The Hunting Party Leak + iTunes Stream

[partofmelp67]

Mark the Graves reminds me of Deftones having a party with Refused , and that's f*n awesome !!

[Astat]

Rick Rubin was not good for this band. It's apparent that Mike can run the show from now on.

I think the mindset that Rick got the band into by working with them for a few albums is still something they believe in (don't be predictable, don't make music to satisfy anyone but yourselves, etc.). They were probably just at the point where they couldn't justify paying Rick a shitload of money to produce another album when they knew exactly what he'd bring to the table and they'd likely be on the same page anyway.

[JZLP-Benningstrong]

We should thank Rick for encouraging Mike to sing.

[lp_mohd]

After first listen

1-KTTK 8.5/10

2-AFN 7.5/10

3-GATS 10/10

4-TS ----

5-war 7/10

6-W 8/10

7-UIG 7/10

8-R 10/10

9-MTG 9/10

10-D 8/10

11-FM 8.5/10

12- ALITS 7/10

[BeardyWilderness]

Full review:

The Hunting Party. Never before has Linkin Park been more to the point, even with Hybrid Theory. Blood thirsty roars open up the very first track. With digitized anger, the band reintroduce themselves with middle fingers in the air. The ball is deep in their court.

They weren't shy from bringing their friends to the party, neither. With vocal fist-fights from old school hiphop hero Rakim, and well-rounded guitarist/vocalist Paige Hamilton lending a chorus, as well as familiar riffs from SOAD's Daron Malakian and some... unexpected jam session with Tom Morello, the album feels more like an uprise; a Rebellion against music and it's listeners.

Admittedly, this album feels like a gimmick. Especially with tracks like War, which sound heavy for the sake of being heavy, however this is in no way a bad thing! The album is based around heavy guitars, screaming and shouting, and aggression. It's pure adrenaline. These tracks are going to be on my Gym playlist, even though I'm too lazy to actually go!

The band's jaws must ache from the smug grinning of their haters eating their own words now. Heavy instrumentals and vocals, Brad showing the world that he is far from a basic guitarist, and that the band have dug even deeper than their roots with a new set of tools.

Overall, 9/10. LP are at the top of their game. The one thing preventing a full 10 is A Line In The Sand. The soft melodic parts by Shinoda are pure beauty, possibly the best vocal performance I've heard from any LP song, but it just felt the heaviness involved with the song aren't called for. It's still ultimately an amazing anthem, but if I had to nitpick!

[Geki]

Overall, 9/10. LP are at the top of their game. The one thing preventing a full 10 is A Line In The Sand. The soft melodic parts by Shinoda are pure beauty, possibly the best vocal performance I've heard from any LP song, but it just felt the heaviness involved with the song aren't called for. It's still ultimately an amazing anthem, but if I had to nitpick!

 

 

Lol. Chester's part is the best part of A Line In The Sand, it's what makes the song one of the best LP songs ever written, IMO. You have Mike's awesome vocals, plus some of the best vocals I have heard from Chester. The lyrics are dark and deep, the emotion from Chester is much needed. The heaviness was definitely called for, IMO, and I love the track for it.

[BeardyWilderness]

I just hope an acapella is released of it haha, I have a brilliant remix idea.

[Southpaw262]

I listened to it three times yesterday. Not gonna listen to it until I get the album. I hope it's in stores on the 17th.

[Andros]

Hope there's a making of, this album deserve that.

[JozM]

Not sure how people are saying things like this is DEFINITELY the BEST EVER Linkin Park album... I mean seriously, after one or two listens how can you make such a conclusive statement? I'm guessing those same people hated Living Things before they even listened to it...

Just listening all the way through for a second time and really enjoying it.

 

 

Because its heavy and Chester scream a lot in the album.

[ChuckCheese]

Love it love it love it. A+ for me. Wow. Definitely some of the greatest work this band has ever done. Only track that's kinda meh for me is All For Nothing. The rest are fucking awesome. What a great album.

[leftshoe18]

Lol. Chester's part is the best part of A Line In The Sand, it's what makes the song one of the best LP songs ever written, IMO. You have Mike's awesome vocals, plus some of the best vocals I have heard from Chester. The lyrics are dark and deep, the emotion from Chester is much needed. The heaviness was definitely called for, IMO, and I love the track for it.

 

I agree that Chester really brings it on A Line In The Sand. I was blown away after seeing lots of people saying that Chester's vocals on the track were lacking and then he brings that awesome chorus. The only thing I personally didn't like about A Line In The Sand was the main riff that was way to similar to Victimized. If it was part of the same album as Victimized, it probably wouldn't have been so distracting and would seem like a callback instead of a "we forgot that we used this riff in another song" moment.

[Jen88]

I absolutely love this album from start to finish - amazing! I think my favourite track is still Rebellion, but I love Mark The Graves & A Line In The Sand. Can't wait to buy the physical copy on Friday

[OfLefty]

My first impressions..

 

Keys To The Kingdom - Awesome. It immediately hits you that the album has balls. The first verse is amazing. Second verse is growing on me, Mike just sounds a bit slurrish to me. Chorus vocals are sloppy, but powerful. The breakdown is nice, and then the song does a 180 and becomes something completely different with a very nice progression. This is a great album opener. I feel like they should of had an opening track for this, but it's good how it is. The ending is awesome as well.

 

All For Nothing - This song is fucking awesome. Mike sounds great with the Fort Minor-esque back drop in the verses. The chorus is fantastic. Paige sounds a bit like Mike, so I think Mike can maybe pull this off live is he changes up the notes being hit a little, I don't see Mike hitting those higher notes. I like the solo.

 

Guilty All The Same - This song sounds so much better in the context of the album now after hearing the rest of it. It's a good song.

 

The Summoning - Builds up very well. Cool electronic elements and glitch effects.

 

War - A bit TOO punk rock-ish for me, but not a bad song at all. It's like a really old Green Day to me, but grittier. It reminds me of a faster and more serious version of "No Laundry" from LPU8 strangely enough. This should be a fun live song for them.

 

Wastelands - I do not exactly like this song a lot. It's just a filler song to me. The chorus is cool, but the bridge is just stupid to me. I do appreciate the raw, muddy production quality (lol wut?) because it does give the song character.

 

Until It's Gone - This song literally doesn't fit this album at all, BUT I think it's a great song, I do like it. It's like the Breaking The Habit of The Hunting Party. The solo is so simple, but pretty powerful. I don't like the lyrics a whole lot, though. The instrumentation is awesome, though.

 

Rebellion - A pretty cool, heavy, radio friendly rock song. Daron's guitar is instantly recognizable to me. (I am a huge SoAD fan) I can't imagine Serj singing on this at all, so I guess it's a pretty unique song. I don't see how this song sounds like it could be from Toxicity, at all. I'm definitely feeling a Mezmerize/Hypnotize sound if anything. I never thought I'd see the day that SoAD and LP crossed paths.

 

Mark The Graves - I cannot get myself to LOVE this song. I like the instrumental and the verses, though. The guitars are cool, and some of the riffs sound like those from Sign of The Times from Three Days Grace in places. The vocals in the chorus are just weird to me. I don't know. I'll give this one more time.

 

Drawbar - My GOD this has instantly went into my top 5 favorite instrumentals from these guys. This is so beautiful. And just hearing Tom do his crazy shit with his guitar with the relaxing piano and jazzy drums just gives me chills. It sounds like something from a movie soundtrack or a movie trailer. Incredible.

 

Final Masquerade - A nice ballady song with some of the nicest guitars I have ever heard in an LP song. When those rhythm guitars hit after the first chorus I was amazed. They sound so clear, like I'm sitting next to the cabinet and mic.. They aren't even layered to hell, either. Their engineer is a boss.

 

A Line In The Sand - This is a fantastic, atmospheric, aggressive, melodic song. The intro with Mike's vocals is great. Once the drums kick in, it turns into Guilty All The Same on steriods with a bit of Victimized. How do people only pick out the similarity to Victimized? Apart from Mike's parts, and the instrument break after the "false ending", this song has similar vocals to GATS, the same key, the same chord progression, almost the same IF NOT the same BPM, etc. I'm not complaining, I prefer this over GATS. This song has pretty great replay value to me.

 

I am happy with the album. I'm glad they tried this heavier, raw sound.

[ChuckCheese]

Let's make one thing clear. The Hunting Party completely strangles the life out of Living Things and its partner, Recharged. It does so in the most brutal of ways and is completely unforgiving. It does the same to any naysayers who ever claimed that the band have lost their edge and could never go back to being heavy again. The Hunting Party straps you into a visceral roller coaster of noise that only lets you catch your breathe once or twice before shooting off into hell again. Linkin Park have, once again, completely redone their style and rediscovered themselves as musicians and song writers. I am ranking this as the second most impressive album ever done by the band, right behind A Thousand Suns. Brad and Rob have finally come out to play and they completely steal the spotlight for the entire ride. If you went back in time and had me listen to something like Keys to the Kingdom or War in a time when I was listening to a Linkin Park song like Iridescent or Roads Untraveled, I would have never believed that it was the same band. In a time where indie music is dominating rock radio, Linkin Park has come out with their most unexpected and just purely awesome record to date. Strap in. Here we go.

1. Keys To The Kingdom - We are wasting no time here, folks. The opener to the album kicks your teeth in right off the bat, with Chester screaming in a way he never has before. We kick straight into a riff that would make heavy metal fans bang their heads. This is one of the band's heaviest songs to date; most definitely the heaviest chorus. Rob punishes his drum kit while Brad shreds a true guitar solo for one of the first times ever. This will get the pits moving for sure. Mike singing over the final chorus really makes this song. Couldn't ask for a better song to start this thing off. Now hang on tight, because we're just getting started.

2. All For Nothing - This song does a great job of carrying on the energy unleashed from KTTK. Mike jumps on board and lets loose some filthy rap verses. The "1,2,3,4!" before every chorus is definitely a highlight. Bound to be an anthem for the band live. I find the chorus to be very lacking here though. Page Hamilton doesn't have too gripping of a voice and the chorus itself sounds much too generic. Luckily the energy carries this song all the way through. The song ends with you hearing "Put the heavy shit there." "The heavy shit right here?" Now you know that it's time to get really serious.

3. Guilty All The Same - Here it is. The core of this album and a representation of all that it stands for. This is Linkin Park at their best and my personal favorite song off this record. We are treated to over a minute and a half of an introduction (and a hell of an introduction it is!) before Chester does his first singing on this album. He is raspy and ready to rock. The riff is infectious and will stick with you all day. Nobody can resist banging their head to this jam. The bridge really breaks it down here and the band goes into full jam session mode while Rakim unleashes some of the best rap lines I have ever heard. His flow is all over the place and there is no way of knowing where he's going next. We kick back into the chorus (which you can probably sing along to at this point) before the song goes out with a BANG with thrashy drums and a blistering guitar solo. This is definitely "the heavy shit".

4. The Summoning - Take a quick breath and try to process what just kicked your ass. This is an instrumental but it definitely will not let you rest for long. This track is one big build up that lets you know that something HUGE is about to happen. Perfect precursor to the skull fucking you're about to receive.

5. War - Linkin Park goes full punk on this fast paced heart attack of a song. Rob completely tears up the entire song with Chester shouting all over the place. This will cause heavy damage in the mosh pits. Brad shows up to do work in his best guitar solo to date for the bridge. This song takes no prisoners and lets you know that Linkin Park is ready to shred. If you're still alive after this song, get ready for...

6. Wastelands - The riff for this song will definitely get the place jumping. Mike has his best raps of the entire album on this. Chester sings the catchiest chorus off the album as well. The synth in the background of this track really makes it stand out. It is a very safe song for the band but still holds its ground firmly and never lets the onslaught that is The Hunting Party falter in the slightest.

7. Until It's Gone - The inevitable hit single off of the album, the song starts in the most classic Linkin Park way imaginable, except that there's something a bit different. This song is infinitely more a wall of noise than hits like Burn It Down or New Divide. Lots of stuff going on in the background of this song. The most simple lyrics of the record, perhaps even of the band's whole career. Even this song doesn't let the energy fade for one second. Rob stands out yet again with some of his best drumming on here. This is a giant anthem that will have the crowds singing along for sure. The ending truly brings it all home. Huge production for this song.

8. Rebellion - This is a Linkin Park song with a System of a Down riff, which is of course thanks to actual SOAD guitarist Daron Malakian supplying said riff. Don't get me wrong though, that is a very good thing. This is the new BOUNCE song. Nobody will be able to resist jumping around to this jam. Mike sings and carries us through the best lyrics on the album. Chester lets loose some of his best screams on the chorus, which bring to mind other memorable Chester scream bridges like Given Up. One of the best of the album.

9. Mark The Graves - This song is really all over the place. It goes fast, it goes slow, it goes heavy, it goes soft; it is EVERYWHERE. Phoenix has finally arrived on a Linkin Park album with one of, if not the best bass track of the band's career. This song features another long intro that shows off a lot. A constantly changing guitar part that is accompanied by Rob's drumming that is also constantly changing before finally settling into a nice groove that Chester sings over. Really really really great harmonies happening between Chester and Mike on this song. The bass line stays with you long after the song ends. And yet ANOTHER guitar solo finds its home here to showcase Brad. The drumming here really gets you grooving as well. Easily the most unique song on the album.

10. Drawbar - Tom Morello brings a haunting mood to this piano driven instrumental. Now is truly the time to catch your breath and relax for a couple minutes before we end this album. The piano builds up perfectly to the next song.

11. Final Masquerade - We have arrived at some of the best singing ever recorded by Chester to date. Really different sounding than anything he's done. This is the ballad of the album, but make no mistake, it's far from boring or slow. This is a true highlight of the album and the lyrics and emotions that run through it will stick with you. THIS is how you write a slower song. It completely shoves others like Roads Untraveled, Iridescent, Shadow Of The Day, ect. right out the window. Brad's guitar tone really sells it here. Great stuff.

12. A Line In The Sand - We have reached the grand finale to the record. It was quite a ride. We had ups, downs, loops, and complete drops. The closing track of The Hunting Party begins with a slow build. The sound of a thunderstorm rolls in and the ambience settles with Mike delivering some of his best singing to date. Truly chilling. Don't get too uncomfortable though. Rob arrives to pick up the pace one last time and then the guitars kick in, borrowing the sounds from every song so far to make a forceful, driving riff that carries the rest of the song. Guilty All The Same returns in a big way, bringing the album full circle. Chester unleashes some final screams for the chorus and Mike raps over a piano just to make sure that every base is covered. Just when you think it's over, Brad switches it up and he and Rob start jamming huge. The atmosphere definitely lets you know that this is the end. The song goes out in a huge way, with wailing loud guitars and drums over Chester screaming his lungs out. The final notes are of Mike reprising his singing from the intro and we're left in the wake of the destruction that this album has left us.


I love this album and I could not be more proud of my favorite band for making it. This is exactly what the world currently needed.

[Justin]

4. The Summoning - Perfect precursor to the skull fucking you're about to receive.

 

 

 

That's the best description I've ever seen.

 

 

Anyways, I love the album. I only listened all the way through once so far, but I loved every song. In contrast to what a few people have said, I felt that All For Nothing was a strong track. My personal least favorite song is probably Until It's Gone. Instrumentally, it's awesome. I just think it feels slightly out of place on the album, and is almost too simplistic lyrically. I think that they probably had radio play in mind when they finalized the song, and that's understandable.

Edited June 11, 2014 by Justin

[FearOfTheDuck]

Yeah, from the two listens I've had Until It's Gone came off as the weakest song.

Having said that I personally didn't really like Mark the Graves, but maybe it just needs more time.

[splitmyDNA]

WOW. I was expecting a decent album, something that harked back to a time gone by in moments perhaps.

 

But this?! No way. This is totally, unexpectedly amazing.

 

This album is a massive declaration of "Look what we've learned over 15 years. Look what we can do now".

 

10/10. My favourite LP album ever.

[Biggiee2180@aol.com]

I got 3 full listens in and I'm holding off until either get the digital copy emailed to me or the hard copy arrives. This album really took me by surprise. Unfortunately with the last few albums I always set my expectations high and either was let down at first or needed a bit of time to let the albums marinate. I can honestly say that this album is the first album since Meteora where I couldn't find a weak link in the tracks, and that's saying something. Also the first album since Meteora where I loved the album on first listen. Now, here's my initial opinions on the tracks, based on 3 listens...

 

1) Keys To The Kingdom: Holy fuck does this song make a statement if the band has ever made one! Love Chester's distorted vocal effects and Rob's buildup, and I LOVE the pause before the heavy intro riff kicks in. Mike's singing parts are great, and based off the rest of the album he's really stepped up his game and appears to me more comfortable. His rap verse on this song is sick. The pace and rhythm really showcases his verbal abuse talent. The bridge in my opinion is the highlight of this song. Brad and Rob make their own statement that this band hasn't lost it's edge, if anything they've just amplified it tenfold.

 

2) All For Nothing: This song is an early favorite, and that's because of Page Hamilton. I am not the least bit familiar with Helmet, but after hearing this track I just may give them a chance. He completely nails that chorus, and with Chester (and Mike?) chanting in between his lines gives such an impressive energy that would really make this song kick ass live. Mike's verses are on point as well. His wordplay is amazing and it's a shame he's so underrated in the rap world cause he could pare up with the best in my opinion. The bridge in this song is probably my favorite on the album. Brad's solo that mimics the chorus melody is so '90s grunge-like that I actually didn't mind it all cause it just took me by surprise (Brad doing solos is gonna take a while to settle for me lol).

 

3) Guilty All The Same: Mike & Brad's conversation about the heavy shit leading into this song is just priceless, and is another reason why this song flows so much better on he album rather than an individual single. The intro is so bad ass, and once again Brad & Rob shine here. It took me a while for Rakim's verse to grow on me, but now I love it. His rhymes flow so well with the instruments and after hearing the radio single without his verse, I've learned to appreciate it even more cause the song just doesn't contend without it. And that outro? Holy shit is that sickening and Brad certainly is giving the middle finger to his Hybrid Theory/Meteora self.

 

4,5) The Summoning/War: I agreed with Astat on this pairing. The summoning should have opened the album and kicked right into War. Chester took the theory that they were limiting the screaming songs to one per album and threw that right out the window. The screaming chorus and later melodic/wailing later choruses really keep the surprises going from beginning to end on this song. The pause before the first chorus is epic. Reminded me of the pause the band would take before they kick in A Place For My Head. That guitar solo is pure sickness. Brad takes the energy already established in this song and just blows the roof off of it. This song, going into Keys To The Kingdom would have been heavenly, and made for the most badass opening of any of their albums. Regardless, this song shoots first and doesn't even bother asking questions later cause there's no one left to ask after their faces melted off.

 

6) Wastelands: For all the haters out there that cried for the "Old LP" to come back, you got your wish here. This is the closest they've come since MTM to sounding like their older material, and that's not a bad thing. Chester's raw vocals and Mike's wordplay are perfectly pitched here. At this point on the album, it's become clear to me that when Mike delivers amazing rhymes, he's not channeling his Fort Minor side. I think Fort Minor was him channeling his boiling-over-the-top LP rhymes and rhythm to the point where he had unleash that madness. The heavy bridge and Chester's breakdown are highlights of this song. All in all, the vocals and riffs are catchy, and this song seems like one I'll be jumping to live

 

7) Until It's Gone: Probably the weakest song on the album, but that's not a bad thing when you're up against the rest of the album. Instrumentally, this song is great. The organ/synchs and samples over the guitar and drums really hit you hard here. The vocal melody flows amazingly with the build up of the song, but sadly the lyrics are what bring this song down. Way too many repeating parts, and for a band that rarely fails at writing descent vocals, it's a shame. If they had added some variety like they did in the final chorus I think it would have salvaged the song.

 

8) Rebellion: If there was a song I regretted hearing before the album, it was this one. I honestly wish I didn't hear any song besides GATS cause this section of the album is awesome, and continues going with this one. Daron Malakian's presence is instantly and throughout, and really brings a thrashy/punk vibe to a very hard, yet melodic song. Easily my favorite performance of Mike singing here. He really steps up here and I can't wait to see this live. The shared harmonies between Chester and Mike during the pre-chorus and choruses really help deliver a powerful chorus. Both melodically and vocally. Chester letting off in the bridge on top of Daron's fast paced palm-muted riff is as punk as this band has ever gotten, and it's awesome. And I LOVE when Mike comes back solo leading into the final chorus! This song is not only in your face, but it's very catchy at the same time.

 

9) Mark The Graves: I will admit, this song was the one question mark for me on my initial listen. This is just all over the place, and I really didn't know what to make of it. The chorus I think is what had me scratching my head at first cause with all the build up I thought it was going to lead to a more intense chorus, instead of Mike & Chester just yelling throughout it. After a second listen, the whole structure of the song finally clicked for me and now I really like it. Chester & Mike's harmonies are really ambient and compliment each other very well. The guitar riff throughout almost reminded me of a Foo Fighters song at times lol. The solos really complimented the song as a whole, rather than just standing out, and I really liked that.

 

10) Drawbar: Like most, I was disappointed by the lack of Tom Morello being his usual self and wowing us with things on a guitar we never though possible. I feel like the band could have axed him as a collab and made an interlude just as fitting to be an intro to next track. Don't get me wrong, I liked how the piece was structured and how it flowed, but if TOM MORELLO is going to be on your album, I think he should have made his presence known.

 

11) Final Masquerade: Chester is firing on all cylinders on this one. As much as we all wanted aggressive and screaming Chester back, I always appreciated just how melodically powerful he is, and he shows it on this track. The drums and strings (synchs?) in the intro really set a very atmospheric mode, and completely punches you in the face after the first chorus. This song is proof that band can still deliver a lighter track while still kicking you teeth in with heavy drums and guitar. Brad's solo really helps continue the atmospheric experience, and when Chester matches that melody on the outro it really puts a fork in the song and delivers

 

12) A Line In The Sand: After all of the reviews and first listens made their way around about this song, I really had high hopes. After TLYGYA and The Catalyst (the song that should have closed ATS) I knew LP had it in them to make a really epic closing song that managed to sum up not only the tone of the album, but the band altogether, and they deliver in a big way here. Mike's vocals really set a drowning tone to start things off, and thought it was very poetic considering the "line in the sand" metaphor and how his tone makes it seem like things won't change. Then BOOM!!! They pull a 180 and deliver some of the best head banging riffs they have ever played (despite it sounding similar to GATS). I will say this, Chester's vocals was the only thing that kind of dampened this song for me. I wanted less aggression and a bit more melody from him, but given the nature of the song I've slowly come to grips with how the aggression fits better with the track. He highlight of the song for me, by far is Mike's "rap verse." I used quotes there cause it was more of a spoken verse rather than rap, and damn did that breakdown bring me back to Mike's bridge on By Myself. The guitar work and drums come to an epic climax with Chester unleashing all that angst. Love how the song comes full circle, with Mike's singing further solidifying the metaphor of A Line In The Sand.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again... THIS is the album I have been waiting for. The band hasn't impacted me this hard since Meteora, and with the directions they've been going the last decade, I didn't think that could be possible. All in all, fucking awesome record. Solid 9/10 for me. Cannot wait to see them destroy us all playing these songs live this summer

[thedamian58c]

Just listened to the album for the first time, and I must say it's amazing, one of their best, if not the best. I will listen to it tomorrow one more time, then add the songs to my playlist, and then write a solid review. Here's my first experiences of the album:

When I downloaded it I though KTTK is broken or something, but after a few seconds I felt the LP energy, and got goosebumps.

The song with Page Hamilton was my least favorite song of the album, but it's still awesome. GATS felt totally different than single version, I felt it better. UIG felt different too, I felt it much better in the album, I got very similar goosebumps to those I got when listening to it for the first time. Rebellion was amazing, one of my favorites, it felt like perfect (almost perfect actually, because there was no Daron and Seji vocals on it) blend of LP and SOAD. LITS disappointed me a bit, only because it was the last track, I think there should be one more song at the end. Well, 2 instrumentals is too much, especially when the album has 12 songs, that may be a reason why I felt like the album is missing something. I think I know why Mike warned people about the heart attack, album had some surprising moments, that could actually scare you. There was more screaming and double bass pedal than I expected, and I'm glad for that. The album might be the heaviest LP album.

Edited June 11, 2014 by TheDamian58C

[Geki]

I keep saying it, but seriously, this it the BEST album from LP so far, IMHO. Shit..

[GlassCastles]

Rating each song individually,

 

Keys To The Kingdom - 88/100

All For Nothing - 75/100

Guilty All The Same - 74/100

The Summoning - 70/100

War - 95/100

Wastelands - 55/100

Until It's Gone - 88/100

Rebellion - 97/100

Mark The Graves - 99/100

Drawbar - 80/100

Final Masquerade - 100/100

A Line In The Sand - 100/100

 

That comes out to about 1,021/1,200 which is like an 85/100, but I feel the album as whole is closer to 90/100 or 9/10, seeing as Wastelands really brought down the score.

 

So, overall - 9/10. A solid album

[partofmelp67]

Here is my "review" of THP, as seen in a french magazine/website : (sorry if there are some translation mistakes,I didn't use a translator)


LINKIN PARK is a group you may have hard time to definite/identify in the alternative-rock stratosphere. After their debut on the Nu-Metal scene, they started changing their minds and their kind of music, going from progressive/alternative pop-rock to experimental electronic sounds.

When promoting their new album THE HUNTING PARTY, Mike Shinoda claimed his will to go to the band's root, mentioning bands like Black Flag, Helmet or Refused as his influences. He wanted something more authentic and visceral. And I have to admit : it's working well !

The production is rawer than ever in a good way,the way some bands like Refused used to have . Some of you may not like it, but the approach is totally differeent. Hybrid Theory this is not, this is Punk-hardcore at its best, this is LP at its best !!
Heavy synths and beatboxes have been replaced with organic material, blistering guitars and hasty drums.

Then, like I said, some tracks remind me of the band REFUSED, especially 2 of them: the anthemic badass "Keys to the Kingdom" and the very special "Mark the Graves" (which guitars remind me of the song "New Noise").
"War" is like a stomp in the haters faces , very similar to old school punk-rock bands like Black Flag. Something that Rise Against wasn't able to produce since "Sirens and Condoleances".

Guests are also here, as legendary "underground" rapper Rakim adds his flow to the unstructured "Guilty all the same", Page Hamilton from Helmet's also here, providing the choruses to a badass verses from Shinoda (damn, that bass line !!!). And Daron Malakian, shredder from System of A Down adds some new "personnality" to LP in an almost SOAD song.

The Old LP's still here though, essentially for two ballads: "Until it's Gone" and "Final Masquerade". While the first one is very simple and "quite plain" (I changed my mind after the review), the second one is a beautiful piece of music reminding me old school rock bands from the eightees.

Then we may be have the best song of the album, possibly the best they've ever written as "A Line in the Sand". You've got it all in this 6+ minutes long track reminiscent from THRICE ("Major/Minor" meets "The Artist in the ambulance"). A majr way to close an album

The only let-downs so far are "Wastelands", which re-uses old LP formulas from Meteora, and "Drawbar". Let's get this straight: I like this track a lot, but it didn't need in any way Tom Morello to do that.

Thanks to a more authentic approach and a rawer sound, LP gives us what is undoubtly the most heavy/agressive record to date, and certainly the best along "A Thousand Suns"


TOP 3 songs to listen:

A Line in the sand
Mark the graves
Final Masquerade

[JozM]

I keep saying it, but seriously, this it the BEST album from LP so far, IMHO. Shit..

 

 

Geki just curious, according to your signature if THP has overtaken MTM as your favourite album why has MTM dropped all the way to 4th favourite?

[gorast]

Alright, I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be perpetually in the minority here, but I just cannot get into A Line in the Sand. Random heavy section with a bad transition, literally the Victimized riff with a part of GATS at the end, an unimpressive false ending...

 

Mike's vocals are great, and the verse he drops in the middle of the song is top-notch, but that's really all I like about the song. The actual ending is pretty great, too.

 

I keep trying to put together a comprehensive review of this album, but I can't muster the energy or effort to do it. This is just a really solid album all around, that's all there is to it.