Trails – ‘Egos At The Door’ [Review]
When I first heard of Trails (via the title of their tune SHT FKR), it seemed somewhat tempting to write them off as silly, immature kids and move on ASAP. I didn’t, though – and I’m glad I chose the less obvious path. Far from being the Blink 182 / Bloodhound Gang crossbreed I’d expected, an actual listen to SHT FKR showed me just how Trails really work. There’s plenty of fun-having, yes, but Trails definitely stay on the right side of the line between humour and playschool-level childishness. The real order of the day here is straightforward rock awesomeness with a bit of flamboyance and serious attention to songwriting detail.
Over the past year-and-a-bit, Trails have gradually risen like a slowly and lovingly baked loaf of bread. That’s a pretty crap and utterly unpoetic simile, but it does the job. The Signs EP showcased plenty of heartwarmingly Reuben-esque touches, and Desert Sun pushed the boat out with hardcore vibes, mind-bending effects, and beautifully subtlety-free mathy elements. Then I saw them live, and was fully won over. Suffice it to say, then, that I’ve been looking forward to Trails’ next move for quite a while.
To be perfectly honest, I’ve not managed to watch the video below all the way through. The visual effects messed with my eyes so much that I found myself wondering whether or not I might have epilepsy, and I can’t write if my eyes are screwed or I have a migraine! But thanks to the miracle of the ‘Minimise Window’ function, I’ve been able to listen to the actual track plenty of times. And it’s fucking great. Behind the frankly hideous (and obviously deliberately so) video lies a great slice of rawk tuneage with hints of Hell Is For Heroes in amongst commercially oriented hardcore / modern punk influences. It’s short, sweet, and to the point – pretty much the opposite of Desert Sun, but no less impressive.
If you like this track, get involved with Trails’ Kickstarter campaign and help them record and release their debut album.
Links / Video
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