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Rating:
If the wait for Linkin Park fans were to be compared to a hypothetical path, it would be a path stretching for miles. On 5/14 in Europe, the wait and path will end, and you will find yourself faced with a chasm.
"We will be original, no more nu-metal, it will be a more rock, hip-hop, motown, new wave sound with a hint of pop," these were the official statements from the band, released by Chester Bennington and Brad Delson, nothing more false, let me explain why.
The rhythmic opening of "Wake" is beautiful, a direct and decisive sound that paves the way for "Given Up." The band from Agoura Hills seems to have kept its promises, no more nu-metal style guitars, but more rocking sounds and a rougher, more charged 'Chaz' than ever.
Besides the excellent performance of B. Delson and Phoenix on guitar and bass, note that for the first time there should be the presence of "explicit lyrics" (I use the conditional because I haven't read the lyrics, but the words heard seem clear), truly a good tonic piece that suggests there will be a turning point as the listening continues. "Leave Out All The Rest" is the first small setback; it's a slow and calm piece, and it's too early for sappiness, we're only at track no. 3. In certain vocal solos, Chester Bennington sadly reminds of Lee Ryan, but still a salvageable piece.
"Bleed It Out" is truly beautiful, the band's rapper voice, Mike Shinoda, sounds more like Eminem than ever, accompanied by an excellent base with rhythmic applause and a killer, engaging chorus, without a doubt a chart-worthy piece and in my opinion, it will be the second single from the album. You might be wondering where all the mess I mentioned earlier is... here it is.
"Shadow Of The Day" is horrendous, the sound is a hybrid mix of electronics and pop, useful in cases of chronic insomnia, the rock from "Given Up" is further away than ever, way too much sentimentality.
After the well-known "What I've Done," we go to church with "Hands Held High," a church-like chorus (it seems you can hear an amen!) and a sadly unrecognizable Shinoda, hitting rock bottom when he tries to sing in "In Between," reminiscent of A. Kiedis of the RHCP in "Raod Trippin," pity he's a rapper and not a proper singer.
So, after the superpop "In Pieces", let me describe what should be the most beautiful piece of their career according to Chester Bennington's opinion: "The Little Things You Give Away"; over 6 minutes of heaviness and paranoia, slow pieces are not for them, in short, a tragic conclusion to a mediocre album.
Conclusions:
- I refute the aforementioned statements of the group regarding the "different" sound, there is no hint of hip-hop except in a few small flashes, the rocking sound is present in 2/12 of the album, and so on.
- Note how the so-called "stronger" pieces (stronger!) are strategically placed (2-4-6-8) to consistently break the rhythm to avoid excessive disorientation on the part of the listener.
- Analyzing the entire work, "What I've Done" seems like a foreign body to the album, because if before the release it represented a bit of a turning point in sound, after repeated listening to the CD, it seems only like a link between the old and new style, overall, it feels much more fake.
- Titanic disappointment "The Little Things You Give Away", Chester shows what needs to be said, outside of some very timid guitar solos, the rest is a sleeping pill.
- If there was hope for a rock Chester like Cornell, we must settle for a Bennington a bit like E. Iglesias, a bit like T. Ferro.
- DJ Hahn and Mike Shinoda not found.
- Positive notes? At most the album cover, in black/white that fits all furnishings.
If we were talking about an unknown band, it could have even scored a 3/5, but being a CD matured after 2 years, and I repeat 2 years of work with the support of a certain Rick Rubin, 2/5 is much more than fair.
We await impatiently the comeback of the former superband from California, or another, tragic, total collapse.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
02 Given Up (03:09)
Wake in a sweat again
Another day’s been laid to waste
In my disgrace
Stuck in my head again
Feels like I’ll never leave this place
There’s no escape
I’m my own worst enemy
I’ve given up, I’m sick of feeling
Is there nothing you can say?
Take this all away, I’m suffocating
Tell me what the fuck is wrong with me
I don’t know what to take
Thought I was focused, but I’m scared
I’m not prepared
I hyperventilate
Looking for help, somehow, somewhere
And no one cares
I’m my own worst enemy
I’ve given up, I’m sick of feeling
Is there nothing you can say?
Take this all away, I’m suffocating
Tell me what the fuck is wrong with me
GOD!
Put me out of my misery!
Put me out of my misery!
Put me out of my…
Put me out of my fucking misery!
I’ve given up, I’m sick of feeling
Is there nothing you can say?
Take this all away, I’m suffocating
Tell me what the fuck is wrong with me
03 Leave Out All the Rest (03:29)
I dreamed I was missing, you were so scared
But no one would listen ‘cause no one else cared
After my dreaming, I woke with this fear
What am I leaving when I’m done here?
So if you’re asking me, I want you to know
When my time comes, forget the wrong that I’ve done
Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed
And don’t resent me, and when you’re feeling empty
Keep me in your memory, leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest, don’t be afraid
I’ve taken my beating, I’ve shared what I made
I’m strong on the surface, not all the way through
I’ve never been perfect, but neither have you
So if you’re asking me, I want you to know
When my time comes, forget the wrong that I’ve done
Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed
And don't resent me, and when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory, leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest
Forgetting / all the hurt inside you’ve learned to hide so well
Pretending / someone else can come and save me from myself
I can’t be who you are
When my time comes, forget the wrong that I’ve done
Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed
And don’t resent me, and when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory, leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest
Forgetting / all the hurt inside you’ve learned to hide so well
Pretending / someone else can come and save me from myself
I can’t be who you are
I can’t be who you are
04 Bleed It Out (02:45)
And here we go for the hundredth time
Hand grenade pins in every line
Throw 'em up and let something shine
Going out of my fuckin' mind
Filthy mouth, no excuse
Find a new place to hang this noose
String me up from atop these roofs
Knot it tight so I won't get loose
Truth is you can stop and stare
Run myself out, and no one cares
Dug the trench out, laid down there
With a shovel up out of reach somewhere
Yeah, someone pour it in
Make it a dirt dance floor again
Say your prayers and stomp it out
When they bring that chorus in
I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away
I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away
I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away
Just to throw it away, just to throw it away
I bleed it out, go, stop the show
Choppy words and a sloppy flow
Shotgun opera, lock and load
Cock it back and then watch it go
Mama help me, I've been cursed
Death is rolling in every verse
Candy paint on his brand new hearse
Can't contain him, he knows he works
... this hurts, I won't lie
Doesn't matter how hard I try
Half the words don't mean a thing
And I know that I won't be satisfied
So why try ignoring him?
Make it a dirt dance floor again
Say your prayers and stomp it out
When they bring that chorus in
I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away
I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away
I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away
Just to throw it away, just to throw it away
I bleed it out, I've opened up these scars
I'll make you face this
I pull myself so far
I'll make you face, this, now
I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away
I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away
I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away
Just to throw it away, just to throw it away
I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away
I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away
I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away
Just to throw it away, just to throw it away
I bleed it out
I bleed it out
I bleed it out.
05 Shadow of the Day (04:50)
I close both locks below the window,
I close both blinds and turn away,
Sometimes solutions aren't so simple,
Sometimes goodbye's the only way,
And the sun will set for you,
The sun will set for you,
And the shadow of the day,
Will embrace the world in grey,
And the sun will set for you,
In cards and flowers on your window,
Your friends all plead for you to stay,
Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple,
Sometimes goodbye's the only way,
And the sun will set for you,
The sun will set for you,
And the shadow of the day,
Will embrace the world in grey,
And the sun will set for you,
And the shadow after day,
Will embrace the world in grey,
And the sun will set for you,
And the shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in grey
And the sun will set for you
08 No More Sorrow (03:42)
Are you lost… in your lies?
Do you tell yourself "I don’t realize"?
Your crusade’s a disguise,
Replaced freedom with fear, you trade money for lives.
I’m aware of… what you’ve done.
No, no more sorrow!
I’ve paid for your mistakes!
Your… time is borrowed!
Your time has come to be replaced!
I see pain, I see need,
I see liars and thieves abuse power with greed.
I had hope, I believed,
But I'm beginning to think that I've been deceived.
You will pay for… what you've done!
No, no more sorrow!
I’ve paid for your mistakes!
Your… time is borrowed!
Your time has come to be replaced!
Thieves and hypocrites!
Thieves and hypocrites!
Thieves and hypocrites!
No, no more sorrow!
I’ve paid for your mistakes!
Your… time is borrowed!
Your time has come to be… replaced!
No more sorrow!
I’ve paid for your mistakes!
Your… time is borrowed!
Your time has come to be… replaced!
Your time has come to be… replaced!
Your time has come to be… erased!
11 In Pieces (03:38)
Telling me to go
But hands beg me to stay
Your lips say that you love
Your eyes say that you hate
There's truth in your lies
Doubt in your faith
What you build you lay to waste
There's truth in your lies
Doubt in your faith
All I've got's what you didn't take
So I, I won't be the one
Be the one to leave this
In pieces
And you, you will be alone
Alone with all your secrets
And regrets
Don't lie
You promise me the sky
Then toss me like a stone
You wrap me in your arms
And chill me to the bone
There's truth in your lies
Doubt in your faith
All I've got's what you didn't take
So I, I won't be the one
Be the one to leave this
In pieces
And you, you will be alone
Alone with all your secrets
And regrets
Don't lie
So I, I won't be the one
Be the one to leave this
In pieces
And you, you will be alone
Alone with all your secrets
And regrets
Don't lie
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Other reviews
By prince22
The Linkin guys have mellowed.
Credit must be given to Linkin Park for having had the courage to change their style and not having done what most artists do.
By ascensions86
It seems like the album is in search of new sounds, with the band in a mood for experimentation both in terms of musical genres and the roles of its members.
Ultimately, 'Minutes to Midnight' is an undoubtedly good album, although after a four-year wait, more might have been expected.
By P@ne
"An album that will change the Linkin Park universe forever."
"The change happened, and I’m not sure whether to define it for the better... but it’s clear that the value of this band remains and will remain unchanged forever."
By Mariano90
It’s like a hand gives me such a strong slap on the ear that it liquefies my eardrums and the entire auditory system.
The essential element that had distinguished them is missing: the ROCK.
By wish
An ugly release therefore, perhaps the worst of Linkin Park’s career; a boring extended play from start to finish.
A true insult to my ears.
