British baroque-pop sensation The Last Dinner Party has unveiled details of their highly anticipated second album, From the Pyre, set for release on October 17 via Island Records. Alongside the announcement, the band dropped the rollicking, country-infused lead single, “This Is the Killer Speaking,” teasing a bold evolution from their breakout debut.

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A Mythic, Darker Turn

Fresh off their BRIT Award win for Best New Artist earlier this year, the five-piece described From the Pyre as a “collection of stories” bound by the allegorical concept of “The Pyre”—a place of destruction and rebirth. In a statement, the band painted the album as a visceral shift from the opulence of 2024’s Prelude to Ecstasy:

“This record feels a little darker, more raw and more earthy; it takes place looking out at a sublime landscape rather than seated at an opulent table. Lyrics invoke rifles, scythes, sailors, saints, and blazing infernos. Heartbreak laughs into the face of the apocalypse.”

Tracks like “This Is the Killer Speaking”—debuted live at Glastonbury 2024 and later at Pinkpop Festival—hint at the album’s theatrical, character-driven narratives, blending Western motifs with gothic grandeur.

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Studio Alchemy with a Hitmaker

The band recorded "From the Pyre" with producer Markus Dravs (Florence + The Machine, Arcade Fire), channeling what they call a “meta-textual” self-awareness. “It’s cheeky in places, like a knowing look reflected back at ourselves,” they added, suggesting a matured yet playful edge.

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Breaking Records, Then Raising the Bar

The Last Dinner Party’s debut, Prelude to Ecstasy, made history as the biggest first-week album by a British band since 2015, topping the U.K. charts. With From the Pyre, they aim to defy the “sophomore slump” by leaning into darker folklore and amplified live energy—a vibe fans can experience this September at NYC’s All Things Go Festival, where they’ll share the stage with Noah Kahan, Doechii, and more.

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