Trail of Dead still pushes the envelope

And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, "The Century of Self" (Justice/Richter Scale).

Shaking loose the shackles of a major label, And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead maintain their singular style on the first full-length for their own Richter Scale Records, "The Century of Self."

Crafting another set that falls just short of prog, but pushes the envelope far beyond standard modern rock, the Trail of Dead's sonic outbursts are ably balanced by piano and organ arrangements, a smart pop sensibility and poetic lyrics centered on both embracing and letting go of the past.

Multi-instrumentalists and vocalists Jason Reece and Conrad Keely and guitarist Kevin Allen remain the band's only founding members, and they work with a plethora of collaborators, including drummer Aaron Ford, who plays like an absolute monster on the disc.

They kick into overdrive on "Far Pavillions" and the anthemic "Ascending," offer the melancholic stomp "Halcyon Days," and twist and turn through the driving "Bells of Creation" and the rousing and spiritual "Fields of Coal."

"Luna Park" starts off soft and builds to a crafty crescendo, and the two-part "Insatiable" mourns the hunger of the mob mentality.

Amid a rock climate that swears by the single, the deftly executed "The Century of Self" is a complete album in the purest sense - and it rocks, too.

Check this out: "Isis Unveiled" has dark religious overtones and drives hard with a sweeping hook and explosive drumming.