In its original incarnation, Santa Rosa, CA's the New Trust was something of a post-hardcore supergroup gathering Josh Staples of the Velvet Teen on bass and vocals and Michael Richardson of Benton Falls on lead guitar. The original lineup was completed by guitarist Sara Sanger -- Staples' wife, who by her own admission barely knew how to play guitar when the band was formed -- and drummer Julia Lancer. Signing to the Slowdance label, the New Trust debuted with 2004's We Are Fast-Moving M***********s. We Are Women and Men of Action. (The rest of the album's front cover, in perhaps unaware imitation of XTC's sleeve for Go 2, consists of a lengthy and largely unreadable band manifesto.) A period of band instability followed the release of their debut album, poetically referred to in the title of its 2007 follow-up; although Richardson does appear on Dark Is the Path Which Lies Before Us, it's in a more limited role than before, and his departure from the band was announced concurrent with the album's release. Richardson was replaced by new guitarist Michael Izen, who also maintains an ongoing role in another band, the Polar Bears. ~ Stewart Mason