Post Your Reviews Of ATS In Here -SPOILER THREAD: STAY OUT IF YOU ARE WITHHOLDING!-

Discussion in 'Linkin Park Chat' started by Jeff, Sep 7, 2010.

  1. Death Slayer

    Death Slayer Julian

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2010
    Messages:
    1,422
    Likes Received:
    26



    After quite a few listening from start to end, I've finally decided to write my own review of A Thousand Suns.

    The Requiem & The Radiance:
    Great start for the journey in which the band is taking us on, the female voice (aka Shinoda) sings out the verse of the first single, the main theme of the journey. The sliding into The Radience is simply too good, featuring the speech to begin the journey.
    9/10

    Burning in the Skies:
    You just feel that 'The journey begins' tone in this song, great choice of song to start the album. The flow of the song seems to be taking you to the skies, flying across mists of clouds, across the bright lights, and finally reaching far into the unknown space.
    'We held our breath when the clouds began to form/ 'But you were lost in the beating of the storm'
    8/10

    Empty Spaces:
    Most people may find this interlude a bit meaningless, but if you listen again, you'll find that the interlude actually creates a war-zone kind of atmosphere for their upcoming track.
    6/10

    When They Come From Me:
    Cutting the last track off with the hat, the song begins with guitar riffs and African-like drums. Mike starts off with one of the more personal rap verses out of the album. The wordless chorus reminds me of Indian music.
    After the part in 2:30, the song changes to a more quiet beat, with Chester emotionally repeating 'When they come for me, I'll be gone' and ends with another Eastern influenced singing, after a short Spanish speech.
    'Oh When they come for me/ Come for me/ I'll be gone'
    7/10

    Robot Boy:
    After the silence from the previous song, this song starts with a major piano melody, followed by electric beats and background choir. The chorus is constantly repeated throughout the whole song, and with both Mike singing and Chester screaming wordlessly at the end part, sliding into the Route of the Dead.
    This probably isn't an enjoyable song at first listen, but if upon listening again after the whole album, you'll find that the song suits right in and links the other parts of the album as a whole.
    'You say/ you're not gonna fight/ 'cause no one will fight for you/ And you think/ there's not enough love/ and no one to give it to'
    4/10 at first listen, now 8/10

    Journada Del Muerto:
    The Journey of the Dead, continues the musical sense of Robot Boy with Mike singing in Japanese, of 'Lift me up/ Let me go', and carries on with an electric melody, eventually silencing to the second single of the album.
    '持ち上げて/ 解き放して'
    8/10

    Waiting for The End:

    Starts with a guitar riff, the tinkling bells come in followed by heavy beats. Mike raps in a reggae style, 'This is not the end, this is not the beginning' , quiets down a bit with Chester starting his soft voice, eventually followed by a catchy chorus and goes into the bridge after Mike's reggae rapping, where the song is at its mid-loudest moments. The most epic moment of the song is when Mike raps at the end, with Chester's accompany, hitting high notes and finishing the song.
    'I know what it takes to move on/ I know how it feels to lie/ All I want to do is trade this life for something new/ Holding on to what I haven't got'
    9/10

    Blackout

    Starts off with fun snares and beats, Chester gave his most aggressive vocal performances, giving an interest contrast between the two. The song clams down after a heavy remix breakdown, with Mike singing softly, then joined by Chester, singing increasingly louder and finally quiets down.
    'No/ you've gotta get it inside/ You push it back down/ You push it back down No'
    8/10

    Wretches and Kings:
    Begins with Mario Savio's 'Bodies Upon the Gears' speech, the song is featured with heavy guitar riff and beats. Mike's rap recalls the style of Fort Minor, while Chester sings with a very dry yet powerful tone. After a hand waving call from Mike, the powerful speech of Mario Savio's is delivered once more, creating the quiet moments to welcome the last breakdown of the song, where Joe Hahn accompanies the heavy beats with his scratching.
    'Steel unload/ final blow/ We the animals take control/ Hear us now/ clear and true/ Wretches and kings we come for you'
    9/10

    Wisdom, Justice and Love
    This is probably one of the best interludes among all others in the album, with a sad piano chord played while Martin Luther King Junior delivers his speech. The voice of his slowly changes into a robot voice, where the words 'Wisdom, Justice and Love' are repeated during the silence, and moving into the next song.
    10/10

    Iridescent:

    The sad piano melody from the last track continues in this song, where Mike sings in a very soft and sad voice, followed by Chester with his chorus, which gives a feeling of encouragement to people. The best part of the song was when the music quiets down and the gang vocals began to sing in the back. This is a very good song to be performed live, you can actually imagine all fans holding hands with each other, welcoming the last chorus of the song.
    'Do you feel cold and lost in desperation/ You build up hope but failure's all you've known/ Remember all the sadness and frustration/ And let it go/ Let it go'
    10/10

    Fallout:
    An eerie sound starts off at the back, introducing a robot voice of Mike, singing the lines of the first song of the album, Burning In The Skies, and then slowly fades out, creating the sense for the album's theme song.
    8/10

    The Catalyst:
    Builds up from the eerie background, electric beats and scratching are introduced to the song, with Mike singing with layered effects and Chester singing aggressively, opening the song and taking it to the next level, where the song becomes heavier and heavier throughout, reaching a bridge with electric sound influenced. The song, after Chester's one last singing of the chorus-like lines, calms down to only pianos playing, where Mike starts to sing repeatedly, 'Lift me up, Let me go'. The heavy drums by Rob came in, creating a great sense of epic-ness, and the band goes into the last climax of the album, finishing off with only electric melodies left behind, until the whole song is silenced, awaiting for the one song to end this unforgettable journey.
    'When memories of cold decay/ Transmissions echoing away/ Far from the world of you and I/ Where oceans bleed into the sky'
    10/10

    The Messenger:
    The last song of the album, features Chester Bennington, of whom he cries out, aggressively yet very emotional, for love. His voice becomes more aggressive throughout the song with acoustic guitar chords and piano melodies, and ends peaceful quietly, the journey of A Thousand Suns.
    'When life leaves us blind/ Love keeps us kind'
    9/10

    Overall rating for A Thousand Suns: 9/10
    A Thousand Suns >> Meteora > Minutes To Midnight , Hybrid Theory
    Quoting from some reviews I've read:
    This is not a collection of songs, this is an album.
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2010
  2. AceofSpades

    AceofSpades Member

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2010
    Messages:
    20
    Likes Received:
    0



    i'm new here so what better way to start out than reviewing a thousand suns lol
    hmm...

    The Requiem: 9.5
    Love this, possibly one of my fav linkin park instrumentals/ interludes. Mike Shinoda's voice at the end sounds so eerie.

    The Radiance: 7.0
    I don't like the thought of the album starting off giving up two spots without one song, but I guess this builds up for the upcoming song...

    Burning In the Skies: 8.7
    Single-material. Pretty good song, this is a taste of Chester's vocals to come on the album which are great. More of a "Chester Song" to me.

    Empty Spaces: N/A
    Should have been either not on the album or at the start/end of a full song. Kinda pointless, filler.

    When They Come For Me: 9.0
    The Bleed It Out of ATS imo. Song is about the the fans wanting them to go back to their old sound, which is pretty cool to hear Mike rapping about, and his rapping in this song is the best on the album. Chester comes in at the end with soft singing.

    Robot Boy: 8.3
    Very relaxing, probably the most calm song on the album. Could use some energy but for what it is its a good song and has a great message.

    Jornada Del Muerto: 9.0
    VERY relaxing song in some kind of different language. I love hearing it and it has a perfect spot on the album.

    Waiting For The End: 10
    imo, THE highest point of the album. Has Mike singing raggae style, and Chester singing his absolute best he ever has, along a great chorus. Great choice for a single, great spot on the album, great mix of Chester/Mike, great ending to the song. Great, great, great.

    Blackout: 8.5
    It's kinda hard to review this song, 'cause its kind of like two different songs in one. Starts with Chester sort of rapping and leads into him screaming. Heaviest part of the album, would have been better if there were guitars but it kind of fails imo because the background music is just too calm. Second part of the song has Mike Shinoda and Chester, but the standout of the song is the remix in the middle, which is fun to listen to and is reminiscent of Reanimation xD

    Wretches And Kings: 9.0
    Love the beat on this one. All around the heaviest song on the album. This is sort of a Mike song, and he raps good even though his raps are alittle simple. Chorus one of the best on the album, features Chester with a voice we have never heard him sing in, like he has an accent. Structure resembles old Linkin Park songs, which isn't a bad thing...Features Hahn solo at the end.

    Wisdom, Justice, And Love: 9.0
    Very sad, the MLK speech mixed with the piano makes you wanna cry almost. Then his voice slowly turns into a robotic voice, and cold chills insue. 0_o

    Iridescent: 9.5
    Great song. It starts with Mike singing calmly and angelic, and follows with Chester coming in with a chorus from nowhere which is probably the most epic part of the album. Features band vocals, very heart warming ending and definently the best message of any Linkin Park song out there.

    Fallout: 6.8
    My least favorite part of the album. Still decent, just unneeded and kinda of boring...I did, however, enjoy the voice turning from robotic to human for a change. lol.

    The Catalyst: 8.4
    Good song. Even though it isn't a "single" song, it does make sense as to why they chose it. It kinda has a mix of everything from the album imo. Feels better when listened along with the whole album, too. Has impressive vocals from both singers but is weighed down by repeating lyrics. Last 2:00+ are insanely epic.

    The Messenger: 8.8
    PERFECT end to the album. It's a stripped down version of Linkin Park that we've never heard before and is very good. Chester sings his heart out. Wish it was longer.

    All in all, the album is GREAT. My list goes HT>ATS>Reanimation>Meteora>M2M. This album is kinda of like M2M's older
    brother, smarter and wiser than his younger sibling. All of the songs are great to listen to, but they really shine when each one is listened to in order, and that is how they are meant to be heard.

    ATS- 9.8/10
     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2010
  3. travz21

    travz21 Muscle Museum LPA Super Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2010
    Messages:
    4,000
    Likes Received:
    5



    Besides Mike singing all of the verses? He probably puts in just as much singing as Chester does lol.
     
  4. AceofSpades

    AceofSpades Member

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2010
    Messages:
    20
    Likes Received:
    0



    Actually the song kinda goes Mike-Chester-Mike-Chester-no singing-Chester-Mike, and i guess its the way mike is singing or something, but i must have percieved Mike to have alittle bit smaller of a part than he does
    srry xD
    Still though i think it's a "Chester song" if you know watta mean
     
  5. ZeoVGM

    ZeoVGM Member

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2010
    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0



    I really don't feel the need to write up a long review so I'll just say this: absolutely amazing. This is Linkin Park's best work to date, from start to finish. It's an album to be looked as as a whole piece of music rather than a collection of songs. Some might call the interludes filler but I think filler are tracks thrown onto an album to make it longer. These are simply short songs that are memorable, melodic, and they bridge songs nicely.

    My own complaint would be that I wish it had one or two more full length songs rather than just nine but that's a minor complaint.
     
  6. Luke

    Luke Mind Your Manners. LPA Addicted VIP

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2004
    Messages:
    15,206
    Likes Received:
    236



    I might post a full-length review but for now these are my thoughts on the album:

    Pros: The band has finally grown up. The lyrical content still feels like Linkin Park, but it now has a sense of maturity and influence from not only personal experience but from a third person perspective - this is something the band attempted on Minutes To Midnight but one feels that the potential was never really reached until now. The experimentation on this album is the key to it's overall sound. Sound modulation using various synthesizers and effects give the whole album a much more electronic and modern feel as opposed to the typical heavy guitars that are synonymous with Meteora and Minutes To Midnight. Another new direction the band has taken is Mike having a prominant singing role - one could even go as far as saying that he has a more dominant vocalist role than Chester on this album. His vocals have improved dramatically since he started taking lead vocals on songs like No Roads Left and In Between and gives the band a whole new dimension vocally. That said, Chester is at his best on this album aswell.

    Cons: Although the new sound experimentation is fantastic on the album, one does feel that guitar is missing at certain points on the album. Brad made a step up on Minutes To Midnight with his solos in In Pieces and The Little Things Give You Away, but on this album it would appear that he has regressed his efforts which is quite disappointing. Also some might feel that there is no need for some of the interludes on the album, for example The Radiance, Empty Spaces and Fallout seem quite pointless and could quite easily be added as extensions to other songs (That said, Jornada Del Muerto and Wisdom, Justice, And Love are fantastic). By taking out those interludes, the length of the album is increadibly short which leads one to believe they are just filler songs to make the album seem longer than it is.

    Highlights: Iridescent, Waiting For The End, When They Come For Me, Blackout, Burning In The Skies

    Overall score: 8/10
     
  7. Cyanide

    Cyanide 1989

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2010
    Messages:
    204
    Likes Received:
    0



    A Thousand Suns Review


    Summary:
    Linkin Park are on a pill that's tough to swallow.

    I’m probably not speaking for myself when I say a lot of us have dipped into the sound of Hybrid Theory, the super-record decade starter, which saw Linkin Park achieve immense success through their materializing and angst-filled nu-metal power. It also opened the doors to heavier music for amateurs. In a way or another, quite a lot of people could relate to Bennington’s lyrics, intensified through harsh screams and raw vocals, as well as Shinoda’s chest-pumping raps, which all together formed the essential signature sound which the band is highly known for even to this day. While this sounds all so terrific and makes complete sense, Hybrid Theory represents both the gift and the curse of Linkin Park.

    Their third studio effort was enough proof that their career was compromised from day one. Minutes to Midnight was bombarded by critics and angry fanboys from every side, one of the reasons being that it was simply too different compared to their debut. Other, more justified opinions concluded that it was a failed attempt at adjusting their sound to the mainstream wave of the modern world. Simply put, it was an album full of cheesy hooks and songs bound to reach nothing more than heavy airplay. Basically, it was going nowhere fast.

    Therefore, you don’t need high education to figure out Linkin Park were in need of a different direction, and their destination needed to be anywhere except the radio. Where exactly have they landed with A Thousand Suns remains a mystery, because it is hard to comprehend whether the step they have taken leads them somewhere in particular. Nevertheless, the band has taken some serious risks that will most likely aid them in either reaching a higher ground or burry them even deeper into the vast unknown that had been awaiting them since Meteora.

    These theories are rather insignificant if you listen to A Thousand Suns, which is Linkin Park’s most dynamic album to date. Instead of focusing on a definite genre, the sextet has tried to plug the cables into fifteen different sources and try to get a little power from each. In other words, there’s plenty of diversity and the aim for a larger audience is at least interesting to hear. From the down-tempo enigmatic “Burning in the Skies” to the AFI influenced gang-vocaled “The Catalyst”, there’s equilibrium between electronic arrangements and stripped sounds (“The Messenger”). If you’re having any doubts, Mike lays down the gauntlet and reminds you this isn’t a copy and paste record of their former selves, as he briefly refers to a line from Hybrid Theory in “When They Come for Me” (“I am not the fortune and the fame, nor the same person telling you to forfeit the game.”). The song has an oriental vibe, which perfectly fits Shinoda’s aggressive rapping - it is a clear sign he’s back to his Fort Minor-self as he leads the way into the abyss. The circle is never complete until you hear Chester joining Mike in the electro-reggae piece “Wretches and Kings”, both vocalists singing in completely unfamiliar tones.

    For the sake of sounding unfamiliar, boundaries between rock and electronic music are quickly shaken in the absolute highlight of the album: “Blackout”. The song aims to contrast Bennington’s raw vocals with the electro-pop synths and piano loops, forming a systematic chaos and a dynamic sound - nothing more than a win.

    On a side note, if you actually took the time to approach this record from start to finish, you might have noticed that it has loads of twists and turns that articulate Linkin Park’s goal to keep the listener wondering what’s coming next. Well, they didn’t quite hit the nail on the head. To be honest, songs like “Robot Boy” or “Iridescent” fail to keep the listeners on their feet. It takes a while for the punch to kick in, and by the time it’s there, you’re already skipping to another track, which is unmistakably either an interlude or a main focus on Chester, Mike and Joe. The absence of the rest of the band members is rather inexplicable, and is most likely the central flaw behind the charisma and overall attraction of A Thousand Suns. Some songs feel incomplete and sound more like jams rather than actual full-length tracks - “Robot Boy”, a serious contender for heavy airplay, yet it feels like a hit and a miss, an experiment instead of an actual song – without the presence of Delson, Bourdon or Phoenix. While Minutes to Midnight seemed to push Hahn into the background, A Thousand Suns is replacing the word “sextet” with the word “trio”.

    Since the album is meant to be considered a “journey” [highly debatable], the presence of interludes is somewhat justified. The fact that there’s a ridiculously huge amount of interludes is, however, not justified, the reason being that they sometimes don’t work. An introduction to this album was obviously necessary, but it most certainly didn’t require an interlude afterwards. Not to mention that “Empty Spaces” doesn’t even blend properly into “When They Come for Me” or that “Fallout” has absolutely no reason for even existing. Simply put, some of the interludes are unnecessary and they don’t really connect the songs in an appropriate manner, which damages the overall flow of the album.

    In the end, A Thousand Suns is not bad. A Thousand Suns is good. A Thousand Suns could have been better. A thousand times better. If they wish to pursue the tradition of focusing on one or two members on each of their future albums, Linkin Park better change the name and start from scratch. The potential is there, but not even the brainchild [Shinoda] behind these sounds is able to unlock it without the help of the rest of the team.

    Nevertheless, the conclusion is that Linkin Park seemed to have taken at least half a step forward, which is already miraculous considering the immense pressure on their backs. While they seem to be on a pill rather difficult to swallow for most of their fans, they are aiming to write distinct music and expand their horizons, rather than taking the safe and beautifully paved road back to heaven [Hybrid Theory]. If that’s not something to at least appreciate, then don’t even bother picking this up. Truth is, they are a tough act to follow, and it will be interesting to hear what they have in store for the future.

    Rating: 3/5
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2010
  8. hybridsoldier1989

    hybridsoldier1989 strange things are afoot at the circle k

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2010
    Messages:
    506
    Likes Received:
    3



    Through my first listen, I'd say it was an 9/10.

    The only song I have beef with is "Robot Boy." But it may still grow on me.
     
  9. Death Slayer

    Death Slayer Julian

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2010
    Messages:
    1,422
    Likes Received:
    26



    I originally gave the song about 4/10 at first, but now it's somewhere 8/10, so yes, it is a grower
     
  10. Justin V.

    Justin V. Professional Lurker

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2004
    Messages:
    1,142
    Likes Received:
    6



    Absolutely LOATHED that song.

    Now I love it lol. It grows immensely.
     
  11. cloudscream

    cloudscream Static

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2010
    Messages:
    354
    Likes Received:
    16



    I like how the album as a whole talks about war and political violence, and its effect on the lives of people. It is a personal and a social commentary at the same time. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is an event that is quite close to my heart, and tracks like Burning in the Skies and Jornada del Muerto sounded like they were made specifically for those bombing events.
     
  12. ...

    ... Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2010
    Messages:
    78
    Likes Received:
    0



    I've decided to review it slightly differently to everyone else here, splitting it up into categories such as instruments and sound. It just allows me to be constructive about certain points...

    Lyrics: 8/10
    Vast improvement. Still iffy in some places which why it doesn't get top marks, but pretty good.

    Singing: 6/10
    I would give Chester full marks for his singing, but for Mike, although he has improved since M2M, still isn't a natural singer for me and it makes it difficult to accept especially as the whole world were introduced to him as an emcee. If he really thought he was a singer, why did even bother hiring Chester? His singing doesn't even compare to his rapping. I feel like he's singing in places where he'd normally rap but won't because that's 'old'. Don't get me started on the reggae. So unfortunately he brings down the score a few notches. Also, the group singing is nothing new and exciting, loads of bands do it.

    Gutiars: 5/10
    If I was to score the guitars on adding ambience to the record it would get a much higher score - it wouldn't matter that they're not at the forefront instrumentally and control the rhythm and texture of the songs. But I have to base this score on previous records because that's what made Linkin Park great before and they have a 'guitarist' in the band, after all. No heavy riffs on ATS - if there are, there's perhaps only one and it's been heavily disguised with effects. The subtle bits of guitar that come in occasionally are very soothing and definitely add something (such as the clean guitar parts on Burning In The Skies). The acoustic guitar on The Messenger is also a nice touch. However the riffs are what gave the energy in previous records (see below).

    Bass: 4/10
    Very smoothed over and nothing to get exciting about. But it doesn't distract from the music. Phoenix probably has the easiest job in the band.

    Synth: 7/10
    Some of the sounds are unique, some are not. But overall pretty good.

    Effects: 9/10
    There's some really cool effects going on throughout the record, especially on the interludes. I think it adds a lot of texture and ambience, and more progressive than previous records. The scratching by Joe is good and brings back some nostalgia. Would give it a 10 for effects but actually there's nothing apparently new any of it, although it has been well executed.

    Ambience: 9/10
    This record has a lot of ambience and the interludes contribute a lot to that. I felt like they could've been a lot longer and more progressive, but overall the album has a lot of variety in emotions and sounds especially to hear it all the way through.

    Headbang Threshold / Energy: 2/10
    Disappointing. Apart from maybe 2 songs there are no reasons to go into the moshpit and headbang any of the other songs. If you compare ATS tracks to Forgotten or One Step Closer there's a clear difference in energy. But that's just the style they've gone with this record, and that's fair enough.

    Length: 8/10
    Much nicer length than previous records. Gels together more as an album, after listening through it a few times I felt like they've could've thrown in an extra 10 minutes somewhere - maybe a 10th song. I like the interludes but just wish they were part of the songs somehow instead of being on their own. They should screw the radio friendliness rules.

    Artwork: 9/10
    The artwork is incredible and sh1ts on M2M. The more abstract the better. 'Nuff said.

    Conclusion

    Overall score: 6.7/10

    If I was to compare my preference of Linkin Park records at this moment, it'd probably be:

    Reanimation > Hybrid Theory > ATS > Meteora > M2M

    Which for me concludes that it's a good record, but nothing mind blowing. It didn't blow me away like Reanimation or HT did. But at the same time, it didn't underwhelm me like Meteora or M2M.

    But I have to say it does get a bit boring after a few repeats. There are older LP tracks that even now I can listen to on a daily basis and still enjoy (such as My December or Plc. 4 Mie Haed), but with this one I feel like I need a huge break between listens.

    The main thing is it's an improvement on the last two! I'll be curious about what they do on the next record since they have apparently laid down a new law where they can't repeat anything they've done before.

    My personal hope is that one day they'll go back to their roots, but in a new and exciting way.
     
  13. travz21

    travz21 Muscle Museum LPA Super Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2010
    Messages:
    4,000
    Likes Received:
    5



    I don't get how people don't like Robot Boy on their first listen. Were you not listening to the instrumentation of this record? That song has some incredibly sick stuff going on in it.
     
  14. Benjamin

    Benjamin LPA team LPA Super VIP

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2010
    Messages:
    6,398
    Likes Received:
    7



    I decided to wait until today to do this.

    The Requiem
    10/10
    Chills run through your spine. It's not a song but it's perfect for what it is. Great start to the album

    The Radiance
    9/10
    Same as the Requiem, it's perfect for what it is. My only complaint is that it's hard to understand what he's saying in some parts. Could be a quality issue...

    Burning in the Skies
    10/10
    Shadow of the Day on a lot of steroids. Mike's singing in this track could put baby chicks to sleep. Chester's part is really emotional and flows perfectly with Mike. Also, the synths in the background are superb. Great track.

    Empty Spaces
    N/A
    It could easily have been apart of When They Come For Me. Whatever....

    When They Come For Me
    8.9
    I hated this song on the first listen. Then I listened to the lyrics and it grew on me quickly. I love the aggressive drums and guitars in this song. It's probably Rob's best performance to date. The only down part is Chester's chorus. Even if it makes sense lyrically, I wish he would say actual words. I fear I'll get annoyed with this after so many listens.

    Robot Boy
    8.9/10
    My December on lots of Steroids, haha. Very beautiful song. I just wish Mike would have a part.

    Jornada Del Muerto
    7/10
    The most boring interlude on ATS, in my opinion. I do like that the lyrics are "Lift me up, let me go" in another language. But the sound of it is just average to me.

    Waiting for the End
    9.5/10
    Like When the Come For Me, Mike tries new things with his rapping abilities. And boy does he deliver. At last we get a song that has Mike rapping in a new way. AKA not Mike/Chester/Mike/Chester/Mike and Chester/Chester. And lyrically, I really dig it. This definitely has the best shot at a lot of air time on the radio.

    Blackout
    9.5/10
    This will definitely be a fan favorite. Chester's rapping is incredible. The only thing wrong with this song is that there isn't more of it. I believe they could have had a third verse of "Chesrap" instead of the extra long transition to Mike's part. Speaking of which, is also incredible. "Come down, far below. We've been waiting to collect what you've let go." I love it.

    Wretches and Kings
    8.5/10
    This could have been the best song on the album if there was more action for Chester. Mike's rapping in this song is the catchiest thing on earth. I'm not sure why we needed to hear the speech twice. When you cut out both speeches and the extended outro, this song is probably under 3 minutes. I love the reggae-ish chorus. It's too bad that it wasn't longer, however.

    Wisdom, Justice, and Love
    10/10
    The best interlude I've ever heard. Period.

    Iridescent
    10/10
    I'm a sucker for the lyrics in this song. It was the first track on this album that made me crack a tear. I cannot get enough of the chorus. Especially when it's done with the gang vocals. I know it's not, but I pretend that this song is talking to HT/Meteora wannabees. Seriously guys, "Remember all the sadness and frustraion, and let it go". :lol:

    Fallout
    8/10
    I like that they bring back the BITS lyrics. This was the perfect interlude to lead up to The Catalyst. After Iridescent, you think "You're right LP, we can let it go!" But then Fallout comes in and reminds us of the troubles.

    The Catalyst
    10/10
    In context with ATS, I believe TC has the best Linkin Park lyrics to date. We all know how great this song is. No need for elaboration.

    The Messenger
    8/10
    What saves this song is how Chester hits impossible notes. I've heard better acoustic songs though. If I could change one thing, I would flip flop The Messenger and Iridescent around in the track listing. I can't say I was too pumped that after this sound bending experience, it ends with an acoustic. That's just me.

    ATS: The Full Experience
    10/10
     
  15. Polychromatic

    Polychromatic Banned

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2010
    Messages:
    886
    Likes Received:
    0



    The first 3 minutes are what people usually complain about. The very laid-back almost trippy like part of the song, the main part before the bridge, is what everybody dosen't like. The final minute or so is amazing, and the instrumentation was amazing there.
     
  16. AceofSpades

    AceofSpades Member

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2010
    Messages:
    20
    Likes Received:
    0



    Whosawhaa?!

    I dunno bout you guys, but I really like how Mike is singing more and its like LP have 2 singers, but hey, thats just me.
    And as for better rapper than singer? Some would disagree.
    Theres rapping Mike, and theres singing Mike, apples and oranges. You can't just eat one type of fruit all your life..
     
  17. cloudscream

    cloudscream Static

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2010
    Messages:
    354
    Likes Received:
    16



    It got me interested on first listen. It doesn't have the verse-chorus-verse pattern, and it flows really steadily until the end where sounds filled my head completely.
     
  18. Minus

    Minus ohai LPA Addicted VIP

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2003
    Messages:
    18,575
    Likes Received:
    1,002



    I'm probably going to make an audio review of this to better express my lack of being able to express how much I love this album. :lol:
     
  19. Zach

    Zach Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2009
    Messages:
    303
    Likes Received:
    0



    Oh, are we listing the albums now? Oh, what the hell...

    Meteora > A Thousand Suns > Minutes To Midnight > Hybrid Theory > Reanimation.
     
  20. Topher

    Topher LPA VIP LPA VIP

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2010
    Messages:
    413
    Likes Received:
    0



    10/10 epic. i love the artwork on/in the cd/dvd pack.
    not to happy with the dvd, i think the mtm & meteora dvd's are way better.
    6/10 0n the dvd
     

Share This Page