Emilie Autumn’s combined single for the songs “Liar” and “Dead is the New Alive” is a mixed bag.  The two headlining songs, both previously available on Opheliac, are good choices to represent Autumn’s victorianindustrial sound, but the rest of the tracks vary wildly in quality.  The previously unreleased “Mad Girl” is a decent torch song done with harpsichord and strings.  ”Best Safety Lies in Fear” is a strange bit of post-industrial soundscape; think of it as Emilie Autumn’s take on Skinny Puppy’s “Stairs and Flowers.”  The next two tracks, both recorded live at “The Asylum,” are probably the best new offerings on the EP.  “In the Lake” is a sprightly acoustic revenge tale; “Let it Die” showcases Autumn at her most Morrissey-esque, bending depressive wit to a perfect intelligent pop tune.

Then, of course, the remixes come rolling in.   Brendan Small, creator of the cartoon Metalocalypse, contributes a thunderously heavy take on “Liar” that renders the metallic remixes by ASP and Dope Stars, Inc. largely irrelevant.  At least Angelspit is able to warp the song in a new, creepy technoid direction.  “Dead is the New Alive” fares a bit better, receiving two club-friendly remodels.  Spiritual Front’s cover of Autumn’s “Thank God I’m Pretty” makes for an odd inclusion on the album, particularly because it’s a faintly awful cover.  Things finish out with a preview from Emilie Autumn’s forthcoming violin shredding album; “Unlaced” proves that Autumn is the Yngwie Malmsteen of the violin.  Whether or not that is a good thing…I’ll leave up to you.  In the end, this EP is probably too much filler, not enough thriller, for all but the most devoted fans.

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