Linkin Park bats “A Thousand (Suns)” with new album

For you hardcore Linkin Park fans of 2002, I give you fair warning. Their newest album A Thousand Suns explores a completely new area. If you’re not ready for something completely left field from the old days, turn back now. Or, I guess, hit the back button on your browser and avoid this review because it will be a positive evaluation of the new material many of you seem to detest.

On September 14, Linkin Park tweeted furiously about the release of their fourth studio album. At this point, do opinions really matter if at least a few people buy into their creative courage? I certainly did. Some people aren’t used to letting music grow on them — they want to do the head-banging and fist pumping right away. But Linkin Park is a different band now, with different motives and drive. It may take a minute to appreciate what they’ve brought to the table this time around.

I completely agree that the music is a 180° from what they did in the past. Hybrid Theory seems like a million years ago! Mike Shinoda’s hair was red, Chester Bennington had a lip ring,  Brad Delson had short hair and “Phoenix” Farrell didn’t have a goatee. But it’s a new year for Linkin Park; they’ve been through a lot since then and things have changed — creatively and otherwise. Since Linkin Park established themselves a certain way, when they stray from that some people can’t appreciate it. But for those who do, you’re in for a treat when you hear A Thousand Suns.

Here is a track-by-track analysis of the entire album:

1. The Requiem | 7.5/10
This song is simply a morphing of the bridge from “The Catalyst.” It synthesizes a voice with the lines, “God save us everyone / will we burn inside the fires of a thousand suns…” It could be a good lead into “The Catalyst” during their live shows. It brings a new eeriness to those lines also because they’re sung slower and more whimsically here.

2. The Radiance | 6.5/10
This is where the album gets tricky. This song — well, not really a song — is simply a quote by J. Robert Oppenheimer about the Atomic bomb dropped on Japan. Mike Shinoda told the media some time back that the next Linkin Park album would be a concept album, and it seems as though the concept here is human error and war.

3. Burning In the Skies | 8.5/10
Here is where the full-length songs kick in. It seems they took a leaf out of Minutes to Midnight’s book, “Burning In the Skies” almost reminiscing “Shadow of the Day.” Mike’s rapping is absent, rather he follows Chester’s lead of a soft melody in each verse, again following up from Minutes to Midnight’s change of style.

4. Empty Spaces | 6/10
I have to admit, this one threw me off. Out of the first five songs, only three have actual lyrics and choruses. But it enhances the concept part of the album even further. “Empty Spaces” is basically that — virtually open air with gun shots and bombs firing randomly in what sounds like the distance. Like a battlefield.

5. When They Come for Me | 9.5/10
Now we’re talking! This is one of my favorites on the album. Mike’s rapping returns with a vengeance during the verses. It has an interesting drum style to it, almost Arabian or Indian. For those who say the old Linkin Park is gone, consider these lyrics: “I am NOT the fortune and the fame on the same verse / tellin’ you to forfeit the game.” The ‘I am not…’ is closely related to “Faint” from Meteora (the way Mike raps it) and “forfeit the game” is directly out of “Points of Authority” from Hybrid Theory. By the way, Chester shows up very little in this song for all you Chazy Chaz fanatics like me out there.

6. Robot Boy | 9/10
This one is also very sweet-sounding. Chester is back in effect with his lovely voice serenading about hard times and what it’s like to hurt. Anyone remember “Leave Out All the Rest”? There isn’t much to “Robot Boy,” no real chorus or structure. Just a few verses with Chester singing in harmony to a beautiful piano that is surely played by Mike.

7. Jornada del Muerto | 5.5/10
Hate to do it to these guys, but this song doesn’t tickle my fancy. I can understand where people are coming from with all these instrumentals and interludes. The melody doesn’t have any particular structure, though it flows all right. My advice? Skip over this one. Much better songs follow it!

8. Waiting For the End | 9.5/10
I’ll confess something else — this song had to grow on me. Chester says this one is his favorite on the album, and it took a few days to see why. But it did grow on me and I love it now! The original guitar is absent to allow room for new synthesized guitar sounds and rifts. These work nicely though, because the beat is pretty darn catchy. It’s got nice structure to it, and everyone’s vocals are on point. Mike and Chester are back to sharing singing time and it works out beautifully. This starts off the best stretch of songs on the album!

9. Blackout | 9.5/10
What Linkin Park album would be complete without Chester’s metal growls? Sure they’ve changed up their style, but their roots are still there, buried deep beneath the synthesizers. “Blackout” brings out a Hybrid Theory theme of being taken advantage of, getting that from “Points of Authority.” Plus, it’s Chester’s turn to rap now! Mike is almost absent from this song and Chester takes over, except for the bridge. Mike does the little singing there is and Chester does the rapping and yelling. Rock on!

10. Wretches and Kings | 10/10
A rival for the best song on the album. You can’t get anymore hardcore than “Wretches and Kings,” even for Linkin Park. The beat itself reeks of intense metallic might. I guess these lyrics fit: “Steel unload / final blow / we the animals take control!” Mike’s rapping comes out with guns blazing…almost literally (“There ain’t s*** we don’t run when the guns unload”). Chester even abandons the light vocals for some tough, gutsy yelling. Let’s not forget about the quotes — this song starts off with an excerpt from Mario Savio’s famous “Bodies Upon the Gears” speech. “Wretches and Kings” will be epic on stage.

11. Wisdom, Justice, and Love | 7.5/10
You could definitely take some lessons from this song about wisdom, justice and love. It’s another song devoted entirely to quotation, this one by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The synthesizers get really weird at the tail end, morphing the voice to sound like Darth Vader or something. But it works, because when you listen it’s not hard to stop and think about what Dr. King was actually getting at. Remember, this is a concept album.

12. Iridescent | 9/10
I think this is secretly the reason why a lot of people can’t get into the new Linkin Park. In the old days, LP screamed about how heavy their heads and hearts were, how much they hurt and chastising people who wronged them. There was a lot of pain and anguish one could let out in those songs (“One Step Closer” ring a bell?). Songs like this stray from that. Chester sings, “Remember all the sadness and frustration / and let it go / let it go.” Now, they’re letting bygones be bygones and steadily coming to a place of peace about all that pain. Mike even gets in on the gentle harmonizing.

13. Fallout | 5.5/10
Similar to “The Requiem,” this one simply takes the chorus from “Burning In the Skies” and synthesizes it differently. However, unlike “The Requiem” this one is quite unnecessary…if I do say so myself. They could use it to lead into “Burning In the Skies” if they choose to do that one live, but other than that, you can skip this one too.

14. The Catalyst” | 10/10
The big kahuna, the first single and the one that started the comeback. This song lays the foundation for the rest of the album, mainly because of it’s end-of-the-world undertones. Mike said that the music video would reflect that and for the record, it did that and some. Although repetition is present with the versus and chorus, it doesn’t take away from the overall passion in the song. Plus, the vocals are shared by several members of the band. During their VMA performance the only two I didn’t see singing were Brad Delson and Rob Bourdon, and Brad had a mic in front of him anyway. You may not want to get hung up on this one, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you did.

15. The Messenger | 7.5/10
The only reason this only gets 7½ stars is because of Chester’s vocals. I know, it doesn’t seem possible that his vocals could ever suffer. But they’re not really weak, just scratchy and loud. He’s only singing with an acoustic guitar, so there isn’t much that his voice is competing with. Other than that, it’s a beautiful song! It speaks to the heart of the young — apparently he dedicated this song to his four young children. It’s saying to remain kind in the face of adversity and how the power of love can conquer anything you may go through. What a guy!

Overall, Linkin Park did an amazing job with their comeback album. It’s definitely different than what we’ve heard from them in the past, especially from Hybrid Theory. But if you can take time to dissect the music it should grow on you. This is a new Linkin Park, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you’re a big enough fan…and not of the music per say, but of the band. The men who make the music and go through the rifts and chords and pick apart the lyrics and criticize themselves.

They’ve gotten to a point where they can forgive themselves for what went wrong and celebrate their accomplishments. Gone are the days when they need to prove themselves and make sure they don’t step out of line. If they want to experiment, then they can go right ahead because someone will compliment them for it. By the way, A Thousand Suns debuted #1 in the USA and several other countries.

Yuck it up, haters.