The band is best known for their heavy yet anthemic music and their tendency to destroy their equipment at the end of their performances (a rock and roll tradition usually associated with The Who). According to the band's website, the name "...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead" is taken from both an ancient Mayan ritual chant and an Egyptian burial text. Band members have also claimed that they made it up because it sounded cool and discovered the association after the fact.
The chief creative element of the band consists of Jason Reece and Conrad Keely. The two switch between drumming and lead vocals and guitar, both on their records and during their shows. (On some songs, [former] bass player Neil Busch sings lead vocals). Keely and Reece have been friends since their youth, meeting originally in Hawaii. They each formed their first band in 1993 soon after moving to Olympia, Washington. Keely started a band called Benedict Gehlen that only lasted a year. Nancyville was Keely's next project, though it also was short lived. Reece started with Honeybucket and then formed Mukilteo Fairies while living in Olympia. Dissatisfied with the northwest, the two ventured south to Austin, Texas and started playing as a duo under the moniker, "You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead". The band expanded to include guitarist Kevin Allen and bassist Neil Busch. They then officially changed their name to "...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead" (adding the conjunction and then the ellipsis for effect). The band is also known by the shorter name "Trail of Dead".
By 1998 they had issued their first release (a live cassette on local Golden Hour Records), followed by a self-titled full-length on Trance Syndicate. In early 2002, Trail of Dead released Source Tags & Codes to immediate critical acclaim, and made numerous critics' year-end top 10 lists.
In 2003, an EP named The Secret of Elena's Tomb followed up, which included amongst others "Mach Schau", which was the first recording of a song the band had written in their early days, as well as "Intelligence", a song with dominant electronic sounds, which was pulled from Jason Reece's electro side-project called A Roman Scandal.
In 2004, Neil Busch left the band due to health issues and was replaced by Danny Wood of The Rise. Together with additional drummer Doni Schroader (ex-Forget Cassettes) and keyboarder David Longoria (The Black), a revamped Trail of Dead embarked on an extensive worldwide tour in 2004-2005, which covered USA and Canada, and cities throughout Europe to promote their album Worlds Apart, which was finally released in January 2005 after some annoying issues with the label's corporate policies.
After the tepid critical and commercial reception of Worlds Apart, Conrad Keely became very frustrated and considered quitting the band altogether. Luckily, the band regrouped to record an EP, but the group's creativity blossomed, resulting in enough material for an album. Their latest full-length album, X: The Godless Void and Other Stories, was released on January 20th, 2020.
Open Doors
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead Lyrics
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You want to know to save the world
Now we get to Nassau
The do has been tamed
Save this rotten world
The time is bad but still forever we
Better not to enter
Lock the fights, I stand in line
And push this through, I’m prepared for this
Lose yourself to the unknown
And I let you go
Understand the world’s at hand
We’re feeling better, so should him
Waiting for the answer
Walking through open doors
Walking through
Why is death in some new sky?
We open doors but not divide
Give it up, no crisis
I let you float
Feelings not been long before
This world is lost in suffering
Day by night’s the answer
Walking through open doors
Walking through
But we survive between the times
We walk through blood to save the world
Now the doors are open
Time lets you know
Feelings not been long before
This world is lost in suffering
Day by night’s the answer
Walking through open doors
Walking through open doors
The lyrics to "Open Doors" by ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead tell a story of overcoming adversity and facing the unknown. The opening line, "Well it might have been the blazing hell", sets a tone of uncertainty and potential danger. The second line, "You want to know to save the world", suggests a duty or responsibility to take action in the face of this danger. The line "Now we get to Nassau" could be interpreted as a destination or arrival point after a journey.
The chorus of "Walking through open doors" suggests a willingness to face uncertainty and take risks. The lines "Lock the fights, I stand in line / And push this through, I’m prepared for this" implies determination and readiness to face whatever challenges come their way. The lines "Why is death in some new sky? / We open doors but not divide" suggest a desire for unity and a willingness to take risks to achieve that unity. The final lines "But we survive between the times / We walk through blood to save the world / Now the doors are open / Time lets you know" suggest that overcoming adversity may require sacrifice, but that ultimately it leads to new opportunities and growth.
Overall, the song's lyrics encourage bravery and risk-taking in the face of uncertainty and adversity, with the belief that ultimately this will lead to positive change.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it might have been the blazing hell
It is possible that we have gone through something difficult and unpleasant in the past
You want to know to save the world
We are searching for ways to help the world and make it a better place
Now we get to Nassau
We have arrived at our destination, Nassau
The do has been tamed
We have succeeded in controlling something that was previously difficult or uncontrollable
Save this rotten world
We want to help the world, despite its flaws
The time is bad but still forever we
Despite difficult times, we are still committed to our cause
Better not to enter
It's best not to get involved in certain situations
Walking through open doors
We are taking advantage of new opportunities and possibilities
Lock the fights, I stand in line
Despite facing opposition, I am determined and ready to take action
And push this through, I’m prepared for this
I am ready to do what it takes to make progress and achieve my goals
Lose yourself to the unknown
It's important to embrace the uncertainty and take risks
And I let you go
I am willing to let go of things that are holding me back
Understand the world’s at hand
We are aware of the current state of the world and the issues it faces
We’re feeling better, so should him
We are making progress and others should follow our lead
Waiting for the answer
We are searching for a solution to a problem
Walking through open doors
We are taking advantage of new opportunities and possibilities
Walking through
Continuing our journey towards progress and improvement
Why is death in some new sky?
We are questioning the presence of death and despair in our world
We open doors but not divide
We are creating opportunities for progress without causing division or conflict
Give it up, no crisis
We are not giving up despite facing difficult times
I let you float
I am allowing someone or something to move freely and find its own path
Feelings not been long before
This situation is not new and we have experienced similar emotions before
This world is lost in suffering
The world is currently facing a lot of pain and difficulty
Day by night’s the answer
We are working towards finding a solution, even during difficult times
Walking through open doors
We are taking advantage of new opportunities and possibilities
Walking through
Continuing our journey towards progress and improvement
But we survive between the times
We are able to endure and overcome challenges
We walk through blood to save the world
We are willing to make sacrifices to achieve our goal of helping the world
Now the doors are open
Opportunities are currently available to us
Time lets you know
In time, we will learn and understand more about our situation
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: CONRAD KEELY, JASON REECE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind