Reviewed by Dustin Helgeson

IN THE MAINSTREAM

The straight ahead driving rock of Thrice comes out swinging from the first track. “Cold Cash And Colder Hearts” is full of the kind of energy you can expect from the rest of the album. The vocals on “All That’s Left” remind me of the kind of melodious harmonies of P.O.D. with an added dose of rage. “Under A Killing Moon”, the other featured track on the album, is full of hardcore flavourings with some indie rock added in. What makes Thrice stand apart from other melodic hardcore is their insistence on layered vocal harmonies. Intricate bass lines and rapid fire guitars engage you on “Stare At The Sun”, which has a hope-filled chorus proclaiming “Due for a miracle/I’m waiting for a sign/I’ll stare straight into the sun/And I won’t close my eyes.” Thrice’s ‘The Artist In The Ambulance’ is a record worthy of their big label, mainstream distribution through Island records. Even better, the title track offers a hand to the fallen “My world goes black before I feel an angel steal me from the greedy jaws of death and chance, and pull me in with steady hands/They’ve given me a second chance, the artist in the ambulance/Can we pick you off the ground, more than flashing lights and sound?” Thrice offer hope amidst suffering with 'The Artist In The Ambulance', full of indie rock leanings and loud, raucous guitars.