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Rating: This EP by ...Trail Of Dead was released in April 2003, a little over a year after their last effort. Same label Interscope, which alternates between excellent productions (dredg, Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and unspeakable failures (Puddle Of Mudd above all) and the same sound engineer, Mike McCarthy, from the previous and successful "Source Tags And Codes", in my opinion, one of the best releases of 2002 and thanks to which I discovered them. The foundations for a good record were present, therefore. Instead...
The title "The Secret Of Elena's Tomb" is taken from a book that tells the macabre (true) story of a doctor in love with a very ill patient. The unfortunate woman dies and... for those interested http://www.secretofelenastomb.com. However, there is no trace of any reference in the lyrics of the songs, at least from what I could understand. I do not understand why.
"Mach Schau," the song that opens the EP, is in pure "Source Tags And Codes" style, starting slow then exploding, slowing down again and so on. Conrad Keely's vitriolic screams, furious drumming, and battered guitars. Beautiful. But it's with the intro of "All St. Day" that the first doubts arise, copied verbatim from "Dirty Boots" by Sonic Youth. The song then takes a different path from Thurston Moore and his associates (understandably...) and it's not even bad, but there's a bit of a sour taste left.
It increases, indeed, with the two follow-up semi-acoustic ballads, unnecessarily syrupy and out of place. My impression is that this type of composition is not in their style and that the attempt to explore other pathways has failed. Catchy songs (too much so) and not that it's a bad thing, but I willingly skip them after just a few listens. Banals. If in the predecessor, the band's pop vein found its place in their music (perhaps also thanks to the major Interscope contract and somewhat crafty production) without at all detracting from the anger and fury typical of their work, and it was a strength, here everything feels artificial. Almost an obligation towards the record label or a desire to overdo it. Even though I realize this is my assumption. Even if it is "just" an EP.
I reconcile a little with Trail Of Dead thanks to the last track "Intelligence", certainly the best alongside the opening track, where a techno base appears accompanying Jason Reece on vocals (usually on drums). This, perhaps, a good solution for the future.
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