Photo Credit: Rory Barnes
In July 2021, quintessentially macabre quartet Delaire The Liar teased the video for what fans would come to love as HALLOWEEN. The track marked the Londoners’ first release since 2020. Since then, they have released a new single nearly every month, with each entry adding a new chapter to the intricate storyline that would become EAT YOUR OWN. The six-track EP perfectly pays homage to their gothic rock roots, glittered with soaring melodies, heart-wrenching harmonies and ruthless riffs that cut almost as deep as the despairing narratives. It features not one, but two brand new songs that top and tail the four previously released tracks; HALLOWEEN, FURNACE, NO THANK YOU, and NO ACCIDENT.
Opening with the unexpected ballad, NO ENTRY, the listener is literally escorted and locked into someone’s mind, before descending into madness as multiple ethereal voices swarm. Broken by a funeral march played on the piano, it is unclear whether vocalist Ffin Colley is mourning the loss of his own sanity or another’s. Either way, he urgently pleads for them to survive. Arguing, “If your God is gracious, the Lord is kind – who’s telling you to take your own life?”
Although musically different, this desperation underpins every song. From the vulnerability here to the anger in FURNACE, which feels like a slap in the face after this melancholic moment. Comparatively, it draws upon a multitude of influences, from the subtle pop-punk-goes-grunge undertones of Yungblud’s Fleabag and to the rock angst of My Passion and Sleeping With Sirens. Both the instrumentation and Colley’s powerful vocals are reminiscent of 30 Seconds To Mars, giving them stadium filler vastness. However, despite this, silence is weaponised. Like, following FURNACE’s attacking intro, everything drops out for the opening “Are you hurting? Are you cursive? Where’s your mercy?” planting another punch, as the listener has no choice but to heed Colley’s questions. But the cherry on top has to be the dual vocals with bassist Em Lodge, which we adore! Again, mirroring that of Creeper’s The Callous Heart–era, it welcomes another helping hand to the listener.
The closing track DOG immediately became a favourite which, although being short and snappy coincidentally like an actual dog, is riddled with hooks. Perhaps because of the slightly heavier arrangement and switching between Sprechgesang vocals and momentary screams, it gave us a throwback to fellow spook rockers Fearless Vampire Killer’s All Hallows Evil. Despite feeling like a fight song, empowering listeners to stand up for themselves, the closing scream of “I’m not your friend” unveils an element of uncertainty. As if they’ve realised they are their own enemy.
Delaire The Liar are a band who know how to keep listeners engaged, with EAT YOUR OWN providing a narrative that readily unstitches. Like the sanity of the protagonist, yet in an ironically stable manner. There is something oddly comforting about a band that isn’t afraid to unmask the internal fears and fragilities that plague the mind, offering solace to those on the edge themselves.
8/10
Standout Tracks: NO ACCIDENT; FURNACE; DOG
For Fans Of: Fearless Vampire Killers, Creeper, My Passion
Written by: Corey Plant
