Lostprophets
“Liberation Transmission”

Rating: 1.5/5
Tracks to download: “Everyday Combat,” “Everybody’s Screaming!!!” “Heaven for the Weather, Hell for the Company”
For fans of: Atreyu, MCR, Story of the Year

The genre of popcore has been attracting some new members. From high-school heartthrobs such as Story of the Year, to neo-goth screamo fanatics Atreyu, to even more MTV-centric acts like My Chemical Romance, heavier music is beginning to come back into vogue. Or, at least, a pop-y, dumbed-down version of heavier music. The album in question, the Lostprophets’ “Liberation Transmission,” is the newest entry into this genre.

Looking through the promotional material that came with the copy of this album, something just screamed “poser.” It could have been the angsty, blood-spattered insert in the cd, or it could have been the promo picture, featuring each of the five members dressed up in their finest emo regalia, with mascara heaped on in spades. This picture now resides on the wall of my editor’s bedroom. It’s not that I think that this alternative “emo” lifestyle is stupid or anything. It’s just that Lostprophets seem to be trying far too hard. But that doesn’t matter as long as the music’s good, right?

The album opens well and “Everyday Combat” is a truly excellent song. With a kick-ass intro, cool little guitar licks scattered throughout and a wonderfully sing-along chorus, metal hasn’t sounded this catchy since Stryper hit the scene. This song is far and away the best on the album, and is possibly the only truly enjoyable listen.

After “Everyday Combat,” the album slides into decline. To be honest, none of the other songs are really all that compelling. They try to be catchy, but it never comes together, and it all inevitably sounds the same. The musicianship is average the whole way through, and even when they try to change it up a bit with the requisite soft songs (“4 a.m. Forever,” “Always All Ways”), it just doesn’t work.

As for the lyrics, there is definitely a theme running through the whole of “Liberation Transmission.” As the title might tell you, Ian Watkins sings irrepressibly about freedom – freedom from oppressive government, freedom from a repressive mentality and freedom from good lyrics. Honestly, it sounds like they took sound-bites from a freshman-level Political Science lecture.

In summary, this album starts well, but slides into decline shortly thereafter. Even though “Liberation Transmission” might have a few good songs and one excellent one, I really can’t recommend that you buy this album. Chalk this one up as an iTunes victory at best – finding more than three songs worth buying off this CD is a stretch.

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