Our single The Blows is featuring on music blog Fear of Fiction’s upcoming RSD limited edition release, a six track CD featuring up and coming bands from the UK and US. You can order a copy here.

Death Rattle are Helen and Chris Hamilton - an enigmatic, dark electro duo based in London. Their debut EP HE&I (‘He & I’) is due for release via Frontal Noize on October 15th 2012.

Much of the EP was written shortly after their previous alt grunge band - That Mouth - abruptly disbanded. In need of a completely fresh start, the pair followed a new direction musically, going away for a month to write and record something that refleced their darkening and more melancholic tastes with the band citing influence from Depeche Mode‘s Violator, Fever Ray and NIN. The resulting sound of Death Rattle’s debut is one that stands up strongly on its own.

From start to finish, HE&I sends shivers down your spine. Like a sensual futuristic android, Helen’s dark and droning vocal harmonies create a robotic feel to ‘The Dig’ with Chris’s beats akin to a mechanical heart thumping underneath - this is Death Rattle’s war cry and signature style. Increasing the tempo, ‘Do As You Please’ follows perfectly with the band’s bold, tribal-esque beats playing a big part once more behind Helen’s dark and evocative lyrics. Although the duo keep their signature beats and mesmerising vocals consistent, they present many more layers to unravel as the last three tracks unfold. ‘Fixer’ is the dark, mutated lovechild of Sleigh Bells and Friendly Fires - beguiling and rebellious with an enticingly memorable chorus. ‘Mouse Chorus’ slows the pace to a gentle hypnotic canter and their fifth and final track ‘Sorry For Your Loss’ seems the perfect end to such a mesmerising journey.

Helen and Chris are a mysterious duo, amalgamating their identities completely within their music and image – they are one unit with their imagery, videos and music working together symbiotically. It was this unique and bold outlook that caught the eyes and ears of European label Frontal Noize and after just two months of writing music together, Death Rattle were offered a deal. Since the signing, the band have been working hard on the live circuit playing Brainchild Festival (Reading), Swanfest (Ipswich), Via Ventosa Festival (Holland) as well as a gig held in an old prison in Leeuwarden, Holland.

Death Rattle’s first release HE&I, is a fascinating and daring debut and an exciting glimpse of what’s in store as the pair prepare for a UK and European tour later this year and a debut album release in 2013.