Tao of the Dead
by ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 18 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 18
  3. Negative: 2 out of 18
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  1. AdamChristing
    Feb 8, 2011
    10
    Killer album. (No pun intended). This crunchy, chaotic, powerful, poetic music will remind you to live while you're alive. Whether you want to hear a great song or two or take a ride on this wave of rock. Here's your ticket. This will be the record to beat in 2011. Good luck with that...
  2. Trugular
    Feb 13, 2011
    10
    I think The Trail of Dead don't get the respect they should because they don't fit into an established niche: too arty for hardcore and too much of a hurricane for indie. They don't seem to get the credit they deserve for defining their own sonic territory. But this album is a wild yet immaculately crafted realization of their own unfashionable sound. It approximates the raging swagger ofI think The Trail of Dead don't get the respect they should because they don't fit into an established niche: too arty for hardcore and too much of a hurricane for indie. They don't seem to get the credit they deserve for defining their own sonic territory. But this album is a wild yet immaculately crafted realization of their own unfashionable sound. It approximates the raging swagger of The Stooges, the riffs of The Who, the spiraling orchestration of "A Day in the Life," the mysticism of Led Zeppelin, and the megalomania of King Crimson. The songs blend together, as the band explosively thrusts in new directions but returns to eerie melodic themes. Yes, it's grandiose, unsubtle, and takes itself comically seriously, but how many albums recently have been this exciting to listen to?… Collapse
  3. mike1586
    Feb 13, 2011
    9
    I was expecting to be disappointed but this is actually quite brilliant. The entire album is whirlwind. I'm still undecided about the 16 minute closer though. Highly recommend it.
  4. clincher
    Feb 8, 2011
    9
    This is an early review but compared to it's peers in "indiedom" this album is superior to most. This is one of a handful of non-metal or electronic albums released in the last two years that didn't bore me to tears.
  5. Methusalah
    Feb 9, 2011
    9
    With Tao of the Dead, they've finally managed to fine-tune the grandiose orchestrations and experimentation of their more recent albums to a level that doesn't clash with the sound of their earlier work. They hinted at a return to greatness with 2009's Century of Self and with this album they've truly delivered.
  6. surrealconepts
    Jun 17, 2011
    9
    Just an amazing effort by Trail of the Dead. I can't get enough of this album. This is what real music is all about. If your a fan of good music this is a MUST.
  7. jyo_tirmaya
    Feb 13, 2011
    8
    Trail of Dead are one of my most favorite bands. Their work over the last decade has never failed to impress. That's hard to pull off as most bands dry up after around a decade. This new album takes things to a new exciting direction, and I love the concept of the album, the cover artwork, the booklet (with the special edition)... This time most of the critics gave credit where credit was due.

Awards & Rankings

31
#31 Most Shared Album of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. Uncut
    Apr 12, 2011
    60
    Despite the epic pretensions of the 16-miniute finale, "Tao Of The Dead Part Two,", sadly, this sort of tribute to rock's historical hinterlands yields fewer surprises each time. [May 2011, p.77]
  2. New Musical Express (NME)
    Apr 8, 2011
    70
    Sounding as vital as they ever have seven LPs down the track, there's life in them yet.
    Read full review
  3. Mojo
    Apr 6, 2011
    60
    Album seven hits a sweet spot between prog and power-chords. [March 2011, p. 108]
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