I loved every second of Hybrid Theory and Meteora. I loved the heavy guitar riffs, the mix of rap + rock. This album lacks the heavyness that characterized its predecessors. Most of the tracks are soft. Gone is the Points of Authority style headbanging except maybe that guitar solo part of What I've Done. I'm not even talking the peaceful serenity of the Easier to Run or In the End intro segments. This is way softer than all that. If you remember jumping up and down to the LP songs of the old days, use these to put you to sleep at night. What I've Done is probably the only track in the album that still sounds like the old LP. It's got that old feel that distinguished LP from any other rock band. Some other tracks show promise and hints of the old style that endeared LP to the masses of us that rushed to get Meteora, like the intro track (Wake), Bleed it Out, No More Sorrow. In Pieces is an OK track in light of the band's past work. Valentines Day has a decent heavier part near the end but is still quite light and soft overall. But if they did write 50 songs for this album, I wonder how the other 40 or so were like. I'm still a big fan of LP and will continue to be, but I must admit that their intent to sound different did not produce good results. I hope with the next release they can go back to the old days. I feel kinda bad saying this, but unless you liked "What I've Done", you probably should wait for the next release. Interpret my 3 star any way you like. The only reason it's a 3 star to me is I can't decide how low to go. Also, I figure that like one or two tracks I deemed unworthy on the predecessors, some of these tracks seem like they could just as well grow on me. For the meantime, check out RED - End of Silence if you haven't already. The blend of the entire band creates a similar style to LP as we know it without the rapping.Read full review
Like others I had been anticipating this album since I first heard about Minutes to Midnight. And also like others, I was greatly disappointed. Many bands change their sound over the course time while still retaining their core sound. In the case of Linkin Park's new effort, they changed completley. From a much harder alternative rap/rock band comes a much softer version, more leaning to a U2/boyband kind of sound with a little rock and a little rap mixed in once and a while throughout the album. I would not say it is a terrible ablum, or a particularly remarkable one either. Personally what puts me off is that Linkin Park had a sound that I liked firmly rooted in Rock. Now they have a soft sound that I just simply dont care for. As I said it is not a hideous album, just not my taste. While the new sound may get them some new fans of a different genre, old fans of the original Linkin Park will be on their way to other venues.Read full review
Let's put it this way: #1 The debut "Hybrid Theory" = fresh, raw, mix of rock/rap, cool new sound. Something to listen to while working out at the gym; very catching. Can listen to over and over again and not get bored of it. #2 "Meteora" = disapointing, nothing new, some of the same sound, 1/2 of the album is love/rock ballads. Not worth listening to very often. Original sound lost its edge and creativity. #3 & #4 = a live album and a remix album. Whatever, these are cop out albums. Who buys a "live" or a "remix" album anyway? Get into the studio and create something new.... #5 "Minutes to Midnight" = Huh? Is this the same band that came out in 2000? Slow rock ballad songs; liberal, leftist babble. Only two semi-rock songs. Not even worth listening to once. Maybe their new marriages are on the rocks... I wasn't impressed with the single from Minutes to Midnight, however, I still went out to buy the album the day it came out. I kept my fingers crossed about being disapointed. Afterall, Meteora was somewhat of a letdown. This new album SUCKS. What were they thinking? Who was this created for - Highschool girls to listen to when their boyfriend breaks up with them? The album cover is also extremely cheasy. It has all of them standing around in a friendship circle and it is in black and white. Ahhh, how sentimental. That should have been a dead givaway at what I was buying. It kind of reminds me of Incubus, who's early album SCIENCE rocked with a raw, energized edge. Nonetheless, every subsequent album of Incubus's got worse and worse. They lost their identity and became a cookie-cutter, fuzzy mess. They sounded boring, amatuerish, sophmoric, and stale. Maybe, once the contract is signed they are just doing a job? What happens to the musicians that start out great and end up almost annoying? Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots were the same way.... starting off great and ending up boring! I can only guess that these guys (Linkin Park) actually enjoy singing and playing these types of songs. I dunno, but imagining these songs being played at a concert, I believe that would put anyone to sleep! Ridiculous. Maybe they've just made enough money already and become big enough stars they assumed that whatever they put out people will buy....I definately fell for it. Now, search other reviews and you might hear a lot about "true fans" stick with a band blah, blah, blah. Or maybe you'll hear: "after listening to it a few times I really like it now." Why put yourself through the misery? Wake up kids, that logic is a bunch of nonsense. The way to keep fans is to keep sounding good. It's simple: No good music = no fanbase. I'll tell you what, next time I'll wait to sample it on Itunes or Napster! Sad, isn't it? MCLRead full review
We waited almost 4 years for this? The LP JZ holdover was rock solid, but this newest CD is very un-like Linkin Park. This is by far their worst CD. It reminds me of early U2. If I wanted to hear them, that's what I would have bought. Meteora is very similar, in every way, to Hybrid Theory. Minutes to Midnight is more like the horrid Gray Daze album then anything else. Way too much cursing in this album. The cool thing about LP was that in each CD, they might only curse a maximum of 2 or 3 times. And the curse words were never part of a repeated chorus. I don't mind cursing one bit. It's just that after 3.5 albums from LP, this is WAY out of the ordinary and I just don't want to hear it out of them. Their seldom use of curse words in previous albums created real impact when they finally decided to use one. The F word is thrown around so much on this album it is just sick. Now, there are some enjoyable tracks to listen to. But know this.. there isn't ONE song on this CD that could bump out a song from the Hybrid Theory album. Not ONE. That is truly sad. How can you call M2M revolutionary when it stinks? If it weren't for the late song yell-talk by Chester, which just feels downright uncomfortable, "Given Up" would have been an ok track. "Leave out all the rest" sounds like it is a slightly dilluted attempt at another NUMB effort. "What I've done" is an acceptable track, this is the song you have probably heard all over the radio, and yes, it is played out now. "Bleed it out" is the only true new sound on the album, something about it reminds me of PTS OF AUTHORITY, which is a good thing. "No more sorrow" and "Valentine'd Day" are very enjoyable tracks, but are just not the kind of songs you want in your CD's top 3.... if these 2 songs were the 6th and 7th best songs on the CD, then we'd definitely have something here! (But we don't). The best song on the album may be "In Pieces." But again, "In Pieces" wouldn't even make the final cut on the Hybrid Theory album.. so how in the world can LP release an album like this to its loyal fans? I'll tell you why.. LP was dooped by people in business suits. They were told to change their "sound" or else their work would become "indestinguishable." Yes, LP took the bait. Instead of giving the fans what they wanted.. what we were BEGGING for for the last 3.5 years.. they gave in to a handful of know-nothing big-wigs. M2M is SOFT. M2M is the skimpy little brother of Hybrid Theory. But most importantly, M2M is a letdown. Now, if M2M as bad as Chevelle's new CD? Well no, nothing can be THAT bad. M2M has DECENT songs on it. But I don't want DECENT out of LP. I want something I can't get anywhere else. Hybrid Theory, Reanimation, Meteora, and Colission Course have no equals. LP's old albums made me want to blast the entire CD.. there was no adjustment made to the volume knob.. there was no fast-forwarding through "weak" tracks.. and there certainly was always a certainty that what you were listening to was truly HIP/CURRENT/WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW. M2M is like a bunch of songs you would find in the dumpster after Hybrid Theory's final cuts. M2M is just plain weak.. it is sickly. It makes me worry that the LP era is over. What is there now? LP had no equal, but now they do, they are equal to softies like Hoobastank and Incubus. Listen to track 1 and 2 of the Underground Album, then you'll agree that M2M is WAY off base. Sorry LP, this CD STINKS!!Read full review
This is truly a different LP cd than before. Even the remixes allowed for more beats and new looks into old songs. This cd is full of fuzzy mushy elevator music. I personally like Bleed it Out. Its fast paced and has some classic screaming. This is not Chester's band and its not Shinoda's band - its a compliation of everybody and unfortunately theres not enough Shinoda's beats and Chester's energy. I did buy it because it is LP but I am disappointed. Its more background music versus rock out music. I will also buy their next album. They must be happy right now because there are few powerful songs. Maybe they need a little more inspiration or maybe few "yes thats great" men. I personally cannot make a better album - I cant sing or play an instrument - but I can play my CD Player!
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