Woman Only Bands Rule: A Spotlight On The Last Dinner Party And Their Latest Album “From The Pyre”

Editorial Assistant Alicja Krotofil dissects The Last Dinner Party’s latest album and their rapturous live rite, where femme excess becomes power.

When The Last Dinner Party entered the stage at the ICC Sydney Theatre, it felt less like the beginning of a concert and more like the lifting of a velvet curtain. Bathed in theatrical lighting and draped in their signature baroque styling, the all-woman band delivered a performance that was dramatic and deliberate. There is something distinctly powerful about watching five women command a stage with such precision, not only performing songs, but embodying characters, archetypes and myths—all while having a great time. 

While their latest album From the Pyre carries forward The Last Dinner Party’s signature blend of baroque pop and art-rock, the band members have described the record as a more mature and intentional evolution of their sound. Bassist Georgia Davies explains that while their debut was rooted in youthful excitement and uncertainty, the new album was created with “a bit more confidence musically,” allowing the band to “take more risks” and push themselves into a more complex terrain [1]. Lead vocalist Abigail Morris has similarly described the record as a natural continuation of their journey that is “very removed from” their previous era [2]. She comments on how the album intertwines themes like sex and catholicism; “they are innately kind of tied together because of the kind of shame and guilt and also desire and excitement, they kind of inform each other" [3]. The band deliberately leaned into such themes, using character-driven storytelling to anchor their songs in emotion and catharsis.

Pianist Aurora Nischevi suggested that the optimal place to listen to the new album would be “from the forest or the top of a field, up a tree, peak of a mountain—have some mead and dance around the fire” [2]. With that in mind, consider this track-by-track breakdown, less a traditional album review, and more a guided ritual. It is an invitation to step into the flames and be reborn, to suspend disbelief and experience the album in the heightened, wild environment the band so clearly intends. 

#1 ‘Agnus Dei’ 

Opening with a dramatic choral swell and that classic rock intensity, ‘Agnus Dei’ evokes a ritualistic tone that feels sacred and subversive. Its reference to the sacrificial lamb sets a gothic and religious tone for the rest of the album. Using a feminist lens, it perfectly combines religious symbolism with raw human emotion. 

#2 ‘Count The Ways’ 

Driving with an angsty, dark riff the second track channels post-punk emotional turbulence into a lament of heartbreak. The song’s raw lyricism exposes how love and loss can shape a woman’s sense of self, almost like a song sung by some tragic Victorian heroine. 

#3 ‘Second Best’ 

A powerhouse of layered instrumentals, ‘Second Best’ juxtaposes tender piano with stomping, strong choruses that feel like an anthem for reclaiming self-worth. The beat creates a push and pull that mimics being obsessed with someone even as you await their betrayal [4]. Personally this features my favourite guitar riff of the album, adding so much strength behind the angelic singing during the post-chorus and bridge. 

#4 ‘This Is The Killer Speaking’

This cinematic track feels like a Western narrative interwoven with gothic cabaret, using the lyrics to create a story. Its title and perspective challenge traditional roles: the woman is not the victim, but a narrator of her own story.

#5 ‘Rifle’ 

Heavy with deep pulsing rhythms, this song conjures feelings of danger and defiance that resemble a battle cry more than a ballad. The French verse breaks it up into a slow and haunting exploration of power, violence and survival. 

#6 ‘Woman is a tree’ 

This track grounds the album in earthy myth and feminine roots, invoking images of nature and old-world mysticism. Its title alone, which equates women with trees, anchors the gothic narrative into a symbol of female resilience and transformation. 

#7 ‘I Hold Your Anger’ 

Slow, introspective and solemn, ‘I Hold Your Anger’ feels like a meditation on ancestral pain that we all know very well. Through its layered harmonies it becomes a hymn to the millions of women that carry anger and pain with them throughout life. 

#8 ‘Sail Away’ 

‘Sail Away’ captures relationship turmoil through a modern lens, with the sea as metaphor for emotional escape and transformation. The track builds from slow and intimate sounds into a swelling crescendo, almost like an elegy to what we carry—and cast off—as women.

#9 ‘The Scythe’ 

Here the narrative turns almost philosophical, embracing life, death and renewal with a bold cinematic sweep that feels larger than the previous tracks. The lyrics tell a story of the cycle of love. Separation is only temporary here—each life is just one chapter in a larger, boundless relationship. 

#10 ‘Inferno’ 

Closing the album with a vibrant and jaunty piano, accompanied by bittersweet lyricism, ‘Inferno’ is about not letting yourself get lost in the spiral of an endless coil. You can pick the direction, you just have to make that choice. A beautiful note to finish this absolute emotional rollercoaster of an album on. 

by Alicja Krotofil

References:

[1] Duggan, S. (2025, December 21). The Last Dinner Party’s Georgia Davies on coming home, creative confidence and bringing theatre to Australia - The AU Review. The AU Review. https://www.theaureview.com/music/the-last-dinner-party-georgia-davies-interview/

[2] McNamara, L. (2025, October 16). The Last Dinner Party Mature Their Sound With Second Album. Rolling Stone Australia. https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/the-last-dinner-party-interview-from-the-pyre-85861/

[3] Canal180. (2025, June 9). The Last Dinner Party on sex, catholicism, and the best part of being an artist — 180 Meets. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Or9dCUc3vWw

[4] [@thelastdinnerparty] (2025, October 2). Second Best is the push and pull of being obsessed with someone but knowing that they will ultimately betray you. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPRcOPnjeuJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==