Keven's Music Review: LINKIN PARK – Living Things

For those wishing that Linkin Park would drop the experimental juice for their fifth album 'Living Things', be prepared for some moody, melodic nu-metal that will put you to sleep faster than NyQuil. It's better than their prior effort 'A Thousand Suns', but that's not saying much.

Linkin Park have always been known as innovators in the world of meshing rock, hip hop and electronic elements for their unique sound. More times than not in their past work this has worked very well. When they released 'Minutes to Midnight', it was very evident that Linkin Park were fed up with being labeled as just another nu-metal outfit. They began to introduce more melodies and somber moments. By the time they released their fourth studio album 'A Thousand Suns', they went full bore moody, atmospheric and mellow as can be for a band that many would and still consider to be a 'rock' unit. That record was crap.

Their new album 'Living Things' has some highlights, that is if you liked old hits such as 'In The End' or 'Crawling'. I tend to lean towards the 'heavier' stuff personally and it looks like Linkin Park have almost completely ignored their edgier roots. Sure Chester Bennington still screams on 'Lost in the Echo', but it's not enough. That track by the way is by far the best song on the album. 'Lies Greed Misery' tries to take the 'Bleed it Out' formula and roll with that energy, making it another standout. Aside from that, listen to 'Burn it Down' and that will give you a good idea of how the rest of the record falls – flat.

Amazing album art, intriguing song arrangements and the cool urge to be artsy when nobody into the indie artsy music scene could give a s*** less about your band doesn't work. I can only assume Linkin Park is trying to mature as a band and they will tell you that they aren't the same group as before. I'm not saying make the same album over and over again, but at this point when one would settle for 'Minutes to Midnight' part two, then you know you're f***ing up.

Linkin Park have a cool sound but every other song is like a love ballad that would fit well on a Tron: Legacy sequel soundtrack. Sorry – make that every Transformers soundtrack. It's filler. There is potential and terrific vocals from Bennington and Mike Shinoda but I don't want to see 'potential' from a band that's over 10 years old, I want to see good albums. 'Living Things' is boring. Period.

1. "Lost in the Echo"
2. "In My Remains"
3. "Burn It Down"
4. "Lies Greed Misery"
5. "I'll Be Gone"
6. "Castle of Glass"
7. "Victimized"
8. "Roads Untraveled"
9. "Skin to Bone"
10. "Until It Breaks"
11. "Tinfoil"
12. "Powerless"