Words by Alice Beard
Feast your ears! Deadletter’s hot off the press LP ‘Hysterical Strength’ sees the band as forthright as ever. Courtesy of SO Recordings, this debut takes all the very best of their elements and manages to serve them up in one neat little package, ready to be devoured.
This offering is nothing unfamiliar, Lawrence’s marching proclamations are simply louder, and cold truths more bitter. This is a band who have been sounding their battle cry since 2020, only now the cavalry has finally arrived. It’s been a long time coming.
Straight from the outset, we are plunged into Deadletter’s murky world. ‘Credit to Treason’ staggers with trepidation as frantic drums clash with off-kilter guitar riffs. This angst only seeps further as we hurtle into ‘More Heat!’. Here is a song that does what it says on the tin.
Already the album seems to pack more than enough punch.
As we proceed with caution, ‘Mother’ takes a slower, slinkier turn. With Ullyott’s deep slung basslines and Richler’s crooning sax motifs, we are led through the alleyways of devotion. Lawrence provides a much-needed moment of tender and honest reflection in this ode to his mother. Instances such as this are what make this album whole. The key to its potency is the fact it does not remain linear. The continual weaving between the bleak and the beautiful triumphs in crafting a rich tapestry to epitomise the years of care and attention that have led up to this release. As Lawrence puts it himself, “It's punishing but there's also fucking beauty out there”.
As they proceed to dig deep, the six-piece take a menacing turn once more. Between the likes of ‘A Haunting’ and the caustic, yet equally charming title track, each and every element is hot to the touch. Balancing hearty, get-down bass grooves with skittish guitar riffs and intoxicating sax tones conjures up a tough battle- but one which manages to remain just outside the lines of stifling territory. Alfie Husband’s motorik drum rhythms form the heartlines to propel this debut. Rolling onwards within the jittering and the jiving ‘It Flies’ the band appear self- assured as ever. As if to say ‘we know what to do, lets flaunt it’. We are greeted by all of the usual Deadletter trademarks.
Those familiar with the band will by now be well aware of Zac Lawrence’s ever- dazzling literary technique. With a manner brimming with confidence and satirical charm, he proves himself the master at taking catastrophe and placing his own wry twist on things. ‘Deus Ex Machina’ is one such example of this. Crafted against the backdrop of the 2022 Truss calamity, disgust and contempt overflow from beneath a snarling drawl. ‘This isn’t comedy it’s presents, futures’. Lawrence is seething, and so should you be. Instrumentally, the piece delicately teeters between the two extremes of cautious anticipation and frenzy throughout. This track is the unexpected plot twist.
DEADLETTER - Hysterical Strength album cover
With the LP beginning to reluctantly draw to a close, ‘Mere Mortal’ is the snappy reminder required to keep you on your toes, whilst aptly setting the scene for closing track ‘Auntie Christ’. Leaning towards dreary melodies, this meandering showpiece shines light in all the right places. For such a tame beast (by Deadletter’s standards), it possesses immense power and certitude to ensure it hits with instant appeal.
It seems a shame to finish it all there. ‘Hysterical Strength’ proves a triumphant debut. Amidst the greyness and the dreariness, it remains witty and equally naughty as ever. In other words, Deadletter want to make you dance, but they also know when to cut through with a coldness which snaps you back to reality. They are unashamed to flirt with darkness- a talent not many can pull off. For those who missed out on their recent run of instores, do not despair. The Hysterical Strength tour is nearly upon us, and it is calling out your name. This is just the beginning. Onwards from here!
Listen to Hysterical Strength here
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