While LostAlone haven’t exactly been the most prolific of bands in terms of output – with only four studio albums since 2005 – they’ve certainly been one of the most consistently brilliant. Of course, their hiatus from the scene in 2014 didn’t exactly help, but just like their contemporaries My Chemical Romance, they’re now back and ready to shine again.
Fourth album ‘The Warring Twenties’ showcases frontman Steven Batelle’s songwriting at its best. Each track is beautifully structured with strong dynamics and soaring guitars and melody lines. Infectious and bombastic, one can’t help but get on board with the enthusiasm and sheer joy that leaps through the speakers.
It’s clear this is a band who very much still enjoy what they’re doing, right from the start with opener ‘Enduring The Dream’. LostAlone are literally living the dream and clearly ‘enduring’ it very well right now. It’s a fun, bright start to the record with a bouncing rhythm section and Queen-esque guitar parts which, in the music video are all set to the backdrop of footage from their recent UK leg with My Chem. Enduring the dream, indeed.
Across the course of the album that positive vibe continues with Battelle’s vocals sounding in great shape and the rest of the band excelling in their musicianship, weaving just the right balance of complexity and simplicity. The harmonic choruses on the likes of ‘The Last Drop Of Forever’ are certainly singalong worthy and almost stadium-ready, and heavier number ‘False Flag Feeling’ is a standout banger which mixes thick rock guitars with an anthemic chorus to great effect.
Bringing things down a touch, ‘Lost & Found Balance’ provides the traditional mid-point slower number which picks up again with the beautiful chorus and lush harmonies of ‘Toy Ghosts’.
The album builds to a climax with the penultimate song ‘Over Under A Spell’ combining quieter and heavier moments to create peaks and troughs within the music. Title track ‘The Warring Twenties’ brings the record to a close, leaving LostAlone in pretty good shape moving into their new era. Hopefully it won’t take them as long to release the next one. This is a band who deserve to keep going and growing.