You might know Austin's Trail of Dead as the reigning kings of Texas noise-rock. Or perhaps you know them from their anarchic, trail-of-destruction live shows.

Either way, you might not recognize these boys from their fourth disc Worlds Apart. Their most ambitious, artful and articulate affair to date, this set sounds less like a band of instrument destroyers and more like KISS Destroyer.

Sure, the distortion pedals still get a workout, and the singer still shreds a lung now and then -- but the trio also make use of strings, kettle drums, choirs, laughing children, weeping men, witchy women, church bells, violins, ethno-rock passages, wobbly synths, nature-hike effects and a host of other sonic tricks from The Bob Ezrin Guide to Big-Ass Rock Production.

Funny thing is, between their vitriolic lyrics, sinister grooves and hypnotic melodies, they manage to pull it off by penning songs that don't get overpowered by the overdubs.

Funnier thing is, despite (or perhaps because of) all the majestic production and minor-key piano ballads, many of these anthemic songs end up sporting a glammy Britrock cast somewhere between Bowie, Mott, Floyd, The Who -- and even Oasis.

All of which is another way of saying you might end up knowing Worlds Apart as the CD on which the Dead boys began to blaze a new trail.

Track Listing:

1. Ode to Isis
2. Will You Smile Again
3. Worlds Apart
4. The Summer of '91
5. The Rest Will Follow
6. Caterwaul
7. A Classic Arts Showcase
8. Let it Dive
9. To Russia My Homeland
10. All White
11. The Best
12. The Lost City of Refuge