:: Dead Letter Circus - This Is The Warning

Dead Letter Circus

Success and recognition has been a slow and gradual build over the last couple of years for Brisbane based outfit Dead Letter Circus, but one that has worked in their favour, with anticipation for their debut full-length effort creating an extraordinary buzz within the scene, and much of that being generated long before the album had an official release date. And it’s not without merit, as the four piece act have been building a loyal fan base for themselves through constant touring, and the release of their independently released self titled EP earning considerable praise upon its release in 2007. But after spending the better part of the last few years refining their songs, and meticulously piecing it together in the studio alongside renowned producer/engineer/mixer Forrester Savell, Dead Letter Circus has finally unveiled their highly anticipated debut ‘This Is The Warning’. I had high hopes for the album, especially given how impressed I was with the group’s EP. To my relief, Dead Letter Circus has well and truly delivered, stepping up to the challenge of exceeding all expectations on ‘This Is The Warning’. From the opening track ‘Here We Divide’, it’s clear that Dead Letter Circus’ sound has matured a lot in the three years they’ve been away. While fairly straightforward in construction, the detail that has gone into the sound, the melodies and the production has well and truly improved. Benzie’s vocals are also worthy of mentioning as well, with his performance simply captivating throughout, with his voice also showing signs of maturity, without losing any of his previously established melodic and emotive appeal. The follow up track ‘One Step’ introduces a new element, with programmed drum beats used to help embellish upon their broadening sound beyond standard rock. In the hands of the wrong producer, they could very well have overshadowed proceedings. But here, they only add texture, without diminishing the performances of the individuals themselves.

The album’s two singles ‘Big’ and ‘The Space On The Wall’ injects a bit of heaviness into the early half of the album with a heavier sound emerging from the guitars front, balanced perfectly against the huge anthem-like choruses, while the fast paced ‘This Long Hour’ allows Maric to stretch out with the song dominated by delay effects on his guitars to create a chaotic noise of pure adrenalin. Forsaking the standard verse/chorus structure and branching further into experimental terrain are songs such as ‘Cage’ and the lengthy ‘The Drum’ – both of which stand out as true high points on the album, with the latter in particular giving listeners the best example of how Dead Letter Circus use all of their sounds in the one song. Also noteworthy is ‘The Design’, which is something quite different from anything else on the album with its strong grooves and somewhat laid back feel and tempo. Fan favourites ‘Reaction’ and the frantic ‘Next In Line’ have again been reprised to be included here on the album, leaving Williams to showcase his percussive talents within the rhythmic based ‘Walk’ and the expansive closing title track ‘This Is The Warning’. ‘This Is The Warning’ is one impressive debut effort from Dead Letter Circus, and one that will no doubt help broaden their existing fan base. If the progressive aspects of Karnivool and Cog mixed with the melodic sensibilities of Birds Of Tokyo and Sleep Parade sounds appealing then make no mistake, Dead Letter Circus is something you should keep an eye out for.