The Last Dinner Party – From the Pyre
The Last Dinner Party, a London-based quintet consisting of lead vocalist Abigail Morris, vocalist and guitarist Lizzie Mayland, multi-instrumentalist Emily Roberts, bassist Georgia Davies and keyboardist Aurora Nishevci, returns with their sophomore record, From the Pyre. Since their breakthrough hit Nothing Matters in 2023, the band has refined their theatrical blend of 70s classic rock while earning both critical acclaim and a devoted following. With From the Pyre, they deliver a sweeping rock opera destined to leave a lasting impression.
Sonically, the opening track Agnus Dei picks up right where their debut left off, with masterful instrumentation and intricate arrangements. Since perfecting their sound, they have shown that they are dedicated to developing their storytelling. The album’s title alone evokes powerful imagery – “pyre” conjures thoughts of ritualistic cremation, a symbol of death, finality and spiritual release in many religious traditions. This motif runs through the record, grounding its themes in a haunting exploration of devotion and devastation.
Agnus Dei, Latin for “Lamb of God”, is a direct reference to Christian liturgy, where it is often a plea for mercy and redemption. True to form, The Last Dinner Party uses this religious symbolism as an extended metaphor, possibly for unrequited devoutness or emotional turmoil.
Count the Ways expands upon this foundation. The song opens with imagery of a snake, likely alluding to the biblical tale of Adam and Eve, as it slithers into the singer’s psyche. Mayland and Roberts’s guitar work weaves around Morris’s piercing vocals, creating a tension that lifts into a more ethereal chorus. The band’s existential, obsessive tone persists as they navigate the pain of a treacherous romantic entanglement. Second Best follows suit with choral elements and a continued focus on the torment of unhealthy loyalty.
The most calamitous moments on the record lie with This is the Killer Speaking and The Scythe. Here, the speaker confronts their own psychological battle, teetering between violence and resignation. The former track channels aggression and obsession, while the latter portrays a graceful, if gruesome, acceptance. Together, they showcase the band’s ability to balance chaos with control.
The Last Dinner Party does not exclusively focus on toxic romance, however. Woman is a Tree turns its attention toward the feminine experience, drawing unique metaphorical connections between womanhood and nature. I Hold Your Anger builds on this idea, examining the emotional labour often expected of women. Roberts’s fiddle dances around the percussion, setting a relentless march as if the protagonist must keep moving, regardless of exhaustion or resistance.
The album closes with Inferno, a final reckoning that references both historical and religious iconography while revisiting thematic points from earlier songs. The narrator describes themselves as a hollow shell of a human, directionless and unredeemed. In contrast to the spiritual release suggested by the album’s title, Inferno offers no peace and only ongoing despair.
While many contemporary artists embrace reinvention to maintain momentum, The Last Dinner Party instead leans into perfecting what is uniquely theirs. They continue to expand on their sonic identity, but choose to pay close attention to their poetic storytelling. From the Pyre is a tragedy in every sense: a tale of insecurity, obsessive love and existential defeat. Despite its emotional weight, the band’s lyrical precision and theatrical flair demand admiration. Ultimately, this project proves that The Last Dinner Party has a poet’s touch. The more they delve into narrative and symbolism, the more powerful their music becomes.
Taryn Crowley
Image: Laura Marie Cieplik
From the Pyre is released on 17th October 2025. For further information or to order the album, visit The Last Dinner Party’s website here.
Watch the video for This Is the Killer Speaking here:
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