We continue our USA interview series with Larry Heath's chat with up-and-coming Dutch band Death Letters. The young duo (so young they can't legally be in most of the venues they're playing in America), comprised of Duende Ariza Lora and drummer Victor Brandt, are a high energy rock and roll band who are inspired by the likes of ...Trail of Dead. We catch up with them to find out about their new record, their adventures in America and more.

You’re running around a bit at the moment, these aren’t the only shows you’re doing in America. Did you do any before Culture Collide?

Yesterday we played a show over here as well. It was pretty fun. Tonight we’re playing here as well.

I missed you last night, so obviously seeing you tonight, and I’m looking forward to it. I understand that it’s quite an energetic show from what I’ve heard. Is that a good description?

Oh, yeah. That’s always a good description we’re always quite energetic, yeah.

You certainly have played SXSW, that’s kind of where things started over here for you guys. What was the SXSW experience like?

It was crazy, it was chaos. The shows were great, people were great. It was so crowded, the streets were madhouse. I didn’t expect it was that crowded, but it was really fun. And the fun thing is we recorded our album Post-Historic in Austin, so it was really fun to see Austin in a different world while SXSW was in town, that was really weird. I still like Austin better when it’s not SXSW, but it’s really cool to see so many people, see awesome bands.

It certainly is a great opportunity to be amongst it and see plenty of other bands doing amazing things. So you recorded that album last year?

Yeah, September

Let’s talk a little bit about that, as that’s obviously why you’re touring here at the moment, promoting the second album. Who did you work with on the second album? And how did that process compare to the first record?

Well, we worked with Chris “Frenchie” Smith who did (… And You Will Know US by the) Trail of the Dead, you probably know him of Jet right? Our management met him at SXSW in 2010 and she gave our pre-production of Post-Historic to him and he emailed us the next day, saying ‘guys this is f**king great, you gotta get to Austin to record with me’. So we were really relieved that after she gave him the pre production. He was so enthusiastic … the thing is, it was really dangerous to work with an American producer when you actually don’t know him personally. We didn’t meet him before SXSW. We went to Austin even before we talked to him, we sent some emails to each other, that was the only thing we did. And because of his enthusiasm we decided to go, so …

Since then it’s worked out pretty well.

Yeah it’s been amazing

And so how are the shows panning out, now that you have two records. I imagine that it makes a bit of a difference for you, as you’ve got more of a set list to play with.

Well, actually we just prefer not playing old songs because it’s another world. We recorded that album when we were 15 and 16 years old, and wrote the album when I was 14. I mean, we don’t like to compare that. I’d like to see our second album as our first because we were so young when we recorded the first one.

It must be frustrating; you can’t really drink in America.

Haha, yeah. We’re not … it’s even more frustrating when you can’t get into cool clubs. Yeah that’s the most frustrating thing. Because when we’re at SXSW, there were awesome bands playing at some venues we just weren’t allowed to get into, so that sucked. It sucked more than you can’t drink or whatever.

Cos someone could always buy you a drink and you could stick it in your pocket, than say getting into a venue. In Australia that is 18, and I remember when I was 17 it was the worst. So same when I came here I was 20, 19 and it was starting over again and I can’t drink, I can’t go into clubs …

In Holland you can drink when you’re 16 so … It’s really weird for us too, it’s illegal to drink or to get into clubs. The second thing is most ridiculous to us is that you can’t even get into a club to see the show. In Holland the clubs are just for all ages.

Well by the time you’re 21 you’ll be super rock stars, and they’ll open clubs especially for you. I think that’s the plan. So over the next few weeks you are going back to Austin. Next week? And you’re going to be doing that tour, you’re doing CMJ?

Yeah we are.

Great, we’ll see you there. The rest of the year, what is going to be holding for you guys? Just the tour here and then you’re going back home?

Yeah we’re setting a tour in the fall, in Holland. It’s going to be good. We’re going to play some there, and then one in France and Belguim and that’s it for the year.

And in terms of audience at home, is that your biggest fan base?

Well yeah, I think so. Most people that come to our shows are in Holland. But we played for pretty big crowds in Scandinavia as well. In Norway especially. That’s really cool, Scandinavia has been really good to us.

I kind of get the vibe that you’d be the sort of band that really feeds off the energy from the crowd?

Well yeah, it’s pretty crazy. Just like you said, the shows in Norway were awesome. The vibe was so good, just like yesterday evening in here. There were not that many people in here, the vibe was very awesome and relaxed and the people enjoyed it. So that’s a good thing. I think it’s a cultural thing, in Europe you get a lot of cool culture. You don’t need to go into a mosh pit to feel a good vibe. I like that.

And when it comes to Australia, are we able to get your records in Australia?

It’s not out in Australia. But it’s out on iTunes.

So we can get it digitally, and hopefully we’ll see you in Australia some time.

Yeah that will be awesome.

Well thank you for taking the time talking to us today, enjoy the rest of your time in LA. How much longer are you here for?

Till Sunday.

Well, enjoy it!

Thank you.