Lost Prophets - The Betrayed Album Review

Review of Lostprophets album The Betrayed

The success of 2006's 'Liberation Transmission' saw Wales' Lostprophets gain enough crossover appeal to headline an arena tour and appear at the V Festival. Work on this follow up, 'The Betrayed', reportedly began in 2007 and the fruits of the hand's labour will be showcased with an extensive UK tour throughout February.

Perhaps a reaction to their mainstream draw, 'The Betrayed' actually begins with a much heavier sound that is reminiscent of the band's earlier offerings. 'If It Wasn't For Hate, We'd Be Dead By Now' is a grinding intro track, but 'Dstryr/Dstryr' makes up for a lack of vowels with a direct approach that hits hard and will certainly appeal to the mosh pit. The swagger of lead single 'It's Not The End Of The World, But I Can See It From Here' continues the momentum, while 'Where We Belong' has a softer tone that displays the potential to be a sing-a-long, but the middle section does contain a few filler tracks, though nothing unlistenable. It is a surprising turn of direction that puts life back into the record, an impression of The Jam in the shape of 'Streets Of Nowhere' combines a feeling of nostalgia with the urge to dance, while 'Dirty Little Heart' has an enjoyably ache-filled chorus if you can ignore the initial similarity to Soul Asylum's 'Runaway Train'. Neither will prepare you though for the closer, 'The Light That Shines Twice As Bright.' on which the band display a restraint both musically and lyrically that they rarely have before. The result is an impressive conveying of sadness instead of the usual angst that laces Lostprophets' songs, and it is much more believable and affecting. It concludes a solid album that may lack obvious chart hits, but should prove popular with the group's main fanbase.