(Warner)

Hasn’t email curtailed the dead letter?

Brisbane rock fans have put up with confusion for too long. We’ve got Dead Letter Circus and Dead Letter Opener originating from our river city, and Dead Letter Chorus from Sydney. The notion that three completely different bands could have such similar names is both bemusing and infuriating. Dead Letter Circus’ debut full-length This Is The Warning goes a long way to help reduce the muddle. In fact, a definitive slab of modern, progressive rock, the album could make you forget about the other bands altogether. Heavily taking cues from the stagnating oz rock scene and their regular tour partners like Karnivool, Cog and The Butterfly Effect, Dead Letter Circus take a sound we’re all now familiar with and give it a unique stamp, injecting an idiosyncratic prog sensibility. On This Is Warning, Dead Letter Circus frankenstein elements of ballsy rock and heady prog with beats and rhythms to keep people’s feet moving. Harsh tones sit against strong melodies on songs like Reaction and opener Here We Divide; rock & roll hooks surrounded by pulsing electro backbeats (One Step). The songs blend together to make a fairly cohesive album. Sure, you can hear the influence of other local and Australian bands on This Is The Warning, but that seems to be what fans of the genre crave. So on their debut album, Dead Letter Circus deliver the goods.

**˝

TOM HERSEY

Comments (1)

Write Comment
Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Poster's IP addresses are logged.
Name:
Comment:
Code:*