With the release of the first two discs of their four-disc endeavor, “The Alchemy Index,” the band Thrice delivers some of the most chilling and impressive music of 2007.

The first two volumes, which were released on Oct. 16, are entitled “Fire” and “Water” and make up half of the four-disc “Alchemy Index,” which has been produced and mastered entirely by the band in their own basement. The other two, six song EPs, will be released in April 2008.

Even though Thrice needed no help separating themselves from the countless copycats of hard rock music, the originality of the concept alone puts Thrice on a level that many bands of that genre can only dream of. With the release of these two EPs, Thrice joins the ranks of other Warped Tour alums including Brand New, Thursday and Circa Survive (featuring Anthony Green of Saosin) as bands who can break away from that scene and create substantial music.

Vol. 1 of “The Alchemy Index” starts off with one of the most powerful opening songs of any CD I have purchased in recent memory. The first track, “Firebreather,” highlights Thrice’s ability to play heavy music with a passion equaled by very few in their genre. Filled with clean, crisp and roaring riffs, “Firebreather” brilliantly sets the tone for the entire album.

As the disc continues with the second song, “The Messenger,” the band doesn’t miss a beat. Lead singer, Dustin Kensrue, delivers powerful vocals showcasing his astonishing ability to sing haunting melodies and seconds later displays his unrivaled ability to scream/sing clearly and in a way that doesn’t turn listeners away. Continuing with the trend of fire-related song titles, the third song, “Backdraft,” is a perfect example of Thrice’s ability to have each instrument pulsating on different wavelengths, while still managing to tie each of them together beautifully.

The first disc rounds out with three great songs, including “Burn The Fleet,” which beckons comparisons to rock-and-roll legends Led Zeppelin, and other highly regarded acts of late like Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. Though Thrice may be heavier than these mentioned bands, Kensrue’s vocals and Thrice’s music in general soar, as though their band’s sound is limitless. This EP had an uncharacteristically remarkable way of forcing me, as a listener, to become lost in the mind-blowing and chilling state that each song provided. Enjoying every minute of it, I anxiously put in the second installment, entitled “Water,” already being hailed as Thrice’s most ambitious leap away from their typical sound long before its release.

Fortunately, with “Water,” Thrice mutes any doubts one might have had and delivers some of their best recordings to date. Thrice leaves behind their highly distorted shredding guitars for a much more stripped and digitally-laced sound. Following the trend set by the first EP, Thrice titled all six of the songs by relating them to water. This second EP can be haunting at times, calming at others, but breathtaking all the while.

The opening track, “Digital Sea,” is an eerie song that contains mostly synthesizer and drum machine tracks that compliment Kensrue’s chilling vocals wonderfully. Their second track, “Open Water,” is a testament to the band’s ability to not only create amazing music, but also to accompany it with astonishing lyrics, such as “I’ll sail as long as I still have breath in me. / Between the devil and the deep blue sea, you stare into the abyss.” Kensrue’s writing is arguably just as ethereal and intricate as the music it accompanies.

The third song on the album, “Lost Continent,” should be regarded as the pinnacle of “The Alchemy Index” so far, as the song is the most solid representation of Thrice’s abilities as a band. It is encouraging to find that after such a great song the band stays on task and finishes “Water” in tremendous fashion, ending with a song entitled “Kings Upon the Main,” which single-handedly catapults them to the ranks of the critically acclaimed band Radiohead.

Undoubtedly, with this release Thrice has put themselves in good company. While Thrice has separated themselves from bands of their genre, they have also set a standard for aspiring bands to live up to. Whether they meant to or not, Thrice has also set a standard for themselves to live up to. With the remarkable releases of “Fire” and “Water,” Thrice leaves listeners with no reason not to expect greatness from the second installment of “The Alchemy Index” due in April of next year. Until then, we have without question one of the most original and stunning releases of rock music in years to incessantly praise.

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