Alt rockers Amongst Liars are back with second album By Design, released on July 4 through Earache Records.
The album begins with an atmospheric Prelude, 39 seconds of fuzzy synths and beeps with distorted voices building in intensity before quickly stopping.
Ready for This? is the first full-length track on the album and it immediately hooks you in with some cool instrumentation which calms back as Ian George comes in with the line “I will hypnotise you”. There are some grungey style vocals in the verses and they could even be classed as slightly hypnotic. The intensity builds well for the chorus and there’s a good instrumental section.
The lyrical content to You are Not a Slave is really strong and definitely one for everyone to listen to. It’s angsty and has great bass lines throughout it. The chorus of “jump, how high that’s what they say. Jump, how high, you’re not a slave” is really catchy.
Felin guests on the titular track and her vocals complement the song really well.
Alibi is one of the stand out tracks on the album. It has a darker tone both musically and with the lyrical content. The lyric of “you wrap me round in circles, you are my alibi” is a cool hook for the chorus.
Each track has its own catchy section, for example the chorus in No Control is probably the catchiest part of the album.
Amongst Liars have created a brilliant album here. By Design is very strong with both its lyrical content – challenging the world we live in and expressing anxieties – and the instrumentation blending together extremely well. The vocal melodies work well and nothing sounds forced.