Let the 'Prophecy continue! (Lost Prophets in General)

Member Name: xchococatx

Product:	Lost Prophets in General
Date:	08/07/01 (413 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Awesome live shows, Brilliant debut album, And they're Welsh!

Disadvantages: Very similar to Incubus, They're too damn good looking!, Maybe a little 'over produced?' discuss...

Lostprophets have been one of my favourite bands for the last 3 years, and theyve only recently broken into the main stream - now totued as the next big thing and the current british hopes in the metal scene. Mixing an eclectic blend of metal and hip hop predominantly, with jazz, funk, hardcore, pop and electronic influences they have finally broken main stream from the welsh valleys, not only due to the ruthlessly danceable tunes, but boy band goodlooks, and ludicrously energetic live shows. I just though i'd enlighten you with a few facts you might not know...

Lostprophets formed late '97 while meeting at university. I first saw them back mid 1998 in a club in Cardiff called Bogiez (now closed) supporting UK Hip-hop metal faves Lockdown - but then called Lozt Prophetz. I was blown away by the onslaught, having just seen Limp Bizkit a month earlier they were my only frame of reference. Hip hop metal, but with soaring emo hardcore choruses and awesome vocals from frontman Ian, and an amazingly tight stage prescence. No one was dancing, so he takes up the dance floor, jumping around like a nut. Ian was at the same time drumming for brutal local hardcore band Public Disturbance, with Mike on guitar. The 'prophets soon released first demo "Here Comez The Party", which got rave reviews in the UK press. A brief UK stint touring with Kill II This brought in more praise (Kerrang said "Great young band" but centred mainly on "singer Ian Watkins' gravity defying strides. Nice checks mate" - oh British metal press...) and they honed their talents playing many gigs around South Wales at local venues, mainly in Cardiff and Swansea (due to complete lack of a metal scene in the native Pontypridd) never quite fitting in with the big punk/ska movement of capital Cardiff.

As their university courses drew to a close, the Ian and Mike parted ways with Public Disturbance to concentrate on Lost Prophets (as the 'z'
;s were dropped) while at the same time parting ways with their old dj, but not before recording tracks on what was to form their first album - "Sampler Volume 1" came out - featuring 'The Fake Sound Of Progress', 'm.o.a.c supreme' (later becoming 'Kobrakai'), an early version of 'Awkward', the chill-out track that unfortunately never made it to the album called 'Directions' and a brutally heavy taster called 'A Taste of Things to Come' which was obviously lost from there. Rapid fire rapping and hip hop aspirations had gone, and melody, rhythm and tune had become even more predominant. Shades of 'Faith No Mor'e (espcially Mike Patton-esque vocals) and 'Incubus' but altogether more quirky and fun, and the raw intensity of these little tapes was unmatched.
More live gig appearances including a slot at the Uxbridge Uxfest. When uni was over, they managed to ink a deal with new London label Visible Noise an went into the studio to record their debut LP as a five piece, gaining their new dj along the way to keep the breadth of the sampler tape. Songs such as 'Forsure', 'Ode To Summer' and 'Fiveisafourletterword' had already been aired at shows, but most of the other songs had been written in the studio.

More touring with Kill II This, Brutal Deluxe put down the promotional sound around the country and bang the album hit the shops (late from its original release date due to pressing problems). Not that I want to sound like a crusty old metaller but the production killed off the dirty heavy sound of the 'Sampler...' tape - a slowed down 'Fakesoundofprogress' and the altered scratching from 'Kobrakai' is a dissappointment (probably only to me...) but the quality of the new tracks more than makes up for that. Lostprophets are a brilliant band who have rose to fame very quickly and totally deserve it - such classy multi layered songs, coming
about by writing the kind of music they all wanted to listen to, show them for the talented individuals they are. Last big moments? - supporting Linea 77 at the Camden Underworld several months back, the exploded onstage like the headline band, being videod for American music/culture TV program 'Farmclub.com'. The world is at their feet - if they write a killer follow up album, and these guys will be unstoppable.

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