Customer Reviews

The Secret Of Elena's Tomb

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Firstly, if you are reading this review and have little knowledge of the Trail of Dead, but are keen to purchase something because you've heard some good things, I warn you, do not purchase this cd. Immediately go to "Source Tags and Codes", purchase that, listen on repeat for a week and then no doubt you will want to purchase every other cd released by ToD. This new EP being a good place to start.

Whilst it doesn't have the brilliant melding of songs and intricate song structures as on "Source Tags" there is plenty here to get yourself pumped for the next release. Being only a 5 song EP it was always going to be hard to produce a fully cohesive "album" whilst appealing to old fans and still developing into something new, however I think the ToD have done as good a job as could be expected (although the album art is a little disappointing, especially after the brilliant cover to Source Tags that seems to grow and develop into something else, much like many of the songs).

Track 1: Mach Schau: definitely a true ToD song, heavy and hard hitting, with the usual tempo shifts, slow guitar lines that evolve into a hard hitting chorus before easing up for just long enough for you to catch your breath before flinging you straight back into the fire. A great opener, and a very fine song.

Track 2: All St. Day: another fine rocker which is in much the same vein as some of the softer more mellow "rock" songs off Source Tags. More of a "How Near, How Far" or "Relative Ways" style single material song.

Track 3: Crowning of a Heart: This songs just flows straight through beautifully from the end of "All St Day". Once again a slower tempo song and a very light breezy chorus, with a single prominent guitar line repeating itself throughout. This song builds and subsides with the drumming rising and falling, only it never really peaks, before fading out. Good song, but not something the fans of Madonna will get into.

Track 4: Counting off the Days: Ahh yes, its acoustic. Definitely something we haven't really heard these guys do. Having said that i'm partial to a bit of acoustic guitar work and this song is definitely appeasing to me. Just something about the rather simple guitar and that just floats along with the accompanying strings. Probably finished a bit quickly for me but is defiantly something they could evolve and use a bit more in the future.

Track 5: Intelligence: Wow, now we get a dance track. Don't think doff doff doff, it starts normally before a simple 70's type drum sync comes in and the song starts to kick. With its whirring chorus and customary tempo change before finishing in a screeching assault and fading out.

All in all there is something here that could appease everyone, as for me all 5 tracks have something that has me geared up for the next LP, whether that's old school (track 1), continuation of last album (tracks 2 and 3) or something far far more experimental (tracks 4 and 5) I say bring it on!!!!

Well worth a purchase.

How do you follow up an album as great as Source Tags and Code? You evolve. And with the EP 'Secrets of Elena's Tomb' that's exactly what the Trail of Dead are doing.

Mach Schau is classic ToD. Raw, hard, and intelligent. This song could have been taken off the 'Madonna' album. Not to say it's bad, but this is the worst song on the EP.

All Saints Day is a fantastic new song. It sounds like it could have been taken out of 'Source Tags'. It uses the normal soft/hard formula of ToD, but shows a little more advancement. Very mellow as well. One of my favorite Trail of Dead songs.

Crowning of a Heart is even mellower than All Saints Day. Think "How Near How Far". A great song.

Counting Off the Days is a short acoustic song. Yes that's right I said acoustic. It's a fantastic song, just an acoustic guitar and a string backing that adds much warmth and feeling. The vocals fit perfectly as well.

Intelligence. This is the bands biggest departure. Other reviewers have mentioned techno, electronica, and dance music in relation to this song. That's all wrong. The closest comparision would be to say it's like ToD doing an incredible cover of a early Nine Inch Nails song. Die hard fans, don't be scared away, this is no namby-pamby electronica.

All in all, if this is a sign of where the Trail of Dead will be going with their next album, I'm even more excited about it then I was before. Not only that, but this dispels any fear I might have had that they won't be able to top Source Tags. For any fan who wants to see what the next album may be like, or just wants something to tide them over, this is worth your money. For any new fan, get 'Source Tags and Code' and go from there.

I . . I have a problem. The first time I listened to "Source Tags and Codes," I was hooked. I couldn't stop listening. But, you know, the highs just aren't high enough after awhile. You need something new to really get you up to your previous levels of listening enjoyment again. Then, I almost went into cardiac arrest when I saw this E.P.. I thought I had it bad before, but now it's even worse. This is the only CD I listen to. I haven't stopped for almost six months. SIX MONTHS! I can't help it. "Counting off of the Days" . . . it's just so beautiful. "Machu Machu" is so much fun. "Intelligence" is just so incredibly entrancing while at the same time it makes you scream and dance. One time, I was listening to it while driving. When I looked up I didn't even KNOW WHERE I WAS! And that's not even the worst of it. "All Saint's Day?" Sometimes, I hit repeat three, four times. I know it's sad, but I can't help it. I love it. Thank you.

This 5 track EP isn't really essential, but if you're curious and have 5 or 6 bucks to throw around it may be worth your while. The first track sounds like textbook trail of dead, but isn't all that great a song to tell you the truth. The second song is, again, a textbook trail of dead song, but it seems to hold up better than the first track. The third track, "Crowning of a Heart", is a calm reflective piece which sounds like some of the latter tracks on ST+C. "Counting off the Days" sounds like Trail Of Dead covering a Sunny Day Real Estate (Rising Tide-era) song. The final track "Intelligence" is kind of a techno-ish departure from familiar Trail of Dead territory, perhaps indicating a new direction being taken on the next album? One of the great pluses to buying this EP is some great enhanced features on the disc which can be accessed by sticking the disc into a computer. Featuring some awesome artwork slides, a couple videos (live and otherwise), and some other little trinkets. Again, it's worth getting if you spot it and are curious, but chances are you don't really need this unless you're a collector.

I love this E.P. While everyone has to be stupid and critical becuase of the diversity of the tracks, I feel this E.P. delivers. "Mach Schau" is the best opener, and has a great raw intro and a hard hitting chorus. It's nice and gritty and one awesome song. All St. Day is good too, yes, the intro is too much like Sonic Youth's awesome "Dirty Boots" but the actual song part is great and new for TOD. "Mach Schau" along with the excellent "Crowning of A Heart" are the highlights for me though. "Crowning of a Heart has the best vocal harmonies these guys could pull off and cool electric guitar strumming. The acoustic song is okay, but not really my deal. THe elctroclash type song "Intelligence" is cool in it's departure from the rest of the songs and is a cool thing to have on disk. However, to me the meat of the E.P. is the first 3 songs. Buy it and listen, I mean for my 6.98 or whatever I felt I got my money's worth. If you will excuse me I must go listen...

This was the first album I heard from ToD and I was reeled in. Utterly. These are five of the greatest little masterpieces of modern rock with "Crowning of a Heart" being one of my personal favorite songs of all-time. It is a different-sounding take for them, and they make it sweet, sincere, and beautiful. "Intelligence" is unique and punching, "All Saints Day" is a bonafide classic... a must-hear. They all are.

And I will know them by the trail of (songs stuck in my) head...

Trail of Dead released this EP in between Source Tags and Codes and Worlds Apart, and although it was rather hard for me to find, once I tracked it down I wasn't disappointed. It only has 5 songs on it but they're great, from the opening blast of Mach Shau (an obscure Beatles reference....anyone know what it means? I do!) to the almost poppy Crowning of a Heart and All Saints Day. There's even some electronic experimenting with the last track. I wish this was a full-fledged album as I would like to have seen what they could have done in this direction before the epic grandeur of Worlds Apart.

The first time I heard of Trail of Dead, I saw them on Conan O'brian, and they really rocked it out, I was impressed. Then I was talking to my cousin who is very into underground rock and she just went off about how amazing she thought this band was. So, I went to a discount store and bought this CD... and it was worth EVERY DOLLAR. My cousin was right, this band is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. In my opinion, they're a perfect example of why rock will never die. It just morphs and mutates into new and sometimes more beautiful things, this is what the Trail of Dead have done. Do yourself a favor and buy it!

This is amazing music. Trail of Dead is deffinately a rockin' group...as always they are brilliant and astute and are showing so many signs of maturity through out this album. I deeply enjoy listenin' to it- kept the album on repeat in my stereo time and time again. So a word of good advice would be this: add this to your collection of CDs for it is a gem...it's just nice to have some of Conrad Keely's brilliant art right there for you to catch a glimpse at too. Because Trail of Dead has some art education backround/artist talent, it certainly enhances their music in so many profound ways...Also you see this in Radiohead and Les Savy Fav...both awesome bands w/ members who had previously gone into some form of studio art or photography before entering into the music world...so if you are lookin' out for the real talent, check out Trail of Dead...they fit right into that catagory there. Happly music searchin'!

Much like their earlier albums, Trail of Dead try to take things in a new direction, and, as usual, they don't disappoint. Secret of Elena's Tomb, although 5 tracks short, is of a higher caliber than a good ninety percent of the latest indie/pop releases, and is definitely worth your money. It's a very satisfying five tracks, and, despite what you may think, there's enough music in those five tracks to keep you appeased until the next Trail of Dead album comes out.