Review: Lostprophets – The Betrayed

Sergio reviews Lostprophets’ The Betrayed.

Artist Name: Lostprophets
Album Name: The Betrayed
Year: 2010
Genre: Alternative Rock

For the last 4 years, LP fans have patiently waited for the follow-up to 2006’s commercial success, Liberation Transmission. In 2007, Lostprophets stepped into the studio and recorded an album, but after being unhappy with the product, they decided to scrap it altogether and start over again. Further delay after delay, made many pundits fear that their next album would become the next Chinese Democracy – forever in the making. However, Ian Watkins and his crew managed to sort out all their producer problems, label issues, etc. and finally release The Betrayed in 2010.

Upon first listen, you immediately notice an added aggression in their sound, which wasn’t present in Liberation Transmission. While The Betrayed is by no means as heavy as their first two releases (Thefakesoundofprogress and Start Something), it carries a much more potent expression of passion, which frankly Liberation Transmission lacked. Credit must go to producer, Stuart Richardson, who obviously realised what Bob Rock failed to see – Lostprophets are a rock band who can write one or two softer song; not the other way around.

As expected, there is still the ‘Last Train Home’-esque track, ‘Where We Belong’, which will delight all the ladies who enjoy sitting on their boyfriend’s shoulders and singing along passionately at concerts – heck, even I sang along. However, it’s songs, such as ‘Next Stop, Atro City’, that rock harder than Paris Hilton in a dodgy hotel room.

The Betrayed surprised me – but in a good way. Once a rock band releases a radio-friendly album, it’s very rare that they ever turn back and return to their roots. Thankfully though, Lostprophets have been the exception to the rule. Fantastic release!

Best Tracks: ‘Dstryr/Dstryr’, ‘It’s Not the End of the World, But I Can See It from Here’, and ‘Next Stop, Atro City’

85/100

- Sergio Pereira
sergio@musicreview.co.za
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