When we declare the glory of God, whether through song and praise, or faith and deed... we simply join the outskirts of creation in what they've been doing since the beginning of time...
Amazing.
"The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day, they pour forth speech;
night after night, they display knowledge."
(Psalm 19:1,2)
...because every Tuesday... is New Release Tuesday.
Sometimes I miss them days working at Tower Records (RIP, the last great semi-independent record store... good fight, but online music sales did you in well); the thrill of New Release Tuesday crowds were the best. (The only thing better was earning a transfer to their loss prevention dept and apprehending shoplifters for a daily living)
...however, I don't miss those NRT crowds enough to rob me from the many joys of getting my new releases at the single click of a mouse now (Thank you, iTunes).
How much do i like to use parentheses? (A lot, i guess).
HERE IS TODAY'S LONG AWAITED RELEASE...
THRICE :: The Alchemy Index (vol. 1 & 2)
A solid album.
I've been an admitted Thrice fan ever since the release of Identity Crisis.
Thrice haters, don't playa-hate... participate.
Aside from the fact that this great band can deliver some of the best ear candy out there, I also dig the fact that...
- ... these same four dudes have been making music together since high school, when they were a skate-punk band
- ... lead singer Dustin Kensrue introduced me to C.S. Lewis literature after a Thrice show in 2001
- ... lyrical inspiration for many songs come from C.S. Lewis works. (the songs The Earth Will Shake, The Abolition of Man, The Weight of Glory, to name a few)
- ... some songs are clearly written from a biblical character's perspective. (ie. Like Moths to Flame -- Simon Peter)
- ... Dustin's faith inevitably pours out into his lyrics
- ... you would never know unless you actually read your Bible (or the CD liner notes)
- ... Vheissu has become one of my favorite worship albums
- ... I had the pleasure of meeting 3 of the 4 fine gentlemen
- ... their asian guitarist shreds
- ... just before one of his solo project performances at HoB San Diego, over chilli-cheese nachos, Dustin and I shared a 45-minute, mano a mano, conversation about music, tattoos, current scripture reads, AIDS and poverty in Africa, fighting social apathy, and his church Rock Harbor
- ... (I'm totally name-dropping right now)
oh, and triple triple triple... ;)
Back to The Alchemy Index...
It's an ambitious concept record... and a brilliant one at that.
The concept: Not a single full-length LP... but rather, four EPs, at six songs each, representing the four basic elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Air. The music delivered on each EP is conceptually bound by its element.
Vol. 1 and 2 (Fire and Water) were released today, New Release Tuesday...
The album begins with the aggressive fury that is the FIRE concept. All things heavy, dissonant and explosive are heard loud and clear. The post-hardcore prog-metalness of the band finds its home on this EP. Deftones influences are obvious on the first track. Now, am I a fan of "scream-ish music?" Not so much anymore... but then there are those that seem to do it so well, it makes me happy :) (ie. Refused, Becoming the Archetype, and Thrice)... and Thrice does it oh so well with Alchemy Index's "fire" concept. It's heavy. It's bold. It works. I like it.
The coda of the last Fire song subtly extinguishes the loud brashness and ushers in the fluidly WATER concept. This keeper is a medley of soft and flow-y electronica musings. Think Isis and Sigur Ros. All the sounds, including vocals, are toned down to a point that you swear you left the q-tips in your ears this morning... either that, or the band recorded the entire record underwater. It totally fits though, for a concept that suggests being submerged. It's soft. It's chilling. It works. I like it.
As an even further stretch away from "old-school Thrice" than Vheissu, this album is sure to disappoint some-- namely, the Thrice fans that are too stubborn to step off the hardcore bandwagon, with their girly jeans(regardless of gender) and plastered fauxhawks(regardless of gender)... and I am perfectly fine with that. You may be robbing yourself from some good quality music, but at least my iTunes library will look that much different than yours. jk... I still want to be your friend. :)
So did THRICE succeed in their bold attempt to break away from familiar methods and deliver a satisfying new concept record? My answer... TOTALLY. And I'm always right about these things. I'm looking forward to the upcoming Earth and Air volumes... I imagine they'll sound like raw indie-folk and stripped-down atmospheric music, respectively.
Can't wait. Til then, I'll be enjoying The Alchemy Index: volumes 1 and 2 (Fire and Water) on my iPod playlists.
listen to the entire album here.
read the band's alchemy index blog here.
the preview trailer for volumes 1 and 2...
Now, go buy the album. Thank me later.
faithhopelove,cp
This video is just all kinds of great.
it's got a catchy tune,
likeable characters,
a respectable role model (Mr. Pants Man),
and a CLASSIC ending...
It's FLAWLESS.
Enjoy.
I want to be a Pa-Pa-Pants Man too.
I've just arrived. Let's get this party started.
