I'm not sure if OML will even reach THP first week sales, but I hope I'm wrong. On the other hand, "Heavy" was more successful than anything on that album if I'm not mistaken, so I have no clue. It's also a more accessible album. People are very split on this album, but it's gotten a lot of attention and the band has spent a good amount of time marketing it. But either way, they'll still make most of their money through touring, should it be a commercial flop.
I think its sales could increase from THP because of the following: 1. Pre-ordering the album to get a better spot in line for pre-sale and a chance to meet the band 2. Streaming counts in the sales chart these days. Back when The Hunting Party came out, streaming did not count yet. So everyone In this thread, I urge you to listen on Spotify/Tidal/Apple Music for the first week even if you have the album! 3. Every ticket to their show came with a free album. Every album redeemed before the first week chart is official counts as a sale on the chart.
Well, that's true, I got 2 copies for free with the tickets. Plus, streaming sales count. It also seems like there was more of a marketing push with this one than THP, which from memory seemed relatively minimal from them than usual. I'm very curious to see how it'll perform, I'd love to see it perform well in spite of the backlash.
I've been listening to it on repeat and it has me in shambles. The lyrics starting with "The Reminders" to "It Ain't Fair" are lyrics that always hit me super hard. That's how I feel about my best friends accident in 2012. It just doesn't feel/seem fair. I'm a wreck man. Music NEVER gets to me like this. Linkin Park just did the unthinkable. I don't think they will ever top this song lyrically I'm their careers.
I know I've been posting a lot but I just say one last thing for now: One More Light the album and the song are lyrically Linkin Park's magnum opus in each category. Doubt they ever top either lyrically the rest of their careers.
I wanted to put my thoughts down about the album now that I have listened to it more than a dozen times. The pre-release was pretty weird for me because Heavy and Battle Symphony were pretty underwhelming to me. It is weird to me that the worst two songs on the album (for me, of course) were the first two songs released, but it did lower my expectations for the album and led to it wowing me when I finally heard it. I think Heavy is a pretty bad song and worst in the lineup even in the context of the album, for a few reasons: I think the concept of female vocals was a great choice for this song and fit well, but I really just don't like Kiiara's voice. I really don't like the valley girl sound, and Kiiara just sounds like a store brand version of Selena Gomez; I realize that her vocal style is pretty popular in radio pop these days so it's not surprising to put her in the lead single. On top of that, this song features Chester's vocal delivery in which he strains his voice to no benefit of the song. It doesn't make the words sound more emotion or sing any better; add that to the fact that Heavy has the cheesiest lyrical theme and content in the album and it all adds up to a bad experience. The issue with Battle Symphony, on the other hand, is that it is really inoffensive and unoriginal. There's nothing to like or hate about it and it just exists as filler. I can't help but think of "Fight Song" every time I hear BS and that is pretty offputting. Beyond those two songs though, the rest of the album is pretty great. I think the highlights are Nobody Can Save Me, Sorry For Now, OML, and Sharp Edges. Two songs I want to talk about: Sorry For Now is pretty unexpected and awesome. Today I listened to SFN and then In Between immediately after, and wow Mike's singing has noticeably improved. In MTM the songs in which he sang lead felt like a novelty to mix up the usual LP formula, where now if you swapped Mike and Chester in SFN I think the song would be worse. The best is for last, literally; Sharp Edges is right now sitting as my second favorite LP song of all time, right behind Blackout. Sharp Edges really displays the strengths of pop, a genre that allows you to make something uplifting, sweet, and easy to digest and feel good about. Chester's delivery here is awesome, the music and lyrics all compliment each other wonderfully. What's more, after the darker tones of OML having such a beautiful and sweet song end the album feels so rewarding. So where Heavy left me feeling underwhelmed and not all that excited for OML, the album turned out to be one of LP's better projects. I have a sneaking suspicion that the band wanted to do this in THP, but wanted to show they could still go hard if they wanted and wasn't making pop songs as a way to sell out. I would put this album at 2nd or 3rd all time for me, with A Thousand Suns still being my favorite followed by either OML or MTM. As for a rating, probably a 8/10.
Dammit. After all the shit I've talked, this fucking album is going to grow on me. It'll never be my favorite and there's still some things I don't like but just because this is a band I've been listening to for 17 years, I keep giving it a chance. Well... it's starting to click a bit more. Surprisingly, I'm finding it really hard to listen to the title track. I'm dreading the day I lose my parents and this song just stirs up those thoughts and it's tough. A reaction that I've never had and never thought I would with an LP song. Anyway, as others have said there's a lot of cool stuff to hear in some of the songs if you really listen. I'm in the minority but I do dig the drum work. The live drums on heavy groove hard with me and the beat that kicks in during the second SFN chorus really helps elevate that section
The song, One More Light, tears my heart up everytime I hear it. F**king beautiful. Also, I absolutely adore Half Way Right and Sorry for Now. Holy shit.
It's touching to see how many people this song has affected. I usually don't get too personal but I could relate as well. One of my brothers passed away late last September after battling not only cancer as well as a traumatic car accident 2 years prior, he was only 34 and left behind a wife and kids. A particular memory I have was a little before their 3rd album, he was driving me to his house which was quite a bit away, he asked me if I wanted to listen to any music and I asked if he had any Linkin Park CDs. We listened to them the entire ride and sang along. It may seem like an insignificant thing to remember all this time, but he was part of what got me into this band and what they mean to me today. "Waiting for the End" hit me hard hearing it just a few days after he was gone, "One More Light" did it again. The "One more chair than you need" line especially upsets me since his kids have to grow up without him. Rarely does music make me emotional in that way, but LP is one of the few that manages to do it. Lyrically, as a whole, this album has gotten to me more than any of their previous.
Songs with high repeat value : invisible, halfway right, one more light, sharp edges Song that should have been the first and only single: sorry for now Most structurally satisfying song : talking to myself Songs that shouldn't be there : good goodbye (because the "no-guests" version is better), heavy ("waxx" version is better) Loved them lyrically : invisible, one more light This album is so personal that i felt, at most places, maybe through these songs the band is talking about themselves to their fans... About their journey so far... And how they feel about it. (Although they say its about their life experiences) Overall its "an album to have in your discography for a band like them". I hope by releasing last album as just rock and rock only and this album as just pop and pop only, the next album touches some other genre and that genre only. This approach, i feel is better when compared to what happened on MTM and LT. As a Fan who listens them exclusively .... I like this record. But I'm not sure how it will age. Whether I'll be listening to these songs 2 or 3 years from now or not. Fingers crossed for a live EP version of this album or maybe an accoustic one.
Fully agreed with second point. Mike just nailed this track. Also that chipmunk effect will not bother to most of listeners
OML will probably fall between 80-100k first week. Harry Styles is boosted by the One Direction teenies which is why his album sold so well. It's nothing meant to discredit Harry as an artist or vocalist...but moreso the truth. Even though it's solo work, OD teenies are flocking to it. If OML does at least 80 or even higher than that it'll be a decent success.
Linkin Park - One More Light Review Part I Growth and an evolution of sound... So, an in-depth background on my previous album thoughts and then I'll get right into One More Light. Firstly, Meteora was the very first album I purchased by Linkin Park and that was all thanks to In The End. The first ever song I heard by the band was Points Of Authority back in 2000 as me and my family were in the car on a family day out (I believe we went to some theme park but not 100% sure). Anyway, it came on the radio and I actually missed who the band was but I really liked how different the song was, especially the chorus, the rapped section and the ending with the glitch outro and just the overall different blends of different genres in this one song. To me, it was a unique sound at the time and it was something I was engrossed in as I wasn't really into much music. I liked 90's pop music courtesy of my Mum, I was a fan of Michael Jackson and 80's rock, that was about it. My one regret was not finding out who the band was as then I would have found their material much quicker. Fast forward to around 2001 and the next track I heard from Linkin Park was Crawling on a compilation album and I was hooked. At this point, the only album I had ever purchased with my own money was Limp Bizkit's Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog Flavored Water (I was a big fanatic of Rollin', My Way, Take A Look Around and Boiler) so I was starting to get into the nu-metal genre as it was all new to me. I'm still to this day very thankful I managed to find the sound and especially and specifically Linkin Park before the nu-metal genre ceased in its lifespan. Linkin Park and their lyrics helped me cope with life and deal with some of the problems I was going through as a teenager, which I don't particularly want to delve into right now... maybe someday in the future I will reveal why they helped me so much and with what but for now I want to keep that part private. Anyway, as I said, Limp Bizkit was the only album I had purchased by a band because I was so in awe of their sound at the time (I was 12 years old when I got their album) but when I heard Crawling I constantly had it on repeat on the compilation album. For some reason I never purchased a Linkin Park album at this point, due to money problems and other things, I never bought any CD's from any band or musical artist. I really should have pushed my Mum to get me this as I actually hadn't heard anymore material and didn't really listen to any music for a year or more. That all changed when my friend let me borrow his In The End single CD (which had A Place For My Head Live on it) in late 2002/early 2003 and I fell in love! I had the song on repeat, it was such a perfect blend of pop and metal. Pop being a keyword here as we get ready to embrace the new Linkin Park sound on their seventh studio album, One More Light. It's funny how things evolve over time, especially for me, a 16 year period where the band I became addicted to changed their sound so many times and I've always stayed with them for every release. Continuing with the story, due to repetitive listens of In The End and also digging the A Place For My Head track (A Place In My Head would became my favourite track period by the band) I instantly went out in the mindset to purchase a Linkin Park album. I had saved and saved my money (doing various jobs, Birthday/Christmas money, pocket money, etc.). The store I got the album from didn't have Hybrid Theory in stock but when I enquired about any Linkin Park CD's they had, the store assistant directed my attention to the band's newest release at the time, Meteora so I went ahead and got it. I remember him saying as I gave him the money to complete the transaction that it was a fantastic album or something along those lines. I got home and for some reason, I played Numb first. I remember distinctly my sister was listening to the track from her room next to mine and she said "who is this" and I said "it's a band called Linkin Park, it's their 2nd album apparently". She then asked inquisitively "what is this song called?" and I checked the title again and I said "Numb" and I remember her saying "I really like this... It's awesome!". To me, that was another song that perfectly blended the nu-metal sound with pop and it worked! It was addictive to listen to, the lyrics were relatable (both to me and my sister) and it was something we could bond over. I listened to the album non-stop and not long after my ears were appeased by what it was listening to, I saved more money and in one bulk I got Hybrid Theory and Reanimation. By this point, I was hooked on the band! I went and got the t-shirts and hoodies, I had to ask my family to drive me to another town about an hour away (I believe it was Worcester, UK) to this store that sold all band merchandise; bands included Papa Roach, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Disturbed, Evanescence, etc. I got a Reanimation and a Meteora hoodie on my first purchases as gifts from my Mum and I still have them to this day! Quick funny story, I went to Marks and Spencers last year to get food and was actually wearing my Meteora hoodie and the shopping assistant at the check out said to me (in front of my girlfriend) "Linkin Park are awesome, I absolutely love that album... mad respect!" and fist bumped me. He was younger than me but that was a cool moment. Anyway, after the influx of clothes collecting, I started buying posters of the band and eventually would go on to purchase many other releases by the band in the future with my own money. Still, it's surreal to see how things started off and escalated so quickly... time goes by so quickly as a teenager. I have only just turned 29 years of age and to reflect on my time as a 12 year old first getting into Linkin Park and then when I was 14/15 I went on a Collision Course (heh, get it?) to get all of the Linkin Park releases and no one was going to stop me! I was so engaged with the band and their sound and they helped me a lot and made life easier each time I listened to their albums. That's my background and story of how I got into the band and why they mean so much to me. It's funny as I've seen plenty of posts before mention how Linkin Park have still maintained their relevancy in 2017, 17 years after their first release and 13-14 years after the nu-metal sound faded away and lost its 'staying power'. Look at bands like Limp Bizkit, the first album I ever got with my own money by a band... they've pretty much faded into obscurity and aren't really that relevant anymore, not for me anyway. Yet Linkin Park became my #1 favourite band over Limp Bizkit in 2002 and that has never changed. I've always appreciated the fact Linkin Park did the right thing and evolved over time, changing their mindset, their goals for each album and their sound with each new release to make things sound fresh and new. I'm thankful the band is still around and released an album yesterday! It's satisfying to know I'm seeing them live for my 3rd time in just under 2 months time in Manchester. I'm grateful they are still in my lives sharing their music and their journey with me and their millions of fans. In 2007 when the band finally released their highly anticipated third album, entitled Minutes To Midnight I was shocked by how different it was from the band. I remember when the 30 second What I've Done snippet was released and I couldn't believe how raw the instruments sounded, how the distorted guitars and their trademark sound had being discarded and we got this alternative rock vibe and Chester sounded incredible in the chorus and it consisted of a guitar solo! Fast forward to the release and I was so pleased the band had altered their sound. If they had put out a Hybrid Theory Part III I know I would have been disappointed as I was growing out of that phase by then. I remember thinking the lyrics were some of the best written by the band, the songs all had their own different vibes from one another, it was cool hearing Brad deliver some guitar solos on In Pieces and The Little Things Give You Away. I was so proud of the band for taking the risk finally and no longer playing it safe and just scrapping what they were renowned for and going in a new direction. This my fellow Linkin Park community... This is where the patterns shifted, the direction changed and the band started to grow. A Thousand Suns was next and this was the first album where I didn't know what to think; I was bewildered, confused, in awe, shocked, mesmerised, conflicted all in one sitting on my first listen. I remember people that had already heard the album forewarning others that this was different, this was complex, this was a complete 180 from their sound and yet it still sounded like Linkin Park but to make sure to give it a chance. Sound familiar? I remember after listening through this concept album and then going to my girlfriends later with the album in hand and she asked me what I thought and I said "I honestly don't know" and I remember her saying "why? Don't you like it?" and I remember my reaction was "I'm just not sure what to think of it... it's different". I then played her the album in its entirety and she loved it. My girlfriend back in 2003 was never a fan of Linkin Park, she didn't like anything metal and was more of a pop fan or liked old-school rock. However, she loved this and I was surprised. That shows the diversity of the band and their appeal, you can have someone who absolutely detests their first two albums and their sound and then love album number four with it's more electronic/industrial sound. Over time, I fell in love with this album, I was fully engaged and captivated by the incredible sounds, the story, the lyrics, the message, the instruments, the vocals. Everything sounded amazing, it took me a few repeated listens from start to finish but over time, I was enamoured by A Thousand Suns and it has aged so well over time and gets better and better every time I listen to it. It was also cool as over time my girlfriend started to like their previous releases as her musical tastes changed like mine over time and she loves tracks like Somewhere I Belong, Numb, One Step Closer, Faint, Nobody's Listening, Breaking The Habit, With You, Runaway, Pushing Me Away, etc. Living Things was next and again, I understood the band wanted to make a more easy-listening album this time with short firecracker songs to appeal to both fans, casual fans and non-fans of the band. It was an electronic rock album, which they pulled off well. I remember I overrated the album on my review, originally giving it a 9/10 and even giving In My Remains a perfect score. I feel that's the only album I've ever overrated in the Linkin Park discography and in my time on the LPA boards. I've overrated the odd track here and there since then on The Hunting Party but I pretty much stick by that score for that album. Living Things delivered though, making Burn It Down a big hit and it was catchy. I wouldn't have the album at 9/10 now, it's probably at around a strong 7 out of 10 but still, I can appreciate what the band set out to do here and the sound worked. The Hunting Party I was very happy when Guilty All The Same was released with the in-your-face metal vibe and the loud guitars, quick-fire drums and aggressive vocals had made a triumphant and surprising return. I was on board with the band changing their minds on what was rumoured to be the more indie-rock/pop vibe and went along the alternative metal/hard rock route. I still love that album to this day, it was a nice change of pace and was good to see the heaviness literally return. The songs weren't their catchiest but for me, it was all about the instrumentation, the raw sound, the aggressive vocals, the pissed off attitude in each song, etc. I had a crap year that year with my dog unexpectedly passing away a week before the album was released and I needed to rage. I was the most fucked off I'd ever been in a long while and I was angry and agitated with other things going on in my life so this was the perfect timing to have Linkin Park dive back into their more 'visceral' sound. It worked, it helped me again and I most certainly needed it at the time. Now, I'm in a much happier place, it has been a good year so far and when it was again rumoured the band was going in a more mellow direction, I was pleased. I was always interested in hearing a more softer side to the band. Then when the pop rumours came out, again, I didn't mind this as I like the pop sound Linkin Park have released in the past and I thought it would be something new the band could explore and potentially deliver with satisfying results. That and I did miss their catchy choruses and beats. That and when the band unveiled they were working on more personal lyrics I was really looking forward to this as it's something we haven't heard much from the band in a while. That and this was going to be their most personal record to date. So I was very intrigued to see where they were going to go with this and how it was going to transcribe to the public/fans. I'm now getting towards my One More Light track-by-track review and if you've managed to read through my long-winded post then good for you, I'm glad! However, I just wanted to emphasise, I really appreciate what the band has released over time. I love the fact if I want to listen to nu-metal, I have their first two releases in Hybrid Theory or Meteora. If I want to listen to an alternative rock album with plenty of ballads then I'll go for Minutes To Midnight. If I'm in the mood for their most experimental album to date and I want to listen to an industrial/electronic album then A Thousand Suns is the best album to go to. If I want to listen to a catchy, short, electronic rock album then Living Things will deliver that for me. Finally, if I want to listen to an alternative metal/hard rock album with hints of punk and thrash metal then The Hunting Party is where it's at! So many different options for so many different moods and mindsets from the band. Each album has its own unique identity and personality and that I highly commend the band for.
Thats the same thing happening with me. This song has so much feels that I resist listening to it. Least listened on the album. So emotional
Linkin Park - One More Light Review Part II So then, onto my track-by-track review of One More Light: Nobody Can Save Me: The first track and introduction to the new soundscape of Linkin Park on their seventh studio album. I can see why Adam really likes this song, the melody is absolutely stunning. I like the intro with the chipmunk sound and the calming sounds that resonate at the start of the track. Chester sings so beautifully on this song in the first verse and then takes us into the chorus where the 'wub-wub' effect comes in after the backdrop. Second verse, the song takes a diversion and more synths back up the song and then the song changes course and picks up a bit of pace with the clap sounds and Chester's delivery changes wonderfully in the second chorus with the way he sings some of the words. The guitars also kick in here to add a new element to the song. Like Minus said, this song is a grower. I didn't think much of it on first listen but then second time around I found it much more interesting and liked a lot of sections in the song. Also, I adore the bridge sung by Chester, he gives so much energy and I love the way he sings "I've been searching somewhere out there, for what's been missing right here". The song is getting better with each listen and is a nice way to start the album. Rating: 8/10 Good Goodbye: I have to say, I absolutely love this track, it's such a banger! The fantastic and extremely catchy Chester chorus, the contribution from Alvin from the Chipmunks, the thumping beat, one of the best raps from Mike in a long time (seriously, the flow was fantastic) and some solid rapping from Pusha T and Stormzy. I'm not a fan of the latter's music but I admire his skills and he's a nice down-to-earth guy. He does well here. The lyrics aren't the greatest but I'm not complaining, the song is one of the catchiest from Linkin Park. I love the complete change in direction here, the track separate itself from the norm of the album and goes in a more refined hip-hop direction and it works. I like the sarcastic sound and message on this one, it stands out and is something different from the rest of the tracks. The track definitely picks up, starting rather mellow and in the second chorus, I like the clap effects that are distinct to build up the song more and more and eventually the soaring synths and well-placed guitars are heard (the guitars are well hidden but you can clearly hear them on quality earphones). This song is brilliant, one of my personal favourites and sounds like a more poppier and hip-hop version of Lost In The Echo and has similarities to We Made It . Everyone delivers on this one and it's a very bouncing tune, one I'll be playing a lot! Rating: 10/10 Talking To Myself: The dancing synth that starts the track off is nice and then it explodes into a great riff by Brad, making this probably the most Linkin Park song on the album and one that a lot of fans I've seen actually like due to it's more rockier sound. This is most certainly a killer track and I like the way it changes throughout. The lyrics are strong here, it is a message from Chester to his wife about leaving on tour and her wanting him to come home, detaching from their normal stories in their music. I really like the way the track starts soft with the synths in the background and the robotic voice being utilized on Chester's vocals on a few of the words. The track then slows down for the pre-chorus with the bass and drums being distinctly heard. Then Chester barrages us with a fantastically sung chorus where only the dance-eqsue synths are complimenting his voice. I love the way his voice gets more raspy and rough as he gets a bit more aggressive and then when it feels like the track can't get anymore insurmountable, in comes the very catchy chorus with the guitars backing it up. The chorus is repetitive but that doesn't detract away from a very catchy one at that! Chester sounds so good here and it shows this sort of music really suits him and his voice. The drums and bass stay with the synths in the second verse and in the second pre-chorus the song gets louder, more funkier and picks up the pace, which is a pleasant surprise. I really like this chorus - the "oh's" with the "yeah I know/yeah I know/yeah I know, I'm just talking to myself" gets stuck in your head. I actually woke up this morning singing it in my head, that's how good it is! The track then takes a short break with just the instruments playing and then Chester comes in with one of his best sung vocals in the final chorus, where he changes his delivery and range, making the track change things up again. He repeats the title of the track and it then ends with him singing "talking to myself" one last time as an acoustic guitar plays the song out. Love it, from start to finish and the changes of gears throughout the song is a nice touch. Rating: 10/10 Battle Symphony: I still like this song, even after so many repetitive listens when it was first released due to pre-ordering the album. I really like the intro, it's really catchy and I do wish they used that effect a bit more during the song rather than being exclusively used at the beginning and end. The lyrics are fairly solid throughout, not the best but fine for the track and they fit the song. I like the marching drums in the build up to the first chorus, which harkens back to Hands Held High or In My Remains. Chester belts out a strong chorus here and sort of reminds us of the Chester of old on the bridge, albeit fairly simple, still a good delivery by the frontman. I like the fact that this song is mostly electronic/pop but once the bridge kicks in, the guitars become more evident and then in the final chorus, the loud distorted guitars kick in for one final impact to end the track. This is a very enjoyable song even after countless listens and flows nicely into the next track. Rating: 8/10 Invisible: This is the first track Mike Shinoda gets to go solo on and he really shines on it with his vocal performance. This is a message to his kids, he wants this to be put in a timecapsule and play it to his children in 20 years time to let them know why he did what he did when they were kids to benefit them for their future. I like the intro again with the electronic effects, the nicely sung verse and then on the first chorus the marching drums make another return and then when he sings "I won't let you feel that now" and the backdrop kicks in. This song has a nice beat and some well-written, personal lyrics from Mike. The second chorus picks up, the guitars are there but in the background. This is definitely one of the more pop-orientated songs on the album. I like the electronic sound used as a break after the second chorus that builds up to the final chorus where Mike repeats the words "invisible" over and over again with a robotic voice used at the very end. I like the piano used at the end that leads into Heavy. A solid song, not my favourite but one that is easy to listen to and is a platform for Mike to shine, which he does. Rating: 7/10 Heavy: This song when first released divided fans. I was one of those that really dug the new sound, I thought Chester sounded fantastic and I loved the emotion he poured into his verse, especially when you compare how he sings some of the words at the beginning of the song and the way he sings at the end of the track. Going from pain to sort of hope. Kiiara does an excellent job on this, she sings really well and I do like the collaboration between the male and female artists, I think it works. The only complaint I have is Kiiara seems to feature or stand out a lot more than Chester, especially when they start to share vocals in the bridge. I would have loved to see Chester deliver the bridge as he does on the live version, where he sing-screams "and I drive myself crazy thinking everything's about me" on this recorded version as it works so well. I definitely prefer the live version and Chester has really nailed this song live. Still, after 3 months of constantly playing this song on my iPod, I still like it and it sounds even better when listened to with the other songs, it's like a puzzle... it fits perfectly with all the other pieces. I do like the simplicity of the track, the melodies are nice, the synths are used well, the lyrics are relatable (we all have a lot of problems to deal with don't we?) and I like the instrumentation. Again, Brad does a good job adding the guitars towards the final stages of the song to end the song on a strong note. Rating: 7/10 Sorry For Now: This song has been getting a lot of praise and seems to be the most anticipated, especially when it was found the band were working with blackbear on this one. I'm not that familiar with blackbear, I've heard him on Palisades album and he sounded like a good, soulful singer to me. Here, he doesn't sing but he has helped write/produce the song with Mike and Brad. People seemed to have high expectations for this one and it seems to mostly deliver with a small contingency of people being disappointed. My thoughts on the song? It's very interesting, a lot of stuff is happening on this one that it will take multiple listens to pick out the various sounds. It has a nice, calming intro with Mike showcasing some of his best vocals ever. Again, it's a message to his family and is a very personal song to him. He has a sort of sad emotion here that I've never really heard from him before. Again, the chorus builds up with the synths in the background, still a soft sounding track. Then it dives into a whole wall of sound; vocal effects, electronic sounds, electric guitars (I like the chords they play here) and so many various samples. So many noises are generated here but to me, it sounds good. The song then keeps up the energy and escalates into this mesmerising sound with the chorus sounding epic on the second turn. Chester then comes in with a rap, that sounds really great and similar to the rap on Waiting For The End. They add some effects on his vocals but it's a nice change and a nice role-reversal from the two men - Mike taking lead vocals and Chester taking up rap duties. It meshes well here, so I compliment the band for that... great idea. The song then goes into the final chorus and the harmonies are fantastic with the guitars really kicking in and being audible. Mike uses his vocal range here so the chorus sounds fresh and Chester helps sing a few of the words and I love the entwining vocals from both men, the results are fascinating to listen to. The song then shifts one final time into an electronic breakdown (glitchcore moment!) to end probably one of the more experimental songs on the album. There are seriously so many sounds on this one and so many memorable moments. Sorry For Now is definitely a killer track and one that should be contender for a single release along with Talking To Myself and Sharp Edges (and possibly One More Light). Rating: 9/10 Halfway Right: This song has been getting mixed reviews when the album leaked, some loved it and called it a real highlight and others execrated its very existence. I was interested in the story behind this one as it's Chester as a grown up talking to his younger self, someone who was always getting high and lived a rough lifestyle and generally being irresponsible. It comes across as him being told to turn his life around and he ignored the advice he received and continued down this broken path and he eventually began to feel alone. It also seems he is acknowledging his mistakes by singing "I scream at myself when there's nobody else to fight; I don't lose, I don't win, if I'm wrong them I'm halfway right". I'm a fan of the lyrical content here also, some of the most personal we've ever seen from Chester Bennington. The line, "used to get high with the dead-end kids, abandoned houses where the shadows live, I've never been higher than I was that night" really sticks out. The song begins with sort of a waltz or theatrical like beginning with the synths in the background. The song is slow, has a nice beat to it and I am a fan of the way Chester sings the track. The piano is nicely placed in the first pre-chorus and then Chester sings with some emotion here, part anger and part sadness and this is one of the tracks he pushes his voice as he indicated in the interviews. I also like the part where he said "I just laughed because what do they know" and he sort of chuckles, nicely done. The second pre-chorus has the guitars being introduced to replace the piano to add a new layer. The bass also kicks in and more energy begins to flow in the rather catchy chorus. I really enjoyed the ending to this track, with the "na na's" complimenting the chorus. It adds something to the song and sticks in the head. A truly great song that I really, really like. Rating: 9/10 One More Light: What an absolutely stunning, beautiful, rare, wonderful, emotional and powerful song from the band. This track is very distinct from all the rest; the sad message about losing a loved one really resonates with many people, including myself. I have lost loved ones, it reminds me of my cousin who died at the age of 14 years old due to a brain tumour, it reminds me of my Nan who I was very close to who passed away from bowel cancer when I was young. It also reminds me of losing my dog (this seems to be directed more towards losing a person but still I can't help think of my brilliant dog) 3 years ago. The acoustic guitar and the synths are a perfect blend and really brings out the emotion, the sadness, the sorrow, the dejection in this one track. That and the lyrics are some of the best the band has ever written. Some very touching words and lines here written by the band, lines like "We saw brilliance when the world was asleep, there are things that we can have but can't keep", "Who cares if one more light goes out in the sky of a million stars? It flickers, flickers, who cares when someone's time runs out if a moment is all we are? We're quicker, quicker, who cares if one more light goes out? Well I do." and "The reminders pull the floor from your feet, in the kitchen, one more chair than you need". The band really knows how to touch and pull at the heartstrings here and it's a very true and pure message they are telling in this track. The way Chester sings this is breath-taking and outstanding, you can sense the sadness in his voice and he pours so much emotion into this song, it really is heart-wrenching. The chorus is so wonderful, the way Chester's voice surges as the song goes on using his falsetto in parts. I was sad the high pitched falsetto he uses isn't as audible in the solo guitar section of the song but you can still hear it when at full volume and it's impressive. I would have loved Chester to use the "I do" delivery like he did on Jimmy Kimmel in tribute to Chris Cornell on the studio version but still, I'm not taking anything away from this song. It's a beautiful song that had me tearing up the very first time I listened to it. It still gives me goosebumps and it still gives me the chills when I listen to it. I'm very proud of the band for writing such a beautiful piece of music here. Rating: 10/10 Sharp Edges: The final conclusion to the album, the curtain closer, the breath that blows out One More Light and is new territory the band explores with this folk-inspired track. Derek said in his review this was a song he was proud of from the band and loved and I can see why, it definitely is up there as one of my absolute favourites by the band. I concur with what Derek said about this track having that Bleed It Out vibe but the folk interpretation of it instead. I'd also say this would be a perfect song for the Life is Strange video game, that would fit in really well. You never know, maybe the dontnod developers could ask for it for Life is Strange season 2? Onto the song; the acoustic guitar is nice, Chester's vocals here are appealing and even when he uses his raspy vocals at times it sounds so joyous, I like the lyrics and I like the message it is trying to convey, growing up and learning from your mistakes. I like the "Momma told me..." lines, especially the "Momma told me look before you leap, always think before you speak and watch the friends you keep" as that is true for me, especially the latter part of that message. I love the chorus, it's so good and so refreshing to hear something different from Linkin Park. The band are not strangers to digging for new sounds and they have looked for the country/folk rock sound before but this is definitely more folk-influenced and the band pulls the sound off well. I found myself bopping my head to this and tapping my feet due to the flow and especially in the final minute of the song where the guitars are more distinguishable in the closing stages and the track becomes more catchy, especially with Chester's delivery of the bridge: "We all fall down, we live somehow, we learn what doesn't kill us makes us stronger!" with the "oh's" mixed in making the song really fun to close out this great album. It's definitely up there with The Little Things Give You Away, Powerless and A Line In The Sand as my favourite album closer. I wouldn't know where to rank it just yet against them but this is still a fantastic song to conclude the album and the journey the band and myself went on together. Rating: 10/10 One More Light Overall Score: 8/10