Linkin Park
Reanimation

THE REVIEW

One of the most common risks that a young band, fresh off an electrifying debut capable of making everyone shout "miracle," can encounter is the possibility of a spectacular failure upon returning to the scene with a new album. The responsibility is too great, the fan anticipation too high, the critics' attention too intense, poised to pounce and highlight even the smallest dip in quality, but above all, the fear of not being able to perform the miracle again is overwhelming. At this point, it's mathematically clear that two things make the difference: determination and intelligence. Let's dispel any doubts immediately: Linkin Park are six young men as determined as they are intelligent.

Thus, the miracle happens a second time: "Reanimation" not only echoes everything positive that was done with the amazing debut album, but thanks to the acquired artistic maturity of the six musicians, it is enriched with nuances, echoes, and suggestions that were lacking in the otherwise excellent "Hybrid Theory".
Linkin Park wisely took two long years, studied what worked and what didn't, played live, learned a lot, and when they were 100% convinced they could truly surpass themselves, they entered the studio. The result is palpable: an extremely rational work in its irrationality, precise as a Swiss watch despite the band's sound being inevitably destined to disorient the listener, with its overlapping of punk, metal, hardcore, hip hop, tribal music, and the very best death music, always harmoniously fused even in a context where anyone would have considered it out of place.

A crazy, deviant, sick work, but damn intelligent. Just like Linkin Park.