Story by Christian Garay
Staff Writer
Linkin Park’s “A Thousand Suns” is definitely not a remake of their debut album “Hybrid Theory” from the early 2000’s, and although it’s also not very good re-enactment of their last salient album from 2007 that was “Minutes to Midnight”, it is still a very good album.
The bands producer, Rick Rubin took a big chance in making the bands album very melodic and soft compared to their usual hardcore entire. Some fans might be disappointed by the soft mellows, but “A Thousand Suns” is more complex than any of their previous releases.
When most people think of Linkin Park they think of harsh vocals and distorted guitars, but when they hear this album they won’t have the same thoughts about the band. Although most songs have mellow underlinings, there are a couple songs that truly represent the bands true origin, meshing heavy rock and hip hop.
The band has always been known to express their feelings in the music they write. Whether its the lead singer Chester emptying his emotions in “Waiting For the End” singing: “All I wanna do is trade this life for something new / Holding on to what I haven’t got” or rapper Mike Shinoda in “When They Come For Me” yelling: “I’m not a criminal / Not a rabano / Not a born leader.”
The band uses a variety of music types such as bubblegum rap, and even some reggae. In the song “When They Come For Me” the band seems to incorporate some Eastern Influences with Indian sounding vocals underlining the rapped chorus.
The track “Burning In the Skies” is a track I found to be the most emotional out of all the others. I couldn’t help but repeat the song over and over again when I first popped the album in my Walkman. The lyrics, I’m swimming in the smoke / Of bridges I have burned / So don’t apologize / I’m losing what I don’t deserve, could suggest lead singers, Chester Bennington’s past addiction to drugs and how his life almost ended from his health conditions in the early 2000’s.
Overall this album is a very dramatic turnaround for the band. Fans of the early 2000’s Linkin Park will definitely be disappointed by this album. Hardcore fans of the band may find it interesting but most of them will be wondering where they’re favorite band is musically.
“A Thousands Suns” is very well put together Rock album from a band whose anger and feeling is very well said.