This Meteora Has Crashed.......

Linkin Park
Minutes to Midnight








I actually got this album bout 2 weeks ago, but i just haven't had time to comment on it. First off, like many others out there, I'm a big fan of the last 2 LP albums. Heck, I even joined the LPunderground just so i could meet the band when they were here in KL couple of years back. So here they are, back with their 3rd album, tittled "Minutes to Midnight"

Now I can't say I wasn't expecting the album to be this different, I mean they have hinted awhile back about their change of direction in their music, but this was really a smack in the face. Being a fan, I thought to myself, I need to give it more time and more listening sessions, hoping it would grow on me.

First of all, this is not a strong album. It is NOWHERE near being a great album. Lets dig into it: After 4 years of waiting, this is not the kind of stuff you'd expect from a great band. I mean don't get me wrong, I love the fact that LP, as a band, is evolving, be it the fact that they felt they needed to grow or just the fact that rap-metal is dead, I am excited about the direction that they are heading. But this is now, and there are only a handful of tracks on the album that are worthy of mentioning.

The first single off the album, "What I've done" reminds me alot of "Native Son" by U2, which is a very early cut of "Vertigo". It has alot of potential to be a great song but it just stopped short of that, and became just a reasonably good tune. "Given up" is probably the heaviest and hardest track on the album, which has Chester screaming non-stop at the bridge of the song for well over 18 seconds!

"Bleed it out" and "The little things that give you away" are probably my 2 favourite tracks on the album. One is what LP does best at a more raw level and the other displays alot of potential of what the future LP can bring.

I really think that Mike Shinoda should not have a full-on rap song on an LP album, its just too Fort Minor, and in hip-hop standards, I don't think its good. He should also leave the vocals to Chester. Definitely. So, there ya have it folks, LP with its brand new image. I can't wait for their tours..... Definitely need the lighters coz there's gonna be so many slow songs. Its gonna be interesting to see ppl moshing one minute and then holding hands and waiving the next.

But one thing is for sure.....LP does not have to worry about album sales......which means their pockets will stay fat, and Mr. Hahn is gonna get fatter till he can't move in which he would use it as an excuse not to tour with the band! Lets just hope we don't have to wait another 4 or 5 years for another album.