractive to listeners of more mellow music, but it might scare away fans of Thrice's older work. The work isn't quite as concise as it could be, with each theme isolated from the others, but Air and Earth easily stand on their own two feet. Likewise, I occasionally felt that the elemental themes were being driven into the ground (no pun intended), but it wasn't a deal-breaker. As a companion piece to volumes one and two, however, this release elevates the work as a whole to something that shines as a promise of interesting things to come. Thrice has proven themselves as a band that is willing to push boundaries, and I look forward to hearing whatever they create next.