After people began making Thrice comparisons to several elements of The Hunting Party, I decided to blindly dive into their discography. What an incredible shot in the dark that ended up becoming! This band is so diverse, I can't help but compare them to Linkin Park's equally transcending career. Although early on I regretted my decision, as Thrice's first few albums felt stagnant in sound, The Artist In The Ambulance finally sounds great as a cohesive album with several powerful anthems. Vheissu is a risky dabble into unknown territory, although the result is spectacular as the more experimental mix of softer more melodic ballads with their heavy aggressive origins feels like second nature and a proper evolution. The Alchemy Index is a conceptual masterpiece. The idea of taking 4 individual EPs and devoting each disc to a separate natural element was an incredibly ambitious and daunting task, yet Thrice greatly exceeded my expectations. Fire is a purely aggressive, piercing album. Water is simply magical in how it incorporates a digital filter to the music to feel as though you're listening underwater. Air actually feels like you're floating on a feather in a vast, calming soundscape. Last but not least, Earth brings the conceptual release to a humble finale with incredible acoustic performances. I dream for the day Linkin Park becomes this ambitious, as Thrice's efforts are nothing short of phenomenal. Beggars and Major/Minor feel largely similar to one another, however they carry enough diversity between each album that they are both welcome additions. The stripped-back, organic side of Thrice is just as compelling as their previous, more dense endeavours. When I listen to these albums, I feel battle-hardened years of experience and passion gushing from the music. The absence of any truly heavy, screaming vocals feels like a missed opportunity however, as I feel Dustin Kensrue has some of the most tasteful screams outside of Chester himself. Overall I'm incredibly glad I took a chance with Thrice. They definitely proved themselves worthy as a band that transcended post-hardcore territory, resulting in alternative rock anthems, emotional ballads, aggressive hard-rock/metal, and brilliant acoustic performances, all while presenting glorious instrumentation and poetic lyrics. It's a shame they are currently on a hiatus, but I hope they will eventually return with a renewed passion. I'm hoping there are other forum members here who share the same positive experience I had. RECOMMENDED TRACKS - Never has a band given me so much difficulty in selecting a list of songs, other than Linkin Park The Earth Will Shake: Heavy and aggressive while extremely experimental thanks to several shifts in sound. I would kill for a cover from LP. Atlantic, Circles, In Exile: Equally stunning softer, melodic alternative tracks. For Miles, Music Box: Songs that begin soft and quiet but grow overtime until the final minutes explode with intensity. Like Moths To Flame: Everything wonderful about this band in a single song. Of Dust And Nations: Has a siren-like synth in the intro that sounds remarkably like "Lost In The Echo". The Alchemy Index: Seriously, you need to listen to it all. Such a powerful journey, though if I HAD to choose one song from each element, they would be the following: Fire: Firebreather - That epic, siren-esque synth is bone-chilling. The crushing vocals and guitars are an added bonus. Water: Digital Sea - The best showcase of feeling underwater, along with incredible vocals. Air: Daedalus - This is a brilliant ballad. Nuff said. Earth: The Earth Is Humming - An acoustic performance that carries an amazingly powerful ambience. Yellow Belly, Talking Through Glass, Red Sky: Brilliant alternative rock anthems. Call It In The Air: A soaring, gigantic rock ballad. Anthology: The band's swan song.