REVIEW: Amongst Liars - By Design

In a world rife with political instability and corruption, alternative bands have always

had their place in the mainstream: the forces that made Nirvana or Green Day so

popular in the 90s are still active today, pushing exciting acts like Amongst Liars to

the forefront. Named as Great Music Stories’ ‘Band of the Year 2021,’ the group’s

blend of rock and electronic elements with poignant political messaging has made

them a rising star in the alternative scene. The fact that, purely by coincidence, the

band’s sophomore release ‘By Design’ will release on the same day as the UK

General Election is pure poetry, and is sure to propel them to new heights— the fact

that the album is phenomenal doesn’t hurt either.

The most striking aspect of ‘By Design,’ aside from its unorthodox and unsettling

artwork, is the unique collection of sounds that come together across the record.

On the face of it, the album contains all the expected hallmarks of alternative rock:

guitars, bass, drums and vocals are hardly an unusual combination. Amongst Liars

are far from typical, however, putting a modern twist on many of these elements.

Ian George’s vocals have a distinctive timbre to them that is sure to stick with the

listener. His voice ranges between hushed and sorrowful on ‘Say’ to furious and

bitter on ‘No Control’ or ‘The Shameful,’ adding to the memorability and excitement

of many tracks. Leo Burdett’s guitar performance is similarly characterful, dialling in

a rough and brittle guitar tone that perfectly compliments the album’s rock-infused

riffs and anthemic choruses— his solos are also distinctive, with the epic

dissonance of ‘You Are Not A Slave’ standing out as a show-stopping moment.

Most notable of all, however, are James Brumeo’s keys, which help to really set

Amongst Liars apart from their contemporaries. On ‘Vice,’ for example, the use of

blaring synths pushes the chorus from ‘strong’ to ‘simply gigantic,’ standing out as

one of the most anthemic hooks of the year. ‘By Design’ also sports a pair of guest

features, to mixed results. Punk rock singer ‘Felin’ slots rather naturally into the title

track, trading off melodies against George in a graceful and harmonious manner.

Richie Hevanz, meanwhile, feels like a more jarring inclusion on ’No Control;’ his

performance is certainly distinctive and characterful, but his nasal inflection does

leave something to be desired at times.

Amongst Liars’ songwriting shares similar qualities to their sound choices, dialling

in a fresh twist on familiar structures and ideas. The album is positively jam-packed

with impactful riffs and choruses, sure to make the group’s live shows more chaotic

and energetic than ever before. The stripped-back verses of opener ‘Ready For

This?’ provide a perfect contrast to its arena-rock chorus, hitting the listener hard

with a combination of soaring vocals and blaring guitar riffs— these are only taken

to the next level of the metal-adjacent singles ‘You Are Not A Slave’ and ‘By

Design,’ which double down on the band’s ability to write memorable and thrilling

melodies and guitar riffs. These traits never really fall away across the album’s shockingly consistent tracklist: whether it be the shouted cries of ‘No Control,’ the

infectious choruses of ‘Alibi’ or the absolute ferocity of closer ‘Wolf Machine,’

Amongst Liars have truly brought their A-game to these eleven tracks, taking their

songwriting to the next level.

Even the weakest track on the album— the sorrowful ballad ‘Say’— is a touching and heartfelt moment, albeit plagued by some unfortunate vocal issues and a slight lack of inspiration. Even here, however, the track’s string accompaniments are so lovely as to make the criticism seem almost petty, and the album is nonetheless stronger for the song’s inclusion.

It’s almost criminal that we’ve gone this far without mentioning the band’s lyrics and

messaging— the sound of ‘By Design’ is so inherently effective that the group

hardly needed to pack in so much cutting social commentary and activism, but the

record benefits from it anyway. Amongst Liars, in their own words, aim to ‘air

anxieties and ask questions about the world we live in,’ though such a tepid

description really does Ian George’s work a disservice. Across the tracklist, the

band ruthlessly rip apart the systems of capitalism and oppression that they

observe in the world, presenting a range of perspectives that illustrate their point

wonderfully. Take the single ‘Vice,’ as a prime example of the group’s poignant work

in action, as the track’s chorus reads:

“Rip me open— bleed me dry. Paranoia’s on the line. No illusion, my old friend.

Don’t deny this. Don’t deny this vice.”

George consistently uses powerful images to ignite empathy and passion in the

listener, often calling for revolution and reform with no holds barred. This contrasts

nicely to songs such as ‘Mind’ or ‘Say,’ where mental health becomes a topic of

discussion. On the latter, for example, George sings:

“So lay me down. Colour me blind. I want to be free of this callous disease that’s

eating my mind.”

The delivery of these lines never fails to resonate as powerful performances, stylish

sound design and an important message come together in this single, stunning

package.

Simply put, I will be shocked and appalled if ‘By Design’ doesn’t skyrocket Amongst

Liars to newfound heights. Across a concise eleven tracks, the band display their

most anthemic and impactful songwriting to date, alongside thematic content sure

to hit close to home for many listeners. With a UK tour locked in for this July, the

band are certainly one to look out for moving forward: if you see them headlines

festivals off the back of this release, it should come as no surprise.

‘By Design’ releases on July 4th via Earache Records.

Words: Jay Kirby

Cover Photo: Vic Payne