Linkin Park has always been misconstrued and fans always had one idea of them. They were a nu-metal rap, hard rock band. If you ask mostly an Linkin Park fan what their best album was, Most people will say "Hybrid Theory". Do I believe that? No, actually. Hybrid Theory and Meteora were great records, but their newer albums show MUCH more maturity lyrically and musically. Try to understand. If a band does the same kind of albums with the same sound over and over again. They are not growing as artists. And to every fan saying "Their new stuff is shit, We want HYBRID THEORY back": If they kept that same sound over the years, you guys would have gotten bored.
Linkin Park have always been a classic case of "Damned if you do, Damned if you don't". In the early days, they were criticized for their lyrics and apparently "simple" instrumentation. After their second album "Meteora" (2003), the band took a break while founder and rapper Mike Shinoda came out with a rap side-project, "Fort Minor". When they returned in 2007 with "Minutes To Midnight", an album that polarized and divided fans. Most were outraged that they changed their sound and saying the band had "lost their edge" and sold out. That album I actually thought was very good but that's another review.
So onto this album "A Thousand Suns".
Linkin Park has never wanted to be stuck in a box. A common misconception about them is that they are a rock band. They can be at times but really they are an experimental rock, electronica, hip-hop band. Or at least that's what they've evolved to. With their previous album they started experimenting and there's even more experimenting on here. Although this even polarized and divided fans even more. People were saying "this didn't sound like the band I fell in love with" and "This is shit, where's the ROCK". People thought they had sold out which I disagree. If Linkin Park had sold out, they would have done what everybody is doing and trying to appeal to the mainstream like Maroon 5 did. At least they're not singing about the club on here. So learn what the term "selling out" means before you accuse.
So this is an album unlike any other Linkin Park album or any other album in the past 10 years. It's a concept record about Nuclear Warfare and the fears of technology.
The main idea is this one question: "Will technology be the death of us"
The band wanted to create something conceptual and experimental. They reunited with legendary producer Rick Rubin who produced "Minutes To Midnight". Shinoda wanted everything to be top notch and quality over quality. And while he and the rest of the band wanted to send a message and be political, they don't want to "Preach" at us and they succeeded at that. Critics compared A Thousands Suns to a similar album with a similar theme which was Radiohead's "Ok Computer" which I've never listened to but I want to though
One thing that is interesting about this is that there are famous speeches by historical figures (Like Martin Luther King Jr.) woven through this record. Which upon first listen may not make much sense, it does when you listen to the record full though.
If you listen to this the first couple of times, it may be REALLY hard to interpret. But you get the idea. What I loved about this record is that each song has a double meaning. You can listen to just one song off of this and get one meaning but listen to the whole album and the tracks have a different meaning and form into a life of their own. Track 8 "Waiting For The End" is a perfect example. It may be about moving on from a relationship as a single song but put it with the album and it fits with the theme perfectly.
The album like I said is VERY hard to interpret and it is meant to tell a Post-Apocalyptic story that could be our real life story in the near future. I listened to it about 4 times and upon the fourth listen, I think I came up with a great interpretation of the story which I will give in a second.
Let's go through it full on, shall we?
Track 1: "The Requiem"
This is an instrumental track that opens up the album very calmly but chilling and haunting. By the way, if you hate instrumental tracks or interludes, you're going to hate this album because it's chock full of em'. It has a very melodic humming to start, then a robotic voice then starts singing lyrics from "The Catalyst"
"God save us everyone
Will we burn Inside the fires of a thousand suns
For the sins of hand, The sins of our tongue
The sins of our father, The sins of our young" There is a lot of repeated lyrics in this album that make the record flow, so pay attention to those lyrics because they are important.
Interpretation: It's sort of a warning or prediction of what's to come.
Track 2: "The Radiance"
This is pretty much a part of "The Requiem". It's the first to have a speech woven into the song. The man speaking in the audio clip is Robert J. Oppenheimer. He spoke
those words (the quote from the Hindu scripture), after they tested the
atomic bomb. He was describing the peoples reactions during the testing.
After witnessing the explosion he knew that thousands of innocent
people would die in the blasts. He felt it was a hollow victory for
science and mankind.
Interpretation: War is about to start. The bombs have already been built and something big is about to happen.
Track 3: "Burning In The Skies"
That flows into this track. This is a very mellow and sad song. Some reviewers thought that this song was too dancy to be fit for the end of the world. But I don't see the dancy-ness. It has a very great beat. And starts off with Mike Shinoda singing the verses and Chester singing the chorus that brings chills
"I'm swimming in the smoke
Of bridges I have burned
So don't apologize
I'm losing what I don't deserve" That is so great because it's true. Do we really deserve the world if we act the way that we do? It has a chilling bridge of a guitar breakdown and we have this song
Interpretation: This song has a double meaning. It can be about a relationship, or it can be a call to help the environment, or this track in it's place on the album, it's about the nukes threatening to go off and we know what's coming and we are afraid and remorseful.
Track 4: "Empty Spaces"
This is not much really. It's an 18 second interlude that goes into "When They Come For Me". It's just cricket noises and gunshots going off and army guys shouting. This symbolizes that battle is about to erupt. Honestly, this is really not needed to be a single track. It's just 18 seconds of noises so it really doesn't need to be a single track. It's better off as an intro to "When They Come For Me" but that's not really important.
Track 5: "When They Come For Me"
So this track is known by many fans for being Mike Shinoda's stupidest rap ever, the worst song on the album, and has horrible lyrics..... I disagree!! This track has a thumping in your face beat. A great use of tribal drums, and a punching distorted guitar. When Mike Shinoda raps, something inside you just rises and makes you feel alive. His rap in this song is just pure epicness. Although the lyrics can be a little silly at times: "I'm not a robot, I'm not a monkey, I will not dance even if the beat's funky"
Regardless, this track pretty much symbolizes new Linkin Park and where they've come to. This song has a double meaning as well. As a single track, it's about Mike firing back at the band's critics and fans of "Old LP" who hate on their new style because it's not the same. It makes sense because it makes a very clever reference like this:
"And it seems ugly, but it can get worse,
'Cause even the blueprint is a gift and a curse
'Cause once you have the theory of how the thing works
Everybody wants the next thing to be just like the first". It just genius and a great angry track. The other meaning relating to the theme of A Thousand Suns, is that it's a soldier who is fighting for the enemy but he doesn't agree with the war. So he decides to flee and run away. Saying "When they come for him" and it's time to go off to war and fight which he knows will cause the destruction of the world, "He'll be gone"
Track 6: "Robot Boy"
This is a very melodic and mellow song. It's very gorgeous. It starts with a piano riff and then turns into this dreamy, atmospheric electronica song. It's a very uplifting song and the lyrics are simple but uplifting. Many people wouldn't like this song at first as the vocals kind of sound like a boy band here. But listen with an open mind and it's very beautiful. Especially the line "Someday, the weight of the world will give you the strength to go"
Interpretation: It has a double meaning. As a single track, it's about a person who is lost in their life and it's kind of a hopeful statement that everything will be alright. The other meaning relating to the album is that it's a boy who has lost someone to the war and has become pessimistic and hopeless. He's become emotionless (Like a robot, get it?) and it's kind of the voice inside his head to hold on, that someday everything will be alright again.
Track 7: "Jornada Del Muerto"
The title means Journey Of The Dead...."Mochiagete, tokihanashite" (Lift me up, Let me go) The last words of the dieing. It's a small instrumental track that uses elements of the beginning music from "Burning In The Skies" and uses the lyrics from "The Catalyst" translated into Japanese I think.
Track 8: "Waiting For The End"
This is one of my track picks and one of my favorite LP songs of all time. It starts with Mike rapping (sort of), it's more of a ragga or reggae type singing, then we hand it over to Chester. It's so beautiful and Chester's vocals are outstanding. If you do not get goosebumps from this song, you have no heart. The lyrics are astonishing. And I think it's definitely a highlight
Interpretation: Like I said earlier, this is a great example of the double meaning you can get from these songs. As a single track, it's about holding on to a broken relationship and trying to find the strength to let go. The other meaning relating to the album is that it's about the survivors of a battle, most likely referring to the interlude on Track 7. Many people have died and the survivors get together and fight back. Then one man realizes all that has happened in so little time. He knows that the end is about to come, this wasn't how he planned his life, he wants something new to come and he's holding on to his life which is as good as gone. I think this is one of the best songs on here and it helped me get through a heartbreak I had with a girl who lead me on pretty much and this song pretty much told me to let go, I don't have her. So this really means a lot to me. :)
Track 9: "Blackout"
This is my most favorite song on this album. It's kind of the only AGGRESSIVE Chester scream track on this album. It has a rising electro beat, that sounds like a video game or a Depeche Mode song. The Chester screams out the verses and screams louder in the chorus. The lyrics are amazing and my favorite part when it gets quieter, then Mike sings. That gave me goosebumps. Mike has been singing a lot on this album. The first track where he sang was "In Between" from Minutes To Midnight, and that was so lovely. I love it when Mike sings. It's very soothing.
Interpretation: This is a VERY political song. It's about how our government lies to us. Or it's about a partner who lies to you. Tied with the album, it's about the people of the country are outraged with their leader. They blame him as he could have prevented it. The leader just sugarcoats everything and acts like nothing is wrong when obviously there is. The citizens rally up and protest outside the White House or somewhere. By the time Mike sings his part in the middle of the song. The missiles are launched. The people see bombs and missiles coming from a distance and everything quiets down. The missiles coming down that are very bright, so bright in fact that it
turns the ground white ("Fields of paper-white"). As people watch them rise and fall from the sky. When Mike sings "Come down far below" he means the bomb shelters. But not everyone survives.
Track 10: "Wretches & Kings"
This is my second favorite track. It features a speech at the beginning from Mario Savio who sounds VERY pissed off. I don't know much about him but I do know he was a big advocate for workers rights. His speech really ties to this album and song. The "Machine" he's talking about, could represent the bomb. This is a great track. After a speech, we hear Mike rap again with a distorted guitar beat repeating and grinding against you. Then Chester sings the chorus in what it sounds like a Jamaican accent.
Interpretation: This is also a VERY political song. I kind of relate it to Obama and how he has too much power. But I think this is the part in the album where the enemy takes over the country after the attack in the previous song, and the people are outraged and pissed. They know another nuclear bomb is gonna be dropped and will kill the rest of the country.
It's a great song. Don't tell me you don't listen to the middle when Mike says "From the front to the back to the side to side. If you fear what I fear put em' up real high" you don't fist pump and chant.
Track 11: "Wisdom, Justice, and Love"
This is an interlude featuring a speech from MLK Jr. As the speech goes on to say that war cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love. Then more nuke(s) are launched. This time, it does much more severe and catastrophic damage. Notice how This speech by Martin Luther is about how we as human beings are
becoming more and more ruthless towards each other. As the song
progresses onwards, King's voice becomes increasingly more emotionless
and robotic... just like we humans are becoming so emotionless to the
point that we can do such horrible things, as mentioned in the speech,
to each other.
Track 12: "Iridescent"
I didn't care for this song too much when I first heard it. My main complaint was that the chorus sounded too similar to "Burning In The Skies". Although, I just recently re-listened to it and I fell in love. It starts out with a very haunting piano. Then Mike sings the first verse. It's probably the most haunting track on the album. Chester comes in for the chorus and then we get a electronic beat that brings the song up. It's one of those songs that keeps rising and rising.
Interpretation: In the wake of the impact. One of the survivors feels as though
everything has been destroyed or lost. He/she feels so much pain and
anger, however voices are telling this person to let these feelings go.
Track 13: "Fallout"
This is an interlude. It repeats lyrics from "Burning In The Skies" in a very robotic voice. It's pretty much saying we don't deserve what the world if we treated this way
Track 14: "The Catalyst"
This is pretty much the theme and turning point of this whole record. It starts with Mike singing with a reverb effect on his voice. Then Chester comes in who really steals the show. It's the song on the record that mostly resembles Old Linkin Park. It's definitely an EPIC post-apocalyptic theme song. That's what it sounds like. I just can't describe it, Just WOW!!
Interpretation: I don't think this has a double meaning. The song is about a worry about what's gonna happen in the world and kind of a plead to God to save us. It's meaning relating to the album is by this point after the nuke(s) were dropped, it united people like never before; even
people outside of the conflict. With thoughts of "Are we really going
to just sit around and let that happen to those people? If something
isn't done, that could be us." Then we are taken to that place, where
the people are uniting and praying for help....while some of critically
injured wish to just be "let go" and allowed to pass on...
Track 15: "The Messenger"
So the final track on the record is a bare-bones, raw acoustic track. While the lyrics may be a little sappy, it's a beautiful way to end the album. Chester's voice really shines behind all that production. Chester said in an interview it is about his kids and they will have trials
in the world but they will always be loved and have a place to go to.
Tied with the album. It's either God came to save everyone, or Through all of the destruction that has occurred, through all of the
pain everyone has, and the loss. We need to stick together. Even when
you think you're lost and the only one, there are others that love and
care about you. You need to remember this because love is what keeps us
kind. It's what can prevent these things from happening again.
Like I said, it's a beautiful way to end the record. It does come out of nowhere, but who cares when the track is that beautiful.
RECAP: Wrapping this up, "A Thousand Suns" is EXACTLY where Linkin Park needed to go. While it may have divided many fans, it gained them new fans and I think much more respect from critics. I'm probably the only Linkin Park fan who thinks that THIS is their best album to date.
I did like Hybrid Theory and Meteora, but the main problem with those 2 is that they played it safe. Most of the songs sounded the same and had the same structure. Starting with "Minutes To Midnight" and then to "A Thousand Suns", Linkin Park got the courage to do an album where they would experiment with different sounds and that would make people think.
You should watch the "Meeting of A Thousand Suns" where you see how LP made this album and you'll see that they're stressed and put under a lot of pressure, but they pulled through.
Overall: This is my favorite album by them, it's better than their next and newest record "Living Things" while that is still great. And Linkin Park pushed beyond their horizons and made what is a perfect record.
This will make you think, love, get angry and learn the importance of love and humanity. "A Thousand Suns" tells a great story that will leave you speechless at the end. Clocking in at just under 50 minutes, it feels shorter than that. I leave this review with this message. Will we burn inside the fires of A Thousand Suns? There is a way to prevent that fire. By learning how to live as humans and learning how to love and not fight.
Score: 10/10
Maybe a 9. But I'm feeling a heavy 9 to a 10 here
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