The Latest Feast: From The Pyre Review

Success in the music industry is an anomaly. Those who claw and scrape their way to the front lines of the airwaves are often met with accusations of foul play. None epitomise this greater than The Last Dinner Party. Following their rocket-fuelled rise to the top in 2024, they were saddled with the almighty buzzword label of the online music community: Industry Plants. Since the emergence of these vapid claims (that I am not here to dispute, as they have been previously covered wonderfully by writer Eszter Vida), The Last Dinner Party released their debut album Prelude To Ecstasy (2024) to vast critical acclaim, and hurriedly returned to set the table for their latest feast, sophomore album, From The Pyre (2025). A shining statement of intent dressed in the lavish and baroque stylings the five-piece have become beloved for. 

Opener ‘Agnus Dei’ sees the band burst back onto the scene. Its orchestral chorus, fit with the sharp jabs of strings, is the epitome of what the five-piece are. Apocalyptic imagery with spiritual undertones, intoxicating instrumentation complete with a soaring guitar solo and grand yet playful thespian sensibilities. The Last Dinner Party are well and truly back! 

Despite the opener marking their glorious return, fans were never in doubt that the second full-length project from the London five-piece would be special. A slew of singles soundtracked many a listener’s summer, signalling that the band had no intent of slowing down on their meteoric rise. Lead single ‘This Is The Killer Speaking’ is an eccentric, country-infused pop-rock powerhouse. It’s slow, crawling verses led by twinkling keys evoke that of a classic western stand-off, before it sheds this guise for a thrilling chorus bursting with life. Similarly, ‘Second Best’ is a spectacle of a song, with its seamless transitions between choral harmonies and pulsing guitar stings. 

Arguably most impressive of these singles however, was ‘The Scythe’. The penultimate song on the album is rife with emotion, entangling lead singer Abigail Morris’ faded relationship with an ex-lover and the loss of her late father. Her pain is prominent throughout, being channelled into harrowing words which, in tandem with the heroic instrumentation, scorn the listener with bittersweet yet necessary feelings. “Don’t cry, we’re bound together / Each life runs its course”. It’s a masterful exhibition in siphoning musical bliss from the toughest of times. 

Abigail Morris is a force of nature. Her heavenly yet fierce calls are the very embers which singe your skin should you find yourself too close to The Pyre’s metaphorical burning, a worthy sacrifice many will have no choice but to experience due to the sheer hypnotic tenacity her voice possesses. She is up there with the very best frontmen in the business, and her euphoric performance provides the stylish flourish to a group of gifted musicians. Songwriting credits are split between Morris, vocalist/guitarist Lizzie Mayland and lead guitarist Emily Roberts, the latter of whom is a supernova on From The Pyre (2025). Never sticking to one sound, her guitar work is chameleon-like, constantly shifting between refined backing and robust solos. This, entwined with the tasteful piano-work of Aurora Nishevci and the calculated basslines of Georgina Davies, weaves the wondrous glam-rock tapestry that is From The Pyre (2025). 

The aforementioned songwriting credentials of this LP should not be considered in haste. Known for their dramatisation of events through spiritual and historical lyricism, the ‘Party haven’t pulled any punches on their sophomore album. The Pyre itself serves as an allegory, with the band themselves defining it as the latest vessel to embody their personal experiences. It serves as an engine through which they can reframe their earthly tales of heartbreak, fame and loss into the whimsical words they’ve become known for. For instance, their latest offering cross-pollinates the classic ‘morning after’ with a murderous foe in “This is The Killer Speaking”, and the turmoil of newfound fame with a blazing fire on final track “Inferno”.  

The album’s closer is a gleefully crafted piano-rooted tune reminiscent of the ethereal Florence & The Machine, likely born from the five-piece’s collaboration with producer Markus Dravs (Florence & The Machine, Wolf Alice, Coldplay). Further resulting from this collaboration is a sharper bite snarling its frosty teeth on several tracks. Savage cynicisms have been sharpened behind closed doors since the release of their stellar debut Prelude To Ecstasy (2024). ‘Rifle’ is potently piercing, its swelling verses are completed by an ever-rising tempo and battle-ready cries from Morris, culminating in murky guitar punches that feel ripped straight from the 80s, whilst ‘Count The Ways’ harnesses a similar grit with its resolute guitar that pulsates beneath its heartfelt storytelling of a former partner. 

The way in which The Last Dinner Party craft delectable alternative-pop anthems, all whilst maintaining their baroque theatricality, is a true testament to the divine creativity they have cultivated through their collaboration. Every song feels moulded to the band’s incredibly unique vision and is a true stand-out from anything else its competitors could dare to dream. Their confidence and unapologetic refusal to sacrifice their creative vision to maintain mainstream acceptance, despite their unsubstantiated industry plant accusations, is critical. Their drive to carve out a truly unique discography and image is not just a breath of fresh air, but potentially a statement of what should be the standard. One statement is for certain, however. This is nowhere near the last we will be hearing of The Last Dinner Party.

Words By Daniel Brown