A successful debut can often, wrongfully, define a band. It’s the blueprint of their sound, persona and everything in between. And it can unearth this hype which can haunt an artist as they move forward in their career. Pressure surmounts within the hope that what’s to come is as good as what’s been before.
The Last Dinner Party observed this pressure and refused to let it command their abilities, with their second offering From The Pyre.
With a sound which glides between the disciplines of baroque pop and punchy rock, it takes all those glimmering delights which defined the sound of their debut and expand them. As someone who keeps returning to their first album, this perfectly divulges in what draws you in the first-time time around. The theatre, the imagery, and a sound driven by focus on the sporadic swirl of melancholic melodies and instrumentation which deviates from the confines of single genres.
‘Agnus Dei’ sets us off on our orchestral exhibition with this crawlingly sinister guitar riff which cuts through with haste. It’s the perfect opener; a microcosm of what makes the band so great. It’s whimsical in its charm as Morris’ vocals fall into flow, taking on lyrics surrounding the evaluation of relationships through the conjuring of images, all whilst a larger-than-life soundscape is conjured. It sits gloriously as an opener.
‘Count The Ways’ and ‘Second Best’ coincide within grandeur. Imagery carries as worlds are built amongst the rip of riffs which punch yet shine amongst their respective sounds. The former carries this catchy earworm amongst its chorus, whilst the latter flutters between sounds of slick and sweeping.
Our first introduction to the album, lead single ‘This Is The Killer Speaking’ shines gloriously within the run of the album. Shifting tempos order appeal, with the chorus erupting into this strikingly joyful collation of instruments.
‘Rifle’ is this richly expansive masterpiece. No moments of the music can be predicted. Deceived with glimmers of a ballad, these intense riffs crash through with no relent. It’s intriguing, confusing but somehow brilliant.
Hauntingly divine harmonies of acapella turn somewhat to a scream at the start of ‘Woman Is A Tree,’ a song which is the first to be carried with the tangles of an acoustic guitar. It’s ethereal folk which might stand amongst the greats of their discography.
‘I Hold Your Anger’ convenes with this almost musical theatre paired with 70s folk rock musicality, whilst ‘Sail Away’ is a complete juxtaposition as a simple yet beautiful ballad built from bricks of harmonies and piano.
‘The Scythe’ is another deception. A jangly melody homes themes of loss and mortality. A shattering evaluation of the most honest of human emotions mixes with an elegant façade.
The albums’ closer, ‘Inferno’ perhaps relieves us from some of those rich, gritty sounds we’d encountered throughout the album. It’s light, yet not without intrigue.
The Last Dinner Party are one of the best groups around right now. Their ability to weave the intricacies of various genres amongst the crawl of unconventional melodies makes each song a standout in its own right. They are a band who step away from convention, enjoying the freedom of exploration and adapting upon a sound which continually evolves. The hype is strong, but it is absolutely deserved.
The Last Dinner Party: From The Pyre – Out 17 October 2025 (Universal Music)
