|
 With ‘Minutes To Midnight’, the third album
proper from rock heavyweights Linkin Park, the band have undergone a
massive transformation.
Having all but totally abandoned the aggressive, raging rap-rock that
made them a worldwide success in favour of a more reflective, musically
solid set up, their latest effort comes across as the sound of a group
desperate to be remembered for anything other than their part in the
erstwhile Nu-Metal movement.
This is a shame, because for all the absolute guff for which Nu-Metal is
ultimately to blame, it was also responsible for some rather awesome
bands, of which Linkin Park can proudly say they were one.
Yet alas, with all the negativity surrounding that era in the wake of
its demise, you can hardly blame them for wanting to put as much
distance between then and now as possible.
And besides, Linkin Park have grown up. They’re no longer the young,
twenty somethings full to the brim with vitriol and rage. As is clearly
evident on ‘Minutes to Midnight’, they’re an older, wiser, more mature
group these days, though they’ve still got plenty to shout about.
From ex-girlfriends to every rock band’s favourite subject post Y2K,
George Bush, Lead vocalist Chester Bennington screeches and croons as
though trying to exorcise his soul, and everything it touches, from some
unmentionable evil.
The results are almost brilliant, almost, but not always.
The album kicks off with ‘Wake’, a slow instrumental intro which
gradually builds up the volume and at dark atmosphere before launching
proper into the immediately forgettable ‘Given Up’.
It’s not a good start, and this new, softer sounding Linkin Park are
likely to take some getting used to.
Things take a turn for the better though with ‘Bleed it Out’. Destined
to be a hit single, and sounding more like the Linkin Park of old, this
is a scorcher of a track which sees Bennington and
producer/rapper/some-time guitarist Mike Shinoda launching their
trademark dual vocal attack, trading lyrics over a fantastic riff and a
surprisingly enjoyable piano line.
From there, things sway in all directions.
‘Bleed it Out’ aside, other highlights come in the form of recent single
‘What I’ve Done’, all catchy choruses and massive riffs, and the
emotional, weighty ‘No More Sorrow’ with its killer intro and enchanting
guitars.
However, there’s a number of tracks on here, most notably the
unbelievably boring closer ‘The Little Things You Give Away’ that really
let the whole thing down.
For fans of the old Linkin Park, this album is probably going to take
repeated listens to become the great record so many want it to be,
though to perfectly honest, Linkin Park’s new direction is going to take
even more than that to match the brilliance of their earlier material.
Recommended Links:
►
www.linkinpark.com
►
www.myspace.com/linkinpark
►
Return to Album
Reviews
|
