See, I'm definitely not confident in a March release. I certainly hope so, of course. But LP and on schedule don't follow. Of course, they seem very interested in making their goals this time but I'm trying very hard not too bring my hopes up
I love how me not liking The Catalyst makes everyone think that I need all the themes of A Thousand Suns explained to me. Like it's some requirement that I must enjoy The Catalyst in order to understand the album. The explanation and insight you just posted about the song are great. I've made a lot of personal inferences about what I think the songs and album were written about, as well as what I personally take them to mean. I'm not going to explain them here because 1. a lot of them are basically what you've stated and 2. I've already typed them a bunch of times and don't feel like doing it again. XD That said, I don't think Linkin Park thought of ANYTHING you just said when they were making the song. The whole album does build up to The Catalyst. I believe A Thousand Suns is very well crafted in that regard, having references to multiple songs in both the lyrics and the music. That's why the high energy/danceable beat works so well at its placement in the album. However, that's why I would NOT have picked it for a lead single. It signals a change in direction for Linkin Park, sure, but the overall sound of the song: the buzzing synths, the fast tempo, the head-nodding bass beat, the vocal effects, is ALL a part of what's trendy in pop music right now. If anyone dislikes that fact, fine, but facts are facts. The Catalyst gives a casual listener the absolute WRONG impression of what A Thousand Suns is. The Catalyst is not the most creative song on the album either. When They Come For Me would have been a much better statement as a lead single, both figuratively and literally. I fully agree that The Catalyst has it's place on the album. I just don't like the song very much. It really is though. Granted, it's Linkin Park's version of it, meaning it's very melodramatic and the aim of the song is not to make people dance to it. That melodrama is really the only difference between "dancey" and "fast-paced and hectic." But ignore the lyrics and the rest of the album, as thats what many casual listeners of music do. Listen to the beat that kicks in after the intro of Joe's scratching and Mike's chants that continues through the first half of the song. That is a dance beat, plain and simple. I'm not suggesting The Catalyst is some techno shit. I remember when it first came out, I was defending the song against people who were saying that, because it just isn't true. But it does have a lot of electronic dance elements in it, and for an album that prides itself on being creative and experimental, I don't like how this song turned out.
I see where you're coming from. I suppose taking out certain elements, I could see why one would say it's a bit dancy. I guess, it's just hard for me to think of it that way because of how much more I look at the song as an album component than I do a single. Also, I hope I haven't come off like I'm criticizing you for the way you think. We're all entitled to our opinions. I just really like the song, is all.
Nowhere did I say that you had to enjoy "The Catalyst" to understand the album. I was pointing out how well the song compliments the album. I said you could take it or leave it. Maybe that was my fault for going off on a tangent and not editing my post properly to what pertained as a response to what you said directly under your quote. Sorry if that fluffed your pillow lop-sided. The last part of making art is the way it is perceived. I can perceive the song in a way that makes sense in my own little fucked up head. You can do the same. It's all subjective. To sit there and say "I don't think Linkin Park thought of ANYTHING you just said when they were making the song" is nothing more but your opinion. Just like my entire post. Maybe they did. If they did, great. Fantastic writing on their part. If not, that's awesome too because it is accidentally genious. Either way, it is a masterpiece in my opinion and whatever went through the band's mind when making it can't be proven. I respect your opinion of the song, however I disagree with you saying that it gives the wrong impression of the album to the casual listener. Any one song off of the album gives the wrong impression of what the album sounds like because each song is so radically different.
This actually brings me to a point that may mindfuck/frustrate some of you. I think of music in subjective and objective terms, because I believe there is both subjectivity and objectivity in art. Subjectively, I do not like The Catalyst, and would much rather listen to Wretches and Kings. HOWEVER, when objectively looking at the album, I consider The Catalyst to be one of the best songs on the album. I just don't like it. If that makes sense to you guys. XD it does to me. Likewise I consider Wretches and Kings to be one of the worst songs on the album, even though I really like listening to it. I actually consider When They Come For Me, Blackout, The Catalyst, and Iridescent to be the definitive songs on the album.
I was about to reply to Xero21 in some way, then I sat back and realized how tired I am of talking about this fucking album .
I just went back and viewed that Medal of Honor Trailer out of curiosity and WOW they ripped the real song a new one with that catastrophe... No wonder there was so much negative feelings about the song this time last year. That was brutal. The Catalyst is what I consider A Thousand Suns' "The Little Things Give You Away". Sure I prefer to listen to Blackout/When They Come for Me/Waiting for the End when I can as they''re easier to sink into and enjoy, but I can't deny the sheer brilliance and composition of this song. How it grows and evolves - becoming bigger and more powerful at every turn, is just a pleasure to experience. The lack of guitar was once a major Achilles Heel to the song, but now the short bursts of riffs just seem to create more impact. Their latest of only two true masterpieces. Oh, and "Lift me up/Let me go" is the greatest 2 minutes in Linkin Park history.
Love it. epic transition..2nd half of the song makes you feel like jesus..i was just a bit worried when i heard the tremendous amount of electronic instruments..but ats delivered and they used them very carefully and turned out to be an album well done