Photo Credit: James Minchin
Linkin Park are officially back, everyone!
None of us expected them to spring back to life the way they’ve done, especially given the seven years of inactivity following Chester Bennington’s passing. Now featuring Dead Sara’s Emily Armstrong as co-vocalist alongside Mike Shinoda, the band have quite the shoes to fill with this new album. But if bands like AC/DC, Alice in Chains, and even Queen can and have carried on following the loss of their own lead singers, each of them iconic in their own right, then so, too, can Linkin Park start again, From Zero.
Following a short intro, we’re immediately greeted by the now-familiar first single, The Emptiness Machine, and its follow-up, Cut the Bridge, which dials in a strong Minutes to Midnight feel, polished to 2024 standards. The familiarity continues on songs such as second single Heavy is the Crown or the excellent Two Faced, which harken back to the Meteora and Hybrid Theory days, no less thanks to Joe Hahn’s electronics and record scratches or Armstrong’s 100% rage-fuelled screams.
Elsewhere, tracks such as Over Each Other or Stained showcase the lighter side of both the band and Armstrong’s vocals, especially during the latter’s chorus. Good Things Go is one of the best album closers the band have released, highlighting the stunning chemistry between Armstrong and Shinoda’s vocals, as the two prove they are a phenomenal pairing throughout the record.
Overflow is among the most surprising tracks found on From Zero, alongside Casualty and IGYEIH. The former sees Shinoda take the lead for most of the electronics-focused track’s runtime, taking a different approach to his usual rap vocals. The latter two, on the other hand, give us some more of Armstrong’s screams, as Casualty is one of the heaviest songs released by Linkin Park in 10 years and will see plenty of mosh pits when played live. IGYEIH (“I Gave You Everything I Had”), on the other hand, showcases the singer’s ability to take a repeating lyric and gradually ramp up the intensity in its delivery, reaching a breaking point by the end of the track.
The best part about this album is seeing just how much fun the band are having, as seen via the various music videos, interviews and live performance videos that have flooded the internet. They’re all in top form, too – if one were to hear the instrumental tracks, they could easily pass as songs released over 15 years ago. Armstrong is a stellar addition to Linkin Park’s repertoire, as is drummer Colin Brittain, who took over Rob Bourdon’s duties upon his exit from the six-piece outfit.
In short: the new album is very damn good. Linkin Park have captured the essence of what drew so many of us to the band in the first place with their classic songs, add something new to it in the form of Emily Armstrong’s voice, and release it to the masses, thus successfully starting ‘over’, From Zero.
9.5/10
Standout Tracks: Cut the Bridge, Heavy is the Crown, Casualty, Two Faced, Stained, IGYEIH
For Fans Of: Dead Sara, Papa Roach, Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace
Written by: Florin Petrut
