Linkin Park : "From Zero"

 Never been a fan of this band, but this album is a big enough deal for people who grew up thinking these guys were metal for me to cover it. The first single 'Emptiness Machine' is what you would expect from these guys in 2025, it's pop music with guitars and gives you just a taste of Emily Armstrong. Not sure why people put Chester on such a pedestal now that he's dead, he was a terribly mediocre singer, so the bar was low for her and I think she proves it in this song. It's catchy, and fools you into thinking it has an edge so mission accomplished on the first song, Now let's see how the album as a whole stands up. 

"Cut the Bridge" has a staccato bounce, and rapped verses. Emily comes in with the hook. Real instruments were played, it's barely rock music. "Heavy is the Crown": finds them dialing into the formula that has worked for them in the past. Not sure it sounds fresher here. The production on this album is not dark or dense enough to make even the parts she screams over feel heavy. The guitar tone is very thin. She takes center stage on "Over Each Other". It feels like an anthemic power ballad. It is also the first song that prompted me to look into the songwriting credits and see that the band has outside songwriters working on this album, which is typical of pop music, but more of a red flag in rock music.

"Casualty' tries to be an angrier song, but feels very contrived. It's like few of our regular readers here who listen to actual music that is heavy, would take it seriously. "Overflow" was written by Jaten Dimsdale so of course it has a more r&b feel. I can't imagine anyone hearing this and it not being obvious how prefabricated this is. "Two - Faced' is pretty forgettable.'Stained" is a decent enough pop, it might as well be Katy Perry singing it. "IGYEIH" is a decent enough pop song that is painted up to be nu-metal like this used to do in the 90s. It might be one of Armstrong's best performances here. I will give this album an 8, it should be close enough to give the fans what they want , and the made some decent pop music in the process of doing it. 

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