Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight

The new Linkin Park album is out and about, Minutes to Midnight. It is very very good. I am a big fan of Linkin Park, that seminal track One Step Closer to the Edge back a few years ago got my attention, and I have been hooked on everythign they have done since. Whilst I may not be the demographic the inner angst riddled teenager never erally left me so many of the lyrics resonate in so many ways.
This album has such a divers set of songs, each is distinctivly Linkin Park, but also clearly each memebr of the ensemble is having their say.

Wake is a little instrumental start, and feels like its leading into something

Hands Held high is a distintive rap style track, with a military march style beat.

Bleed it out is a persitent repition of a hook line, with singing passionate power scream that makes Linkin Park so powerful. The rap with blasting vocals mix is classic.

The Little things you give away is quite blur like, acoustic guitar, slow pace, electonica beat. A much more melodic lilting song with an awesome hook. Lyrically intriguing. "there be no mistaking the levvy's are breaking"
"All you ever wanted was some to truly look up to you, and six feet under water I do"
The whole song is 6:23 long song then brings in more haunting electric guitar. Nearest analogy woudl be november rain, but in a very different style, that comaprison is not that this is derivative in anyway.

Leave Out all the Rest is again a calm start, that works into a much more powerful blast. Still very melodic, no shouting. It sounds like a melancholy epitaph song.

Valentine's day does the classic Park, slow melodic twinkly start, but with a more 80's drum into a very powerful screaming power vocal. If I am making analogies it has a Pearl Jam feel to it.

What I've Done is the current Uk single. Superb feel and drive to his song. A mix of pace, again very clever lyrics, a much more pop based song, but with the chopping electric guitars in as it powers up. "Let go of what I done"

In Pieces, very quiet start, then and much more rolling melody then starts to move to the passion we get used to. The guitar has a reggae feel to it, or something like another 80's sound of latin quarter. This one is more of a grower than instant impact.

No More Sorrow is the most awesome track on the album. It is pure metal. Driving military power chords. Anger, power and fantastic passion. So unlike the other tracks in many respects.
"I see pain, I see need.
I see liars and thieves,
Abuse power with greed.
I had hope, I believed.
But I'm beginning to think that I've been deceived.
You will pay for what you've done"

All rapped up in guitar and rock

Given Up then has some hand claps and jingle bells beat mixed with driving Static X style guitar. The register is much lower, and has some of that extra metal low screech that might be called death metal.With a very long, A VERY LONG aaaggghhhhhh that if he held that for real he deserves a medal.

In between then messes with the hears again. A much more male singer and guitar semi hippy style. Like Jack Johnson or any of teh glut of male singers. It has a haunting cello. "The things I want to say to you get lost before they come
The only thing that's worse than one is none". It sounds californian. I do actually like it, the contrast to the previous songs is incredible and shows the diverse talents of this crew.

Shadow of the Day is a regular song in many ways, it makes you feel good. It reminds me a lot of U2. It makes to a nice subtle end to the album.

All in all this rocks. get it
The also have a good youtube channel