Tao of the Dead - ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
Tao of the Dead Image
Metascore
73 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 18 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
Rate this:
  • Summary: The group is down to four instead of their previous sextet lineup, but their newest album is still rich in sound and is compositionally sophisticated. It was recorded in 10 days and is thought to be their most conceptual record to date.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. musicOMH.com
    Feb 8, 2011
    100
    A genre defining release and a welcome return to boundary surfing music.
  2. Kerrang!
    Feb 18, 2011
    80
    This infusion of punk is quite some achievement given the album is divided into movements, yet in stripping back to a four-piece they strip away pretentiousness and inject rough-hewn power. [5 Feb 2011, p.51]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. Alternative Press
    Feb 23, 2011
    80
    Meticulously orchestrated by frontman Conrad Keely, Tao Of The Dead hits a full-on prog rock pose with seemless transitions, classical movement structures and lunar background flourishes scraping the Dark Side Of The Moon. [Mar 2011, p.92]
    All this publication's reviews
  4. 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]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 26 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. Trugular
    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 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
  2. AdamChristing
    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...… Expand
  3. surrealconepts
    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.… Expand
  4. jyo_tirmaya
    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.… Expand

See all 7 User Reviews

Current Music Releases

Full List »
  1. The Complete Columbia Album Collection - Johnny Cash
    Metascore: 99
  2. Rumours [35th Anniversary Deluxe Edition] - Fleetwood Mac
    Metascore: 99
  3. Live in Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 2 - Miles Davis Quintet
    Metascore: 92
  4. Jama Ko - Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba
    Metascore: 91
  5. Like a Rose - Ashley Monroe
    Metascore: 89
  6. Same Trailer Different Park - Kacey Musgraves
    Metascore: 89
  7. Your Turn - Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog
    Metascore: 88
  8. The Graceless Age - John Murry
    Metascore: 88
  9. Minute by Minute - The James Hunter Six
    Metascore: 88
  10. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness [Deluxe Edition] - Smashing Pumpkins
    Metascore: 88
  11. Music For the Quiet Hour/The Drawbar Organ EPs - Shackleton
    Metascore: 87
  12. M B V - My Bloody Valentine
    Metascore: 87
  13. Beautiful Africa - Rokia Traoré
    Metascore: 87
  14. LSXX [Last Splash: 20th Anniversary Edition] - The Breeders
    Metascore: 87
  15. Random Access Memories - Daft Punk
    Metascore: 87
  16. Annie Up - Pistol Annies
    Metascore: 87
  17. Rage Against the Machine XX [20th Anniversary Edition] - Rage Against the Machine
    Metascore: 87
  18. Without a Net - Wayne Shorter
    Metascore: 86
  19. In Time - The Mavericks
    Metascore: 86
All Current Music »