4/5
Hitting It Out The Park.
It seems the older, deeper and darker Linkin Park get, the better they get. 'Hybrid Theory' and 'Meteora' may have made them what they are but ever since hooking up with legendary Chili-Pepper and Beastie Boys producer Rick Rubin this rock/rap ensemble have been making their deffest jams. 'Minutes To Midnight' started it and two years ago 'A Thousand Suns' brought more shine to that and them. Now the Rolling Stone certified, U.K. number one album 'Living Things' cements this collective as one of rocks best groups alive.
The lead single 'Burn It Down' sets things alight. The buzz is back and burning bright as Chester sings "We can't wait/To burn it to the ground/The colors conflicted/As the flames climbed into the clouds/I wanted to fix this, but/Couldn't stop from tearing it down/And you were there at the turn caught in the burning glow". The fact that Bennington can really sing is illuminated here. As it is on the majority of the album, especially the standout track 'Roads Untraveled' which traverses more inspiring and deep ground then the 'Transformers' favourite 'Iridescent' off the last album. Is Michael Bay making another film with a sunset scene? Probably! Well, he's found his track.
The album opener and second single 'Lost In The Echo' confirms that this band is back and as bold as ever. There's no chance their sound will be lost in the shadows. Echoing loudly and proud you're going to hear them now. 'Tinfoil' is another track where the band truly shines bright. German single 'In My Remains' shows the bands left with more than filler, while the killer 'Victimised' and 'I'll Be Gone' are standalones. The deep cut 'Skin To Bone' reveals more before Shinoda raps shades of Biggie on 'Until It Breaks' making new ground for the band as a chanting, chorus closes out the headphones on, eyes closed track.
Everyone from Bob Dylan to The Notorious B.I.G. inspired this album and everyone from Formula 1 team (the Lotus team have collaborated with the band on a racing app) to movies ('Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' used the perfect, potent 'Powerless') and video games (the new 'Medal of Honor: Warfighter' game used the real, 'Lies, Greed, Misery' and the equally dark and decedent 'Castles Of Glass') feel the influence back. This band are prominently in a perfect place and aligned amazingly with Rubin yet again their latest album is a cohesive set that flows even better than the last two. Sure some may miss the days of the first two albums but like Chester says they're "a different band now" and as they grow they stay beating and breathing. The saying goes; "adapt or die". The thing is...this band haven't sounded more alive. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
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