Linkin Park - From Zero
This is what you asked for, heavy is the crown.
When Linkin Park announced their return with new vocalist Emily Armstrong, and subsequently their first album in seven years, many were understandably upset, or skeptical. However, many others were excited for this new chapter of the band’s evolution. Now the album is finally out, it’s time to look inside and see what Mike Shinoda and company have come up with over the years of their hiatus.
The main thing that differentiates “From Zero” from previous Linkin Park music is, of course, the presence of Emily Armstrong as the lead vocalist, replacing the late, great Chester Bennington. I’m not going to pretend that she is a perfect replacement; however, I think it would be unfair to demand that of her in the first place, because Chester was a truly one-of-a-kind presence. Thinking any further into this matter would require reigniting the debate about reviving the band, and I don’t want to go into that here. In her own right, Emily does very well on this album. Her clean singing is great, and her screams are strong, quite varied, and sometimes wild and chaotic, but in a way that works on the respective tracks. Her overall presence as a vocalist is strong and resonant.
The songwriting on the album remains very much within Linkin Park tradition - painting pictures of internal and external struggle, betrayal, rage and melancholy; while the topical matter is nothing revolutionary for the band, the lyrics are still well-constructed and feel thoughtfully put together. Mike Shinoda delivers typically consistent, passionate rapping performances, with engaging flows and even an uncharacteristically aggressive delivery on “Casualty”, which he pulls off very well. The instrumental work, particularly from new member Colin Brittain on drums, also holds up a high bar throughout the record. Shinoda’s production strikes a perfect balance between polish and bite, making the album sound slick and modern, while still maintaining the Linkin Park spirit.
This album feels like it has something for fans of every type of sound Linkin Park have done on each respective album over the years, from “Hybrid Theory” all the way to “One More Light”. The quality of the tracks does vary somewhat, with “Over Each Other” standing out as the one noticeable weak point to me. However, it’s more than made up for by major highlights, such as the other singles, “The Emptiness Machine”, “Heavy Is The Crown” and “Two Faced”. The album tracks are great too, especially “Cut The Bridge” and “Casualty”.
Overall, “From Zero” is exactly what I wanted it to be. It works perfectly as what the title suggests - something that is a new beginning, but still remains profoundly respectful and tied to the band’s previous work. It’s a great reintroduction for the band, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for this version of Linkin Park.
8.4/10