Where are you getting your information from...? I've had this discussion with many in the composition faculty at my school, and most agree that composers are actually reverting back to a more "tonal" or at least pitch centered approach... I don't know where you're getting this "dead end" from. Ellen Zwilich, Sergio Assad, Leo Brouwer, Corigliano, and Dan Welcher are just a few examples, and all extremely successful composers.