CD Reviews

[hahninator]

Finally got the CD, for those of you who grab the leak whenever it gets posted...here's the place to post your reviews.

 

DO NOT REQUEST LINKS TO THE ALBUM IN THIS THREAD

[Linkindude92]

i only have

 

 

Fire

CBI

Too Late

Inside of me

Let Down

My Sufferings

 

 

I think the dark stuff on this album is like , i have never heard before,

just love too late , the chorus is the best chorus ever heard.

 

even the other songs like CBI are kick ass .

 

drums and keys on every songs are really diff. drums are like some punk stuff but are not really punk ,

they are like punk + funky

 

FU is a great musician, i loved his work

 

and Let Down is going to be and epic song!

 

best of luck to OOA!

[lperocker]

Since I cant listen to the album right now, I am patently awaiting Mark's review. What a good day today has been so far! I just got Lakers tickets and now Out of Ashes! WOW!

[Linkindude92]

wait... how have u guys got the CD already?

 

is uber-confused

i think you are not OL from last 12 hrs

[hybridx]

Album is amazing.

 

9/10

 

Top 3:

 

Into you

In the darkness

Too late

 

 

All of the songs are awesome!!!!

[Sepol]

Someone PM me a linky please =[

*joins the wave of 'PM me please!"*

 

Anyway, back to topic (sort of)... I've only heard what is available for everyone else outside Japan, but not the 30 sec samples (I'm waiting to hear the full songs, I hate these '30sec song spoilers'); from what I've heard, I'm a little bit disappointed... their sound performing live and their song on studio is completly different, IMO. Live is so raw, and studio is a little bit overproduced. But despite this, once I get past this 'live/studio contrast disappointment', the songs are pretty good

 

I'll elaborate once I manage to hear the full album

[Geki]

Such an amazing album. I am literally blown away by it. I have been playing it all day in my car just driving around and I finally just got home for a bit. In The Darkness still remains my favorite, the humming at the beginning is a bit odd but I like it. Into You and Too Late are amazing....every song is just awesome. Condemned is so dark. ''Cut me up and leave me for dead''. And that's only one line. Haha.

Edited September 29, 2009 by Geki

[Tomer]

Awesome Album

 

9,5/10

 

 

My top 3:

 

Inside Of Me

Into you

Too Late

 

 

But all songs are awesome.. very deep lyrics, i like it.

 

Can't wait to buy it!

[hahninator]

Fire - Good song to start the album. I was a big fan of this song live and I still like it.

Positives: Sick, heavy drum/guitar intro. Solid vocals from Chester. Bridge is very nice. "On the other side" which Chester screams rocks my world.

Negatives: Layered vocals kill me, man. Keyboards mixed a little too high.

Rating: 7/10

 

Crawl Back In - First single. Wasn't a big fan initially live. I've played it a lot in my car and had it on repeat the other day. Chester sounds a bit weird but I got really used to it and it settled in nicely.

Positives: That "fake chorus" leadup that's in the first verse. The structure of that totally reminds me of QWERTY. That guitar riff comes in heavy when he says "I wanna Crawl Back In"...I like it. Nice way to end the song.

Negatives: Guitar solo isn't that great for Amir's talents. Overall song is just maintream as hell...I'd prefer something a bit different.

Rating: 6/10

 

Too Late - Interesting first impression from this song. Slow, not really my thing, but certain things stand out as being pretty cool.

Positives: Guitar work on the bridge stands out immediately. Very nice. The bridge into the last chorus flows very well.

Negatives: Lyrics aren't that great really. Song is really slow, not that that's a bad thing, but it's not one that sticks out to me. Generic song that's kind of bland, not a big fan of this one.

Rating: 4/10

 

Inside Of Me - Loved it from the very first listen. "What the hell is wrong with me"...I love that line.

Positives: Screaming, chorus, verses, everything. Lyrics remind me of Given Up. Good track, one of my favorites on the CD. Elias kills it!

Negatives: Too fucking short! Intro is very weird. Otherwise, nothing!

Rating: 9/10 (could be perfect if it was a bit longer)

 

Let Down - Was looking forward to this one

Positives - I really like Chester's vocals.

Negatives - Keyboards. Too much. That fake drum sample going in the background the whole song is very annoying. No real drums until the first chorus is kind of weird. "I don't wanna be Let Down" repeated on the 2nd chorus isn't attractive to me. Bridge was totally massacred from the live acoustic version. The bridge there was made out to be a lot better with Amir and Ryan trading off on epic guitar pieces while Chester sang harmony over it...don't like what they did on the studio version.

Rating: 5/10. "Let Down" (pun intended) from the acoustic version...I prefer that one over this version.

 

Give Me Your Name - Stood out as a solid track from the first listen. 30 second clip made it sound terrible but I legit like the track after listening a few songs.

Positives: Lyrics for sure. Guitar licks are powerful in this one. Verses are solid in this song, but damn the chorus is excellent. Chester nailed the vocal parts. I like the softer songs like this when they are done right. Good song!

Negatives: I have none on this song. It was Chester's wedding song and was appropriately picked in my opinion.

Rating: 10/10

 

My Suffering - Loved the Club Tattoo version...this version is decent.

Positives: Screaming on the choruses. That was great to see live.

Negatives: A bit overproduced. Short. Not as good as the demo from Club Tattoo. Not really much to this song, so meh.

Rating: 5/10

 

Condemned - Didn't like the 30 second sample and the album version doesn't do much for me.

Positives: Sick guitar work in the bridge. Chester's screaming is epic....we need that in the next LP album! Elias is solid again.

Negatives: Not my type of vocal work, not my type of song. My Suffering is much better.

Rating: 3/10

 

Into You - 30 second sample stood out to me IMMEDIATELY. I knew this was going to be an epic track.

Positives: Intro is good, verses are awesome as hell, chorus is good. Lyrics are excellent. Very nice job on this one Chester, I really like it. Whether that's an acoustic guitar or not (it sounds acoustic to me), it sounds great. The vocal structure in this song is great. Excellent bridge!

Negatives: None. None at all. I love this song.

Rating: 10/10

 

End Of The World - Sample of this one said that it'd be ok to me...and it was. Song is alright, not bad! Different type of track for Chester. It almost sounds like it could be a Nickelback song, lol.

Positives: Lyrics. Hell yes, some great lyrics on this one. The keyboard is used effectively on this song...good work Fu. Chorus is good, vocals are good. Fan of this song for sure.

Negatives: Bridge is weak due to that clapping effect (or it sounds like clapping to me). Then it picks back up but that part isn't that great in my opinion either...song gets back on track right as it ends. Interesting outro though.

Rating: 7/10

 

Walking In Circles - Been looking forward to this one for a while. Live version from Club Tattoo was incredible...I really would like to see this one live.

Positives: Vocals. They sound raw initially which is what I like. The verses have none of that nonsense layering bullshit. The chorus does which makes it sound like Fire, but oh well. Howard Benson, please don't work with Chester again. You layer the everliving fuck out of his vocals and it's annoying man. The higher pitched line in the 2nd chorus is great. The song builds up...very nice. Elias again, nice job. Good vocal range on the last minute of the song.

Negatives: Intro is kind of odd. Bridge isn't that great...could be a bit better.

Rating: 8/10

 

In The Darkness - The clip sounded great at first but I was a bit hesitant on how the whole thing would sound.

Positives: Vocals are pretty good in the verses. Sounds almost like a haunting/dark Chester. The drums come in at the perfect time and build it up to the chorus which is excellent. Finally a song without short verses, but long ones that are nicely put together. This song was a really big surprise for me when it got to the chorus. Fucking love the choruses, they make the song. Absolutely excellent work. Huge fan of Chester's vocals and vocal structure in the chorus...some of his best work right here. Song stood out immediately. Solid bridge and outro.

Negatives: Intro has to be the weirdest thing I've ever heard in a song. Other than that, I like it. The first impression made me think people would get lost and bored in the verses but no, they are structurally solid and are lengthy which is always a plus (especially for a song Chester is involved in). I like how he uses the words "In The Darkness" quite a bit too.

Rating: 10/10

 

Morning After - Blah. That's all I can say.

Positives: Not really sure, lol. I love the song but the studio version doesn't do it for me. Elias's work in the bridge is different and stands out as alright.

Negatives: Almost the whole thing. Vocals are layered to hell, the production is way overdone...the entire thing sounds like the Julien-K remix. Now I know why it didn't make the album. The whole song should be redone for a more "rock" version. Heavier guitar, etc like it was when it was played live with Bucket Of Weenies. I prefer the 2001 acoustic version much better...this one is like a 2nd take of the Julien-K remix, lol. I don't hate the song, I love it, but for a "studio version", it fails.

Rating: 2/10

 

Overall Album - I think we heard a bit too much beforehand since it was only a 12/13 song record, so upon hearing 4 or so songs coming into it, you only have so much to look forward to. However, the record is alright. A few weak songs, a few epic songs, so it all evens out. I'm proud of Chester for putting the record out but I think the timing was just god damn terrible. This is prime time for Linkin Park to be doing an album and Chester doing DBS is taking away quality time from Linkin Park...I am upset by that and I don't like how DBS was included in the LP set this summer. But other than timing and the horrible overproduction by Howard Benson, the album is good. Chester came into it with some solid material and came out with a solid CD. Howard Benson layered the hell out of his vocals, which is something I hate with Chester since his voice raw is so incredible. They clip his vocals and push certain pieces (like screams, etc) back in the mix so far it sounds weird. I think someone else could have produced it and done a better job, but that's just me. Standouts are Elias's great drumming and some interesting vocals by Chester.

 

So in summary, bad timing for a solo project (where were you in 2005 Chester?) and I'm not a fan of Howard Benson's production this effort, but a nice job was done by the Julien-K guys and Chester on this to come out with an alright CD. It's an album I'll listen to at times...I love a few of the tracks, but I think the Fort Minor project was executed much better, so I prefer Mike's solo effort over Chester's is what my final decision is.

Final rating: 6/10.

Final comments: Linkin Park time now please?

[Annoy]

After listening to the album I wonder why it has such shitty single as crawl back in

[revolutionman]

Inside Of Me - Loved it from the very first listen. "What the hell is wrong with me"...I love that line.

Positives: Screaming, chorus, verses, everything. Lyrics remind me of Given Up. Good track, one of my favorites on the CD. Elias kills it!

Negatives: Too fucking short! Intro is very weird. Otherwise, nothing!

Rating: 9/10 (could be perfect if it was a bit longer)

FINALLY SOMEONE AGREES WITH ME ON THIS SONG! seems like everyone loves bashing it, I think the track is amazing, its so fast and straight up rock, and chesters screaming sounds great.

[GrudgedPunkr]

I don't get why some people are calling it "emo" or "watered down" at all... I don't think they were going for an extremely hard rock sound or a Linkin Park sound. I like they what they did, granted I don't like as good as an LP record I do like it.

 

The term "emo" is outdated so please stop living in 2006. No one uses that term anymore.

Edited September 29, 2009 by GrudgedPunkr

[Geki]

The biggest thing I got when I first listened to the album was the fact that myself and others were judging it before we heard the whole thing. I was wrong, I admit it. The album is very good, I love it. I know to others it might seem weak but I really enjoy this album and I think I will forever. It will one of those albums you will love for the rest of your life for me. I think a lot of people were turned off by the album because of the 4 songs that were released before it leaked. I'll admit that I'm not a big fan of those tracks compared to almost all of the other songs on the album. I think Fire might in fact be my least favorite for some reason. I used to love it when I first heard it live a few months back but the chorus just sucks on the album version IMO, the vocals aren't great as well as the breakdown. I think people need to listen to this album as a whole before judging it. Anyways, I give the album a 9/10.

[Tomer]

Someone should get the lyrics of the songs, i suck at guessing lyrics:O

[Geki]

I did Condemned...although a few lines I can't quite make out, so correct me people.

 

V1

Happiness from misery

I want it

Cut me up and leave me for dead

Sacrifice a simple life

No return

Kiss the weapon

Kiss goodbye for good

 

CH

Cmon beat me

I'm not a man

Go on and kill me

Condemned

 

V2

Use me as a chemical

I'm burning

Love me like a suicide

Commit

Treat me like an animal

I like it

Put me on my leash again

You're bad

Suck the soul right out of me

I don't need it

Happiness from misery

 

CH

Cmon beat me

I'm not a man

Go on and kill me

Condemned

Condemned

Condemned

Condemned

Condemned

[florez411]

JKust got done with the first full listen through. Grade? A-. Three favorite songs?

1. Let Down

2. End of the World

3. In The Darkness

[Derbyster]

Initial feelings: not THAT pumped up about the album i have to say. Definitely some great songs, but i guess a bit too dark for me.

Top 3 songs(yeah, all slower songs):

1.WIC

wtf @intro?

2.Into You

had all the elements needed for a great song, maybe even better than WIC

<---->(bigger gap after WIC and IY)

3.Too Late

love the beat in the background:D

 

Let Down sounded pretty bad(the chorus repeated way too much in the end)

Condemned suprised me a bit, but some lyric parts were inconvenient for me to listen.("suicide" "kill me" etc)

 

6/10

Edited September 30, 2009 by Derbyster

[Mog214]

Ah...Out Of Ashes, the debut album from Dead By Sunrise, the unexpected (to put it slightly) amalgamating of Linkin Park front man Chester Bennington and Orgy offshoot Julien-K. Interviews from last year described the musical vibe as "Chester Bennington's Julien-K," and many speculated that due to the vocalists being the same, we'd basically have another Linkin Park record on our hands. Both camps, for better or worse, were completely off base here, and Dead By Sunrise comes out of the ashes of eight years of Chester's free time when Linkin Park was off cycle. So what do we have here? The best album of all time? A travesty to music? Just a respectable effort? How does it compare to Fort Minor? Let's take a look.

 

01. Fire---Out of Ashes begins with "Fire," an unquestionably strong opener. I was in love with this song ever since the intro was played in the trailer for that Japanese movie (name eludes me). The guitar work, the drumming, the vocals, everything seems to be clear, loud, and well done. The bridge absolutely owns, with what I'll call the best screaming on the album, and the vocal layering actually plays to the music's advantage in this track. Great example of what these guys can do together.

10/10

 

02. Crawl Back In---The lead single and the first real taste of the band people who didn't frequent Club Tattoo got. By that token, this is likely the first Dead By Sunrise song Chester played sober, but at any rate, the review. Initially, the vocal style threw me off, because I was one of the people convinced Dead By Sunrise was going to be Linkin Park 2.0. However, once I adapted to the style a bit, the song proved to be pretty solid. The vocals in the verses are strong, and the guitar work is consistent throughout, with a decent solo setting off the bridge. Chorus is also pretty great vocally/lyrically. With that said, the lyrics are what make this track suffer. Two example grate against me specifically. Verse two "It's hard to think of anything that I haven't heard before/I hear these voices in my head/They could be mine, but I'm not sure." I always find repeating the same word within three lines to be sort of...annoying. Wasn't there a better word to use? And the bridge sans the solo is the same stuff that fans have been begging Linkin Park to drop for years. "Sometimes I lie/Sometimes I cry/Sometimes I feel like I want to die." The old lie/cry/die thing has been a staple of fifteen year old poets for years, I was hoping Chester's solo effort would leave it behind. Alas.

8/10

 

03. Too Late---Was pleasantly surprised by this song. It's a bit soft, but it has a nice flow, and the soft, pleasant vocal work we've come to expect from Chester's ballads. Pretty solid length and all the elements came together pretty well to form a good track. As the first "new" song on the album to these ears, I was pleased and eager for more, but nothing blew me away on this one.

7/10

 

04. Inside Of Me---Short, in your face track. Full of energy, full of the familiar rasp of Bennington's vocals that will make any Linkin Park fan feel right at home. The intro is a little "Green Day," but the song quickly picks up pace. Guitar work is good, vocals are nice, and the train-horn solo kicked my ass first time around. The song is like a sucker punch in the face after the first three tracks; fast, in your face, and leaving you wonder what the hell just happened. Only takes a hit in my book because of the overdone Linkin Park vibe, right down to the lyrics borrowing a bit too heavily from "Given Up."

9/10

 

05. Let Down---Trying to put aside my love for and familiarity with the ReactNow acoustic version from 2005 and judging this track on its own merits within the album was tricky, but I gave it an honest try. The intro stood out as kind of drowned out and melted together. The melody was there, but it felt like it had been in the sun too long and turned to liquid, if you catch my drift. The vocal performance was top notch, and the guitar work was pretty solid again. The bridge disappointed me, with the powerful vocals Chester delivered in the ReactNow version (I tried) being replaced by heavily drowned out backup from the rest of the band, who, as far as I'm concerned, were given instruments and not microphones for a reason. Solid, but not as fantastic as I was dreaming for.

8/10

 

06. Give Me Your Name---I'll make this clear first. I adore songs like this. Dreamy, slow, melodious monsters that you dream about listening to high off your ass. I loved the lyrics, and the vocal delivery was fantastic. I've already stated that I adore Chester's ballad vocals, and it's tracks like this that provide all the justification I ever need. The guitar work is, again, great, but the rest of the band sort of takes a backseat. I can't even remember upon the first listen if this even had percussion. Ah well.

9/10

 

07. My Suffering---I'll be honest. This song is really two different creatures depending on whether you're listening to it with headphones on, or you're in a packed stadium. The original version Chester played at Club Tattoo would annoy the hell out of me if it made the cut for the album, but by the same token, listening to this live is probably about as heavy and hard hitting as listening to the previous track will be. Since I'm reviewing the album however, I'll discuss my opinions on the version in front of me. My Suffering is another short track like "Inside Of Me," meant to deliver another punch in the face after two ballads. Unfortunately, length works against this song, and it just feels like there should be MORE. The vocals are good, the lyrics are nice, the guitar work is, as always, good, but it just feels like it stops halfway through. Other negatives include the underwater call back style of the verses, and the fact that screaming in the chorus is mixed so low that it sounds like raspy whispering. The lack of a lyrical bridge ticks me off, too, and this, unfortunately, is an issue that's present with a good eighty percent of the album.

6/10

 

08. Condemned---Past the halfway point now, I can see how a lot of these songs just wouldn't fit in Linkin Park. A good majority would only be fit for solo efforts like this, simply because of the general lack of cohesiveness. Compared to two tracks ago, "Condemned," made me think I had accidentally started listening to the new Alice In Chains album. Chester's vocals are very intentionally grunge, and I must say, he can pull it off. With that said, the mixing is terrible, and the lyrics are unremarkable compared to what we've soon so far. Not much to say here except I really didn't like this one too much.

5/10

 

09. Into You---I love this song. Absolutely love. I could tell as soon as the opening guitar played that this was different from the rest of the album, and not like "Condemned," before it. The way the verses progress is unique, the vocals are clean and clear, the lyrics are good and I can relate to them (a first for this album, so far). Really, really great stuff here. Not much to say except I love it.

10/10

 

10. The End Of The World---I think it's a rule in rock and roll that if you're going to be a serious musician, at some point in your career, you need to make a song called "The End Of The World." With that said, I really enjoy Chester's "real world," lyrics here, and the vocal progression from soft, dark verses to eventually, angry, grungy verses was a good call in my book. It gets points for being a unique track, but overall, it didn't blow me away much, either.

7/10

 

11. Walking In Circles---I really take to enlightened lyrics. I'm naturally a "holier than thou," person, as bad a habit as it is, so I can relate to these "everyone is a sheep," lyrics. The music plays very well to the lyrics, which are delivered well. The chorus is a strong point and not a detriment as it's been in some past tracks, and I really enjoyed this one. Big complaint is that for it's length, it should really have a lyrical bridge. Linkin Park must spoil me with this, but a guitar solo or quiet interlude between choruses just doesn't do it for me, and having over half of the lyrical content of a song being the chorus repeating over and over again grates on me.

9/10

 

12. In The Darkness---I love the intro here. The electronica mixed with actual vocals to form the opening effect was very attention grabbing, and this song was almost an instant stand out due to that fact alone. I loved the instrumentation throughout, and the vocals by Chester were great. The lyrics were a bit uncomfortable sometimes, however, and this isn't a song I'll jam to with a bunch of friends in the same room. The chorus was a bit garbled, as well, and repeated too many times for my liking. Lyrical bridge. Come on. Please? Throw me a bone?

8/10

 

13. The Morning After---Again, I tried to block out the three other versions of this song we heard and judge it by its own merits as an album closer. (I know it's a bonus track, but...I digress). Almost from the start, the guitar and drums seemed to be mixed too loudly. It was almost like there was no intro and the song started from the twenty second mark or something. The vocals were mixed kind of low, and unfortunately (I tried, again) it appears to be the EXACT SAME vocal take as the Julien-K remix. Everything right down to the solo is the same, with the only difference being the removal of repeated vocals and the drum interlude before the second verse. In essence, what we have is a shorter, bare bones version of the Julien-K remix. Good song, but average take. Again, no damned bridge.

6/10

 

Dead By Sunrise: Out Of Ashes---There you have it. Chester Bennington's solo album, a collection of songs that's been in the making since 2002, has finally been released here, a collection of personal thoughts, efforts of the man's free time, and things that just wouldn't fit in a Linkin Park album. Julien-K and Chester Bennington have chemistry. Dead By Sunrise and their producer on Out of Ashes however, do not. This is a live band. All of the songs we've heard prior to this release have seen their best versions live. The Morning After, Let Down, these songs we've come to love, live in front of a crowd. The band works well together, but the timing, pacing, and content suffered a little for whatever reason. What we're left with is a solid, but lacking effort from a fledgling band, but experienced musicians. People expecting Linkin Park will be disappointed. People expecting the best album of the year will be disappointed. I'll go as far as to say this is an album best appreciated by fans of Chester Bennington. Overall, I'm pleased, but feel it could have done more. I wasn't instantly blown away as I was with all three Linkin Park albums, but I appreciate Chester Bennington, and I enjoy his work.

Overall 8/10

 

Fort Minor wins the solo race.

[MONDREUS240]

I'm listening to most of the songs right now. They still need to sink in some more. I think the album is a bit over produced. My faves so far:

Crawl Back In

Too Late

Let Down

Into You

Walking In Circles

 

Edit: I think DBS is better than FM. At least all of the music on OOA is written by the band itself. *CoughBelivemeandwheredyougoCough*

Edited September 30, 2009 by MONDREUS240

[parth196]

FIRE - 8/10

a cool guitar intro into the heavy drum/guitar part. i really like the lyrics, and when the keyboard comes in i get really choked up over the lyrics. there's tons of emotion and some beautiful harmonies. the bridge is well done too. however, i don't really like the chorus. it sounds really cliche and boring, but the lyrics don't disappoint. i feel like the bridge would have been magnificent if there were some more emotion put into the words. overall a solid track, however.

 

CRAWL BACK IN - 7/10

nothing amazing here, but nevertheless a decent track. it's a good "pump-up" song, but i'm not a huge fan of it. chester does have some solid screams in here though, and unlike many others, i am a huge fan of the guitar solo. i also like the structure, how the chorus doesn't come in for a while.

 

TOO LATE - 8/10

i love the intro. there are some cool keyboards/synths here, and i love the mellow vocals. the lyrics are alright, i love the simplicity of the lyrics in the chorus, but i can tell it will be hated on by many. i really love the vocal melody of the chorus. i really love the piano in the last chorus, i wish it was turned up more in the mix. i think the production on this track kills it for me, an acoustic or live version of this song would probably amaze me. overall, however, this song reminds me too much of 'leave out all the rest.'

 

INSIDE OF ME - 8/10

solid song. i love the chorus and bridge; i can tell this is going to be an awesome live track. cool guitar solo too. there are some really strong screams in here too. but i don't like the verses too much, and i wish it was longer. again, it also reminds me too much of LP (given up) to truly amaze me.

 

LET DOWN - 10/10

i love this song. the synths and industrial feel of the intro make it for me; i love the drum sample that repeats throughout the song. i was blown away when i heard the falsetto part after the first chorus; it is truly incredible. the overproduction isn't a problem in that part, but i don't like the layered second verse (production-wise). i also think that the first chorus shouldn't have had distorted guitars, it should have been done acoustically or through synths. but the distortion should definitely have been brought in later, because the bridge/guitar solo are fucking amazing. i also would have liked it better if there was as much emotion put into the vocals as there was in the acoustic version, but i can see how that would have sounded better in an acoustic version. an understandable change. i still like the acoustic version from 2005 better, but this song is definitely one of my favorites.

 

GIVE ME YOUR NAME - 9/10

a very different kind of song for chester. i really love how the vocals are introduced as raw, but end up growing. there are some beautiful lyrics, vocals and harmonies here, along with some very complementing keyboard samples. i'm not a huge fan of the guitar, but i love the acoustic guitar ending. i really like the production on this too, i don't think the overproduction which is present on most of this album is much of an issue here. this is a beautiful song, and i can imagine it working well acoustically.

 

MY SUFFERING - 9/10

this song just kicks ass, lol. it's another good "pump-up" song. i absolutely love the double bass, especially at the end of the bridge where elias just goes crazy. i also love the drum sample in the beginning of the song, and there is cool production on the vocals in the first verse. overall, a solid track. i originally wasn't a huge fan of the guitar intro, but it grew on me a lot. also, the screams in the choruses are fucking awesome. i think the screams feel more powerful if they are the only screams in the song. as opposed to most people, i like this version better than the club tattoo one from last year.

 

CONDEMNED - 7/10

i'm not into this kind of music at all, but for what it is, this song is pretty epic. the lyrics are really dark, and i can imagine this song in a horror movie and working well, lol. there are some epic screams in here, but the track's length and style aren't really my thing.

 

INTO YOU - 10/10

another one of my favorites on the album. a really nice guitar/drum intro followed by soothing vocals singing beautiful lyrics. i love how chester's voice isn't overproduced on this track, it sounds amazing raw like this; it really suits the track well. i love how it grows, the distorted guitars (which i would think won't complement this song well) are actually very well-done, accompanied by a very passionate vocal performance. a magnificent track; i will be recording a cover of this, lol.

 

END OF THE WORLD - 6/10

not my style at all. i don't really like chester's flow or vocal style in this song much, nor do i really like the julien-k style intro. good lyrics though, while kept short and simple, they do the track justice. the ending is really cool too, although i'm sure a lot of people don't like it much, lol.

 

WALKING IN CIRCLES - 10/10

one hell of a song. like most people predicted, the album version of this song is fucking epic. again, chester's vocals are introduced raw and unaccompanied by production, sounding very powerful in a different kind of way. the lyrics are very well done and unique, and i love the guitar/drum intro. i love the guitar solos, but i have to say the live version from club tattoo had better guitar solos. i actually like the layered vocals in the second verse, they sound good after listening to the raw first verse. the final choruses have amazing backing vocals and harmonies; overall this track is fucking legendary.

 

IN THE DARKNESS - 10/10

this track is probably the most unique on the album, and is done amazingly well. i love the acoustic intro, but i've got to say that the beat-boxing is fucking weird, lol. still, it adds to the uniqueness of this track. i love the vocal style, the dark, sexy feel, and the lyrics. i can feel myself smiling when listening to the lyrics, lol. after listening to the live acoustic version this summer, i have to say i'm more into that version, but this version is fucking solid as well.

[Geki]

A lot of people hate Condemned...for me it's one of my favorites. I don't really know why...I just love it.

[[High_Voltage]]

A lot of people hate Condemned...for me it's one of my favorites. I don't really know why...I just love it.

Agreed-

 

Condemned, End of the World & Walking In Circles are all great

 

ITD is growing on me too. Seems the second half is alot stronger than the first half of the album.

 

CBI has got to be one of the worst on the album IMO

[LinkinParkHotspur]

Agreed-

 

Condemned, End of the World & Walking In Circles are all great

 

ITD is growing on me too. Seems the second half is alot stronger than the first half of the album.

 

CBI has got to be one of the worst on the album IMO

It's good to see that a lot of people think the second half is better because I personally think the five songs I've heard from the first half are awesome. I guess I'm saving the best for last. I've heard Fire, CBI, Too Late, Inside of Me, Give Me Your Name, and My Suffering. Waiting until the album comes out to hear the rest. I didn't hear most of the second half of M2M until it came out either.

[ChuckCheese]

Fire - Had to let this one grow on me. Initially didn't like it too much, I found the way it was structured kinda weird. But again, it grew on me. I agree the keyboard is mixed pretty loudly...but that honestly doesn't bother me too much. Chester's scream during "On the other side" sells it for me. Solid song, good start to the album. Loving the harmonies, gives you a good taste of things to come.

7/10

 

Crawl Back In - I think releasing this as the first single was a genius move. It really does just scream "single". I loved this track the first time I heard it. Good, catchy, straight up rock song. Something you can bang your head to and have fun with. Guitar solo is a bit disappointing, it could have been better. Overall though, definitely one of my favorites, even if it does sound mainstream. Absolutely love the "Hey!" that ends it.

8/10

 

Too Late - Interesting intro. Chorus is easy enough to pick up on and sing along to. I can't really say anything bad about this track, but I can't really say anything that special about it either. I do like the way it flows. I'm sure it stands out for some people, but I'd just say it's a decent ballad. It will probably grow on me.

5/10

 

Inside of Me - Immediately gets you going. Pretty impressive screams by Chester. This is another fun song, like Crawl Back In, except even more so. Bridge is a blast to rock out to. Lyrics don't impress me too much, but the sound makes up for that. Song is way too short though.

6/10

 

Let Down - One of the tracks I've been waiting to hear. I can honestly say I wasn't disappointed. I love the lyrics, the flow, everything. I find it to be a beautiful song. The electronic elements fill in the gap that was missing from the acoustic performance, which I also loved. The harmony and added "I don't wanna be let down!" added to the chorus really stands out to me. Definitely one of my favorites.

9/10

 

Give Me Your Name - Veeeeeery different feel than anything I have ever heard from Chester, whether in LP or in the rest of the album. Nice lyrics, very lovey dovey, but it works well for this song. Can't tell if that's his falsetto or head voice in the chorus, either way it sounds spectacular. Works perfectly for the song. Like all the ballads on the album, I love the way the song flows. It just kinda makes you sit back and go "yeah...this is nice." Something that caught my attention is in the last chorus how he goes back into full voice, I really liked that.

7/10

 

My Suffering - I know I'm gonna be one of the only people that agrees with this, but I like this version much better than the original 08 demo. I love the way the verses are sung. Yet again, another song to rock out to, so that can be a plus or a minus, depends on you. Nice screaming in the chorus, I love it. Only negative thing I can say is it's a tad bit short, and the echo thing in the verses is way too much like Inside of Me.

7/10

 

Condemned - I gotta say, I love this song. It hooked me the second it started. Chester's completely nails the singing styling that this song calls for. Very dark lyrics, which works. Reminds of a band that I can't quite put my finger on, I want to say Disturbed but I know that's not it. I love the guitar work in this song just as much as I love Chester's growling throughout it. Nice eerie, creepy, evil feel. And damn! I knew Chester could scream, but the ones that he's letting loose on this track completely blew me away.

8/10

 

Into You - Gotta say it again, the flow and overall simple sound of this ballad sell it for me. I really can't say much about the song, I love the way it picks up halfway through. Good lyrics as well. I'm positive the ballads will grow on me. It just takes me a few listens.

8/10

 

End of the World - One of my favorites. Love the sound. Like Give Me Your Name, it has a completely different feel than from the rest of the album, and from LP. I really, really like this style. The lyrics are pretty awesome as well. Can't tell if that's a keyboard or not after the second verse, but whatever it is, it makes me smile every time. Sounds amazing. This song, in my opinion, really shows how Chester ventured and experimented on this album, and touched on themes and styles that he really liked. Not gonna complain on the vocal layering on this song, I think it works.

10/10

 

Walking In Circles - My new favorite song. Period. Holy crap. This track is just so incredibly epic. The intro gives off a sort of creepy vibe. Drums are great, the highlight of the instruments on the track. Chester completely kicks ass with this song, the lyrics, the feel, the rawness, everything. The chorus is just fantastic, if not perfect. The harmonies give me chills every single time I listen to them. I can't even explain the feeling that shot through me the first time I gave this song a listen. Damn. Props to Chester and the guys in Julien-K for this masterpiece.

11/10

 

In the Darkness - Wasn't too impressed the first time I listened to the live acoustic version. Sounded odd to me. However, I'm loving the studio version, despite the funny sounding humming or beat-boxing or whatever it is. Seriously, what's up with that? Thought the chorus was repeated too much, but listening a couple more times, I think it works. Very unique song in it's own right, and a nice choice to end the album with. Lyrics stand out on this track. Has that "sexy" feel that he described, which is good and different. I can see this (again) and Give Me Your Name being performed acoustically in the near future. Great track.

8/10

 

Morning After - I love this song. The acoustic version from 2001 that is. I don't mind this version or the Julien-K remix, I love both. It's just that the remix sounds TOO Julien-K for me, and the studio version isn't different at all. I would give this a 9/10 if it stuck closer to the original acoustic version. Ah well, great, catchy song. Love what it's about. Kinda glad it's a bonus track, it doesn't seem to fit in with the other songs.

7/10

 

 

 

Now I'm not gonna lie, I'm a Chester fanatic. I think the whole album is OMG AMAZING THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD. I'll be listening to it nonstop for awhile. My review here is just from an overall music lover standpoint. Great album Chester, fantastic work. Fort Minor does win though in my opinion, but Dead By Sunrise is definitely more my style.

Edited September 30, 2009 by ProjektCharlotte

[[High_Voltage]]

Ok.... here's my review

 

Fire - Good opener. Good strong vocals. Sounds a little bit too robotic on the choruses, would have like to see some changed in vocal range. All in all it's a good song.

8.5/10

 

Crawl Back In - Great intro, awesome guitars, good beat. It was originally my favorite song on the album, but now hat I've heard the entire album, it's not nearly as good.

7/10

 

Too Late - TOTALLY DIFFERENT. Nice melodies. I'm in love with Chester's vocals on this song.

9.5/10

 

Inside of Me - Falls short, because, well, it's too short. Maybe a little bit longer verses. Choruses are great, don't like the line "What the hell is wrong with me/this isn't who I'm supposed to be". Drumming on this song is great.

7/10

 

Let Down - Amir's guitar, Elias' drums, Brandon's Bass, and Chester's vocals all collide on this song. It all fits together really well in my opinion. No complaints.

10/10

 

Give Me Your Name - Too slow, don't like it all very much. I don't know what it is. The only positive is that it is very unique, but I think Chester could have written a better song for his wife.

5/10

 

My Suffering - Nice opening riff. Nice choruses. Verses sound like poetry. The only thing I don't like is that a lot of the vocals are layered. If they hadn't done this, I think the song would be perfect. 2008 version was far better.

8/10

 

Condemned - Very Heavy, the heaviest on the album. A lot of good screams. GREAT guitar solo. No negatives.

10/10

 

Into You - I think the working title for this song was "N2U", and I think that would have been cool to keep. ANYWAYS. Song has great melodies. Very catchy.

9/10

 

End of the World - When did Chester get all political? I really enjoyed this track. I love how he badmouthed the government, and talked about the crisis we're in right now. I think a lot of people can relate to this track. Hopefully the world doesn't end any time soon so everyone can enjoy this track.

9.5/10

 

Walking In Circles - The jewel of the album IMO. I fell in love with instantly when I heard the club tattoo recording. Unlike "My Suffering", they didn't change this one too much. Just added some layered vocals, which I think compliment the song very nicely. THE BEST SONG ON THE ALBUM.

10/10

 

In the Darkness - And of course Chester had to right a song about sex. Writing is very beautiful. Nice acoustic guitars. THE SONG IS FIVE MINUTES? Doesn't feel like it. Flies by nice and smooth.

9/10

 

Morning After - Personally, I was expecting a more "raw" version. Sounds very similar to the Julien-K remix. I would have enjoyed it more if they had eliminated all keyboards/effects, but oh-well.

7.5/10

 

OVER ALL - 8.5