Amongst Liars – By Design
Release Date: 4th July 2024
Label: Earache Records
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Genre: Alternative Rock
FFO: Muse, Royal Blood.
Review By: Jeff Finch
You know what’s really underrated as a music lover? Discovering a band purely by luck, by random happenstance, and immediately clicking with them, to the point where you instantly need to buy their previously released records, should they have any. Today’s band, Amongst Liars, was almost literally dropped in my lap one day as I perused my email, and when I finally got done listening to their debut album, I was shook: how on Earth had I NEVER heard this band before? Somewhat of a love child between Muse and Royal Blood, these UK rockers bring an energy to their sound that demands radio play and sold out tours. With By Design, their upcoming sophomore album, Amongst Liars reaffirms their place in the musical landscape: a band with one hell of a future, and an equally excellent present.
The group is listed as alternative rock, and that’s probably a solid description, as it encompasses a wide array of possible sounds without pigeonholing them into any one area. We open the record with Prelude: a simple build up into the actual record, with guitar feedback mixed with electronic elements and random monitor beeps, the introduction of words trying to break through the noisy chaos sounds exceptionally reminiscent of the opening moments of Def Leppard’s massive hit Rocket. A fist pumping opening transitions into a vocally focused rhythm on first proper track, Ready for This? The guitar is kept in the back of the mix, the drums up front a bit more, as lead vocalist Ian George takes us on a ride of upbeat singing, the chorus bringing in the heavy riffs seen in the opening moments, quite catchy in nature, the high note that George hits very akin to Muse’s incredible frontman Matt Bellamy, as the guitar shifts tone from low to high incrementally, twice reaching the same crescendo. The fuzzy bass tone hearkens back to other British musical royalty, a combination between Chris Wolstenholme and Mike Kerr; it’s a stank face inducing bass tone that hits like a Mack truck, and when coupled with the nasty guitar solo and the filthy groove, any listener that may have had doubts, or was simply waiting to be shown what this band is about, should have them dispelled immediately.
It’s no secret that, once a listener finishes this album, they’ll realize and understand that this band simply knows how to write anthems and catchy hooks; The Shameful is rife with pop-punk energy throughout and when the band takes the opportunity to slow things down in the last few moments of the album, they strike with fervour, the extra vocal gusto hammering home the point of ‘just let it go.’ Meanwhile, You Are Not a Slave hits with a thick, gritty guitar tone, bouncy drums, and frenetic pacing, think Royal Blood with much more pep in their step, while the chorus of ‘jump! How high?’ features beefy, killer riffs that make this one a head banger for sure.
Not all is right with the album, however, though listeners make it to song 9, Alibi, before running into a dud, of sorts; not a bad track in most capacities, it simply fails to live up to the quality of the previous eight tracks; the guitars don’t seem to have the same punch and the chorus is immensely forgettable, though the licks featured about halfway through do stick out as a highlight. Similarly, Say, while a well done acoustic track overall, is rather forgettable and placed after the worst song on the album, doing very little to get the album back into the consistently great rhythm of the first two thirds of the record. However, and for the best, closer Wolf Machine comes roaring out of the speakers, ready to give listeners that last boost before the album goes black; there’s a bevy of catchy riffs, early grunge energy, and pulsating rhythms peppering this track, the band seemingly realizing that going for the jugular might be the best way to end an album. A false finish with about a minute left catches us briefly off guard before the energetic riffs come racing back full bore, the bouncy grooves and intensity a perfect send off for this excellent sophomore release.
While the sophomore slump feels like a foregone conclusion sometimes, especially in the world of modern alternative / hard rock, especially with how many bands just come and go with barely a whisper, Amongst Liars seem to have taken that personally and delivered an album that, while not quite as good as their stellar debut, confirms that this band is for real and should be on everybody’s radar. This band deserves to be huge, and hopefully this record is the one that seals the deal.
(4 / 5)
