Linkin Park's fourth album plots a remarkable course. It is, in fact, nothing less than the sound of their hybrid theory soaring to its logical conclusion. [11 Sep 2010, p.50]
On A Thousand Suns at times the band's odd melange of industrial grind, hip-hop swagger, and teenage-wasteland angst feels jarring--but that should matter little to the kids who clamor for their headphone catharses.
Linkin Park's fourth studio album (and second collaboration with producer Rick Rubin) contains plenty of aggressively arty material that might surprise fans of the megapopular rap-rock outfit.
With Rick Rubin co-producing, the band embraces not just synth-pop clamor but also dancehall-style chants and U2's grandiosity. It's the sound of Linkin Park feeling their way toward a new identity, but their skill for melody is obvious.
They didn't want whatever their next album was to be predictable, and while A Thousand Suns might have emerged by accident compared to previous LPs, it's certainly a far from plays-to-perceived-type affair.
A concept album is not easy to pull off. Linkin Park, a band I never had great respect for until this point, has probably pulled off not onlyA concept album is not easy to pull off. Linkin Park, a band I never had great respect for until this point, has probably pulled off not only a great album, but possibly one of the greatest and most beautiful concept albums ever made. I'm serious. It's up on the top of my list with Pink Floyd's The Wall and Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto.
Everything that makes a great concept album, the setting, the theme, the way they are passed over in the music, emotion and flow of the album, plus more, are all there in this album. I have to admit, I've never liked Linkin Park much until I listened to this album. In My Opinion, Hybrid Theory and Meteora are decent. Minutes To Midnight was a disaster. A Thousand Suns is a masterpiece. It makes me sick inside that I've never heard such great songs like "The Catalyst", "Burning In the Skies", "Iridescent", Oh god, don't get me started on "Iridescent". That song is absolutely beautiful. One of the greatest songs ever written in the modern era.
Tracks such as "Empty Spaces" and the absolute most powerful piece on the album, "Wisdom, Justice and Love", a haunting rendition of one of Martin Luther King's speeches, shouldn't be panned because they aren't actual songs. This is not your usual Rock album, people. This is a concept album. Get over it.
Overall, this is one of the ages. One your kids should know about and embrace. A Thousand Suns, as I said before, Is a masterpiece. I honestly don't think Linkin Park can pull this off ever again. Hell, I don't think any artist currently can ever top this album for a long while.…Expand
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
I like how everyone uses the term "old Linkin Park". If i remember correctly, and i believe i do, everyone bashed Linkin Park when Meteora came out because "it sounded too much like Hybrid Theory". Linkin Park then dished out Minutes to Midnight. Imagine that, a band that listened to the fans, M2M didn't sound like Hybrid Theory or Meteora for that matter. And now with A Thousand Suns, which everyone is correct, it doesn't sound like their previous stuff yet again. It's something new to sink our teeth in. I can honestly say i like the musical taste of A Thousand Suns. Yeah, it may only have 9 songs out of the 15 tracks, but throughout all of their albums, they have always had instrumentals. I for one thoroughly enjoy the instrumentals. I have been a fan since the Hybrid Theory EP, and Linkin Park has not disappointed me yet. A Thousands Suns may not meet a lot of your expectations, especially if your not acceptive to new ideas. All work in forms of art, whether it be painting, drawing, music, poetry, woodworking, etc., came from someone with an idea. This is Linkin Parks newest idea, and it is art, whether you want to believe it or not. I bought A Thousand Suns on 9/14/10. The best album I have bought all year. I give it a 9 out of 10.…Expand
Most of my criticisms of this album are of the unnecessary filler instrumentals which have no point to them. Empty Spaces? Come on, that trackMost of my criticisms of this album are of the unnecessary filler instrumentals which have no point to them. Empty Spaces? Come on, that track may as well be called "20 seconds of filler". But the full length tracks are pretty consistently good. Tracks like Wretches & Kings, Blackout, The Catalyst and Waiting for the End show us why Linkin Park is such a great band…Expand
It's pretty much the ultimate kiss of death for any fan base. I know how mixed the reception towards Minutes to Midnight was, and with aIt's pretty much the ultimate kiss of death for any fan base. I know how mixed the reception towards Minutes to Midnight was, and with a thousand suns I'm pretty much on the middle of the fence here (hence the five-out-of-ten rating). A Thousand Suns isn't a bad album but not a great one either. I'll always listen to it gladly due to a number of good tracks but there's way too much filler to merit a higher rating from me.…Expand
I like their old music from Hybrid Theory and Meteroa because they were original good at, which is rap rock not just rock with a little rap. II like their old music from Hybrid Theory and Meteroa because they were original good at, which is rap rock not just rock with a little rap. I wished that they would just go back to their old ways and make better music than this pop ****…Expand
