So to all of you who don't care about knowing how the songs might sound like, I write down all the notes I took during the listening. Some of them might be weird to you, or dont fit but I had a lot of difficulties paying attention to all the different elements (and neither do I know all music genres) so here we go: 01. The Requiem [2:01] 1. mysterious - alien like 2. synth 3. keyboard -> is getting louder and louder 4. Submarine noise w/ Flanger (comes closer and closer) 5. Beat 6. Male choir -> uhhhh 7. female singing slowly (with a innocent voice) Don't save us everyone we are broken people living under loaded guns... 10/10 02. The Radiance [0:57] 1. Voice from an General (like the remix of forgotten) "Two people lost, two people cried...." 2. "Now I become death..." Oppenheimer Speech 03. Burning in the Skies [4:13] 1. Heartbeat + drums (Similar to WID) 2. Keyboard 3. Guitar -> electro/pop 4. Mike singing (autotune?) (edited) 1.. Chester singing 2. Keyboard sounds a bit like modern Jazz/HipHop 3. Another flanger effect on the guitars 4. Mike and chester singing "I'm loosing what I don't deserve" -> a bit like blackbirds 5. Bridge with only guitar playing -> Fade Out 10/10 04. Empty Spaces [0:18] 1. Crickets 2. Bombs/Shooting in the Background 3. African warsongs 4. SUDDEN STOP (instrumental but fits perfectly) 9/10 05. When They Come for Me [4:53] 1. Heavy guitar w/ Distortion 2. Drum N Bass 3. Mike rapping -> really agressive 4. "I'm not a robot, I'm not a monkey....MOFO!" 5. Chorus is sung by a crowd : Ohh ohh 6. Has a lot of Drum N Bass/Electronica/Rap beat 7. Song is a bit quiter 8. Chester singing: "And when they come for me, I'll be gone" 9. Fade Out to the african warsong 10. A melody (orient) fades in 50/10 06. Robot Boy [4:28] 1. Keyboard - really joyful 2. Drums fade in 3. An "Uhhh" choir sung by chester and mike 4. (The drums remind me a bit of Where did you go) 5. the guitar sounds like a soundgarden song 6. Lyrics: "You say you're not gonna fight, because no one's gonna fight for you" 7. Synth - Strings 8. "Hold on to the weight of the world..." 9. Guitar Outro w/ FX 8/10 07. Jornada del Muerto [1:34] 1. Chester and Mike singing 2. I cant clearly understand the language. Is it backwards or another language (was definately not spanish) 3. Guitar distortion/Drums 4. Building Up -> becomes louder and stronger 5. Sudden Emptyness 7/10 08. Waiting for the End [3:51] 1. Wow very punkish/trashy guitar riff 2. followed by a single key play 3. heavy song 4. Mike Rap -> Reggae/Jamaica Style 5. (emptyness) 6. Chester singing in a soft voice (beautiful): "Waiting for the end to come" 7. Drums fade in 8. A ballad, but could also be heard in a car while driving down a long road. 8.5/10 09. Blackout [4:39] 1. synth organ pipes 2. Fast army drums 3. Keyboard -> similar play as on all the songs of ATS 4. Sounds like the 80s/90s keyboard 5. Chester Rapping to a fast beat 6. WHAT A SCREAM! WHOAH!!! 7. back to the rap (acid rain?) 8. THE SCREAM!!! 9. The guitar sounds like it could be on a M. Manson album 10. It has some Dubstep elements. 11. Mike singing in a really soft voice: "Calm Down" to the beat from the beginning 12. Chester joins Mike 10/10 (yes I love it now) 10. Wretches and Kings [4:10] 1. Public Speech 2. Guitar -> alien like 3. Heavy drums 4. Mike Rap 5. (song reminds me of the 2009 Lying From You intro) 6. Chester's voice is really really crazy, just like the one from skindred! Never heard him singing like that before!!!! 7. Obviously another crowd song 8. JOE SCRATCHES A LOT!!!!!!!!! 8/10 11. Wisdom, Justice, and Love [1:38] 1. Piano melody (very sad) 2. Public Speech...World War 2 like 3. "The end is near" 4. Building up choir -> the voice turns into an evil-voice 5. I can hear Martin Luther Kings speech. 6."Wisdom, Justice and Love" wow very powerful 9.5/10 12. Iridescent [4:56] 1. Piano - Mike singing 2. A very sad atmosphere 3. Chester singing 4. Song sounds just like Marchin On by One Republic 5. Obviously a Pop Ballad 6. Background guitar 7. WOW the whole band is singing in the end 10/10 13. Fallout [1:23] 1. Sound builds up 2. This sounds just like the bridge on "Buddha For Mary" by 30seconds where Jared sings: this is the life on mars 3. Chester Singing: "So Don't apologize" / "What I don't deserve" 8/10 14. The Catalyst [5:39] well it starts with a synth loop ..we know the song 9/10 15. The Messenger [3:01] 1. ACOUSTIC GUITAR! 2. Chester singing: "When you feel you're alone, your instict tells you to run" 3. THIS SOUNDS JUST LIKE HERO OF WAR BY RISE AGAINST 4. "Love(or Life?) leaves us blind" 5. Chester becomes crazy and desperate but is not screaming like on Blackout 6. Piano follows the guitar 7. Ends with chester singing: "Back home, where love/life keeps us blind" 7/10 overall: 9.999/10
mmmm. Sounds amazing and all the short tracks got a really high rating by you. Anyway. I'm excited as HELL. Damn. I hope it leaks. xD
Wait, i thought your review said Blackout was an "awful pop song" Now your saying that you like it, apart from Chesters bit? These notes are great other than that, cannot wait, thanks
I too am quite confused with the rating for that song XD. Thanks Ana for the early descriptions! This album sounds like it's going to blow MTM and Meteora out of the water.
First off, I'd like to say I created my user name long before the announcement of the song "Blackout" was made. I may or may not be somehow spiritually connected to Linkin Park. Secondly, from the LPTV Blackout episode, I must say that the vocals sound impressive. Very raw. Very passionate. I could definitely see a pop theme going along with this song. Honestly, I've ruled out many rock elements from this album, which I'm perfectly okay with. I'm expecting a very techno/pop/electronic sound to this album, and that doesn't excite me any less. I'm very much looking forward to the album after reading all this, more so than I was previously. Last, the song Wretches and Kings sounds pretty awesome. I think that out of the descriptions listed, I'm mostly looking forward to that and When They Come For Me. Although I'm also very curious to hear how these short songs and interludes tie together the longer tracks. This is going to be such and epic listen the first time around. I am absolutely ecstatic for A Thousand Suns.
Would definitely not call anything by Linkin Park a "pop" ballad. (Maaybe Valentine's Day) Regardless if I've heard the song or not. Just because it's a ballad doesn't make it pop. And what Chester's doing on Blackout isn't rapping. Other than that, this sounds amazing, thank you Ana.
Also What of the rating for "The Messenger"? Just goes straight to the overall xD I'm betting it's a 10, Hero of War is the shit and from LP it has to be a badass end to an album.