Besides Dr. Dre, Austin’s ... Trail Of Dead are the only other act that Interscope Records magnate Jimmy Iovine has personally signed. Iovine instantly saw something special in this raucous quartet — an ability to transfix audiences in a furious explosion of orchestrated beauty and chaotic noise. After releasing two impressive full-lengths on independent labels, ... Trail Of Dead shook the world with last year’s Source Tags & Codes, an album that stood head and shoulders above their contemporaries in the industry. Following up such a critically successful record with a far-fetched concept EP is tremendously risky, but if anyone can pull off such a feat, it is the mighty ... Trail Of Dead.

Often the band’s spokesman, Conrad Keely describes Elena as a “true story of Carl von Kassel, a German doctor who lived in Florida at the beginning of the last century.” Although it’s hard not to compare Elena to TOD’s earlier work, Keely also suggests that the five songs included are their “own idyllic excursion into a separate Arcadia,” rather than a signifier of where the band has been or where it will go in the future. Beginning with “Mach Schau,” TOD stick to their tried-and-true formula of building lush guitar arrangements around a cascading rhythm section and desperate vocals. The song doesn‚t necessarily grab one upon first listen, but spending a little more time with the track reveals a gem hidden under ordinary looking subterfuge.

Likewise, “All St. Day” may tend to go over the listener’s head the first go round, but repetition deliciously unwraps the song’s brilliant elements little by little. Jason Reece’s vocals have never sounded as crisp and clean, the singer hitting each note with confidence only plenty of studio time can afford. The rest of the tune wafts above the ears, like a bird stretching its wings in the summer sun.

The band briefly dips into mediocrity with the syrupy, acoustic-driven “Counting Off The Days” but return to form on the odd “Intelligence.” Breaking out a quasi-disco beat (replete with electronic drums, et al), “Intelligence” is the sound of adventure rather than safety. It’s a great example of how a band can completely step outside what is expected of them and still deliver the goods.

The Secret Of Elena’s Tomb also includes additional features accessible through your computer. Some live footage of the band is available as well as two videos and hyperlinks to various TOD schwag on the web. Altogether, Elena’s Tomb is a steal at the EP price.

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