Lost Alone's third album Shapes of Screams is one of those rare and special albums that has an ethereal quality to it. It is quite possibly one of the best albums of the year.
Lost Alone have really pulled out all the stops, we really hope it will be third time lucky for the Derby trio. Hopefully this is the album that will send them soaring!
LostAlone have forged their own niche of alt rock, drawing from their heroes whilst managing not to be overly reminiscent of them. Of course if you listen hard enough you will hear Queenesque harmonies, classic rock riffs and Iron Maiden style driving bass and drums, but their sound remains unique.
Crusaders, is a perfect opener which sets up exactly what this band are about: awesome melodic rock, excellent guitar breaks and a kick-ass chorus. The Bells! The Bells!! has an unexpected thrash opening, which repeats throughout the song in between Steven Battelle's ace guitar licks and vocals. This track is becoming one of favourite songs the more I listen to it.
Hostages definitely has a classic rock vibe and owes a little to Journey's Don't Stop Believing.Sombre Party (Legacy) is a marvelous glam rock tune (think Queen meet The Darkness) G.U.I.L.T.Y is a megalithic rock juggernaut anthem, mixing pop melody with an addictive catchy guitar riff chorus and a fantastic rhythm section (Marc Gibson on bass Alan T Williamson on Drums) that steamrollers through the song making it one of the best songs on the album.
Mental Health and Apathy are good album tracks but are the weaker songs in comparison.Scarlet Letter Rhymes switches to a heavier sound bringing out the rockier elements that we have heard in other tracks and picks up the pace again. I Was Born To End This Way and Requiemfeel like the albums conclusion and curtain call.
Doooooooooomageddon (Global Thermonuclear Metafictional Warefare) and Breathing in The Future Exhaling The Past serve as a mighty encore and playout. Doom is a track that is a mammoth experience live and will be nothing short of electric when played in a large arena. It equals any of Iron Maidens pulsing arena anthems.
Breathing in The Future Exhaling The Past has a reprise of the
refrain from G.U.I.L.T.Y and ends with uncharacteristic harmony that would not be out of place in a musical! What the f*** I hear you cry; don't panic, it well works and is something that only LostAlone can carry off!
With Shapes of Screams LostAlone have found the way to hit stratospheric popularity and are sure to add to their existing fan base, making them far from alone!
A tremendous album!