Linkin Park
A Thousand Suns

Release Date: 2010 | Tracklist

In 2007, when Linkin Park released "Minutes to Midnight", many people said that this band was finished. Many people said that this band had turned their backs on who they were for mainstream success. The problem with this statement is, Linkin Park has always been mainstream. Their songs echoed through many car radios, their music videos played several times a day, some of their songs featured in big films. When Linkin Park released "Hybrid Theory", they were far from underground. Many fans also claimed that this band sold out. There were too many reasons for fans to hate "Minutes to midnight" that had nothing to do with the actual music . This time around, they changed their sound even more. When "A Thousand Suns" was released, the fanbase was split once again.

Many people say that this album is a "Kid A", or a "Dark Side Of The Moon". While you can compare them, I say this album is unique. Linkin Park released a unique piece of art. After being a long time fan of the band, when "The Catalyst" was released and the cover art for the album was released, I had no idea what was going on. My first reaction was very negative, but after a few more listens, and more glances, I couldn't have been anymore excited with the changes.

The album opens with "The Requiem" and "The Radiance", a pair of interlude tracks to set the mood. Mike Shinoda's haunting chants and robotic singing really set a dark atmosphere. They both segue into each other, and a third track "Burning In The Skies" which is the first full length track on the album. This track is very reminiscent of a typical Linkin Park ballad; typical lyrics about one's own problems. It has a club-like beat layered over a very melodic clean guitar that keeps the song pumping. "Empty Spaces" segues into "When They Come For Me" which is an electronica jungle-like hip-hop track which will have you chanting in far east melodies for days. "Robot Boy" is the most unique track on the album, having almost no structure at all, and Mike and Chester's vocals never seperate from each other. "Jornada Del Muerto" segues from the previous track into "Waiting For The End" which is Linkin Park's most intresting song to date. It opens with punk guitar riffs and a reggae tinged rap verse, but melts into a huge ballad before bringing itself back to how it started. "Blackout" is a very dissonant dance-pop number, with military drums and deep synths pouncing underneath Chester's whiny rap performance. The song turns with a dubstep breakdown, and ends with a soft ballad. "Wretches And Kings" welcomes any fan of Linkin Park's older style. It has a heavy beat, and Mike and Chester going back and forth. It ends with a political speech and the first turntable solo by Joe Hahn in years. "Wisdom, Justice, and Love" is a beautiful interlude that shouldn't be skipped or ignored. Martin Luther King's voice slowly turns robotic and haunting over a grand piano. This track is very emotional and sad. "Iridescent" fades in and is a typical ballad track, but this time there is a section with band vocals. This is also the first track where you can easily spot every band member and what how they are contributing to the song. "Fallout" segues into the lead single "The Catalyst" which starts of as a dark electronic song with lyrics such as "God bless us everyone we are broken people living under loaded gun". "The Messenger" comes in to close the album, and sounds like none of the other tracks. It's a stripped down acoustic track with Chester singing about the problems and struggles you will face down the road.

Linkin Park's best lyrics are featured in this album. Linkin Park's best emotions are displayed in this album. Linkin Park's most creative artwork is painted through all of the pages in the booklet of this album. This isn't a collection of songs that sound the same. One minute you will be listening to a heavy hip-hop song with screeching electric guitars and a heavy beat, but you will then find yourself listening to a haunting emotional interlude. This album changes the way you feel as every track passes by. One minute you reflect, the next minute you want to get up and start rocking out. If anything this album is a journey that nobody, before listening to it, could predict. Linkin Park doesn't stick to any standard. When the play songs live, you'll see three or four members on the keyboard. You'll see three or four members playing drums. They do everything different, but it all ends up in perfect harmony. That's what this album is, perfect harmony.

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2.7 average

Rank: #0 for 2010