LINKIN-PARK-A-THON!!!!! Living Things MUSIC REVIEW

What happens when a band made a very, very polarized album different from what they ever made in their life?
They say, "I'm sorry, I am only human" through an album.
(cluck cluck cluck, cluck)

What do you mean nobody ever does that?
(cluck cluck, cluck cluck cluck cluck)

Really?
(cluck cluck)

No one except Linkin Park?
(cluck cluck, cluuuuck)

What? You mean Living Things was never an apology letter for that bad album?
(pea cuuuuck--achoo!)

...Well, this opening is more wrong than pointless....Sorry, guys--I'm only human. *shrugs*

I noticed the delay for this review so I apologize (again) for that. I have been having....life outside this life.

Speaking of life, Living Things--Linkin Park's fifth album. While that last album was...polarizing, this album was....kind of polarizing but it was mostly well-received. The polarizing thing about Living Things is the heavy use of electronic elements on almost every single track. While you can get to hear the piano, the drum and a bass play, they are at times conquered by the electronic sounds. The drumming here is strong, hard and loud though, and probably the only traditional rock instrument that is heard the loudest over the electronic melodies. It carries the music along, with a good mix of sounds from electronic drums, drum machine and traditional drum kit. Despite not being the main melodic support, the guitar part serves its purpose in the rhythmic section well, providing loud noise appropriately (usually in the chorus or during the opening sequence to a song). The bass is either silenced by the loud electronic sound or the bass itself was amplified to an electronic sound, synth bass is being used to provide a more electronic bass feel to it.

Thus, this considered to be the poppiest and the lightest rock album from Linkin Park.

It is not uniquely strange as A Thousand Suns, however. For no matter how light and different it is comparing to their previous efforts, this is still feel like a Linkin Park album. It is an alternative rock album that continues to provide hard-hitting melodies, with tracks like "Lost in the Echo" and "In My Remains". Here too, they experimented their electronic style for various approach. Tracks like "Skin and Bones" and "Roads Untraveled" felt very theatrical and atmospheric, while "Lies Greed Misery", "Victimized" and "Until It Breaks" sound like dubstep. The opening for this album is stronger, as mentioned in the previous review but it gets even better with the second track. And with "Burn It Down", it's oddly the first time I ever danced to a Linkin Park song rather than just headbanging and scream--thus, making it feel refreshing and energizing.
 
Both Chester and Mike Shinoda provide a vocal performance that continues to bring emotional connection to the listeners. The anger and sadness feels oddly natural but soothing with a touch of melancholy. In other words, it fills with frustration, heart-pounding screams and shouts.

My main gripe though is the rap verses for certain tracks. Giving credits to where its due, the rap flows fast, steady and clear (Good example: Lost In The Echo, Victimized). And there's much more sense of anger but not to the point that it is annoying and loud. However, there's also a sense of contempt which can leave a bad taste in your mouth. (Good contempt: Lies Greed Misery, Victimized| Bad contempt: Until It Breaks)

On the lyrical department, the singing verses are more poetic, using a lot of metaphors. The rap verses are either harmless anger (Lost In The Echo, Burn It Down) or unintentionally insulting (Lies Greed Misery, Until It Breaks).
 
Overall, I still think this is a good album and shows how far Linkin Park has evolved. If I have to compare with Living Things and A Thousand Suns, no duh that Living Things is going to be the winner. The album is far more polished and well-made album. When they experimented, they didn't leave it incomplete. They make each and every song in this album felt coherent in cohesion with one another. But if you're not into something that feels poppy or light, then this is not the album for you. The right Linkin Park album for those desiring noisy, melodic riffs and heavy, raw drummings is the one came after this.
 
With that said, this album got my rating of: 4/5

Favourite Tracks: In My Remains, Lost in the Echo, Burn It Down, Lies Greed Misery, Castle of Glass, I'll Be Gone, Victimized
Liked Tracks: Until It Breaks, Roads Untravelled, Powerless, Skin to Bone, Tinfoil