The main reason that I ever got into Linkin Park in the first place was Chester's vocals. His screaming especially. His screaming sounds like no other current vocalist in music today, it is very unique. I happen to absolutely love his screaming and his vocals in general on this album. I actually wish there was more of his screaming on this album.
Age has definitely taken it's toll. Though, his voice continues to remain unique and still his own. Unfortunately the mix washes his vocals into the background rendering it less than prominent.
Actually, I love A Line the Sands chorus. Its one of the best ones on the album for me. The mix between the softness of Mike's voice and then for it to burst on screaming with Chester just really gets excited every time. A Line in the Sand is my second favorite chorus off the entire album with Rebellion's being #1. A Line in the Sand's chorus just sticks with me and honestly I think it was the proper way to end the album with the constant shifts between the softer parts of Mike and then Chester screaming/shouting the chorus. Guilty All the Same's vocals were a bit iffy with me at first but after a couple of listens, Chester's voice really grew with me. Its really nice for some reason to me to listen to the loudness of the instruments in the background and then Chester less harsher but more rawer singing voice.
That's the funny thing about opinions - they're subjective. Either way, I think for a large portion of the album his vocals are pretty strong. I like his vocals on "Keys to the Kingdom," and he has these moments on "Guilty All the Same" that just get me. That last "There's no one else to blame" that fades into a struggling scream a little bit always excites me. I might also say that "War" is impressive considering how well his singing fit the style of music. While the mixing is off on "A Line in the Sand," I liked how he performed on that song. It sounds truly angry and desperate and I think that adds to the feel of the song in a positive way. I know people will really comment on how impressive "Final Masquerade" is for Chester, and there's no doubt that it is. At the same time, he sounds too much like Billy Joe Armstrong for me to really appreciate it as much as I might normally. It's weird for me, I guess.
Yeah, I hadn't figured out, thank you. But roll your eyes all you want, when you're formulating a criticism, you might want to have a more solid basis than "Those screams are unecessary (because that's the way it is)". At least explain why you think so. But whatever.
Okay maybe necessary wasn't the right word.... un-needed? I just get the feeling Chester is screaming for the sake of screaming on this album. I also think hes trying to sing more "raspy", like back in the HT and Meteora days, but it just sounds so weak compared to then and makes his voice waver off key.
It does sound to me like Chester's screams on the album are more...fry?(for lack of a better term). They sound like they have less deviation in their peaks. This may just be due to the mixing on the album however.
i dont know exactly what you mean. but i kinda agree, his screams sound all the same to me on this album, actually they are all around the same pitch. the vocals on this album lack versality, the "raspy" vocals are weak, the screams are similar on every track, the clean vocals are thin. and he doesnt sings anything challenging, never leave his confort zone. FM is the only song of the album where he really sounds good, and its not impressive compared to some stuff he's done before.
I feel like this album has had his weakest vocal performance to date, but I'll give him an excuse simply because of the amount of toll taken on his voice over the years. I mine as well include the mixing and style used for the record as well, the lack of filters on his voice gives him a raspy sound that they were going for, but it really showed his age. He sounded a bit tired and old on this record. Chester is still great and one of the best out there to me, but his voice has definitely taken its toll over the years.