Lostprophets: The Betrayed

Welsh six-piece Lostprophets have suffered from a recurring identity problem over their decade-long career, their sound a fudge of hardcore influences and drivetime commercialism. Sadly it's a problem that goes unresolved on this fourth album In the bloodcurdling thrash-metal of "Dstryr and Dstryr" and the closing track's brooding soundscape there are intimations of an edgier band still waiting to emerge, but anaemically populist anthem-dom remains their preferred modus operandi, with slick melodies and epic choruses struggling to conceal an absence of soul and ideas.