Linkin Park- Living Things

by Reggie Edwards Rock vets Linkin Park are set to release Living Things, their fifth studio album and follow-up to 2010’s A Thousand Suns, on June 26, and, after listening to the record, one thing can be determined- Linkin Park are back. Living Things starts out strong with the first track, “Lost in Echo,” blasting us and blowing us away. It has the same feel as “Papercut,” the opening song on the band’s debut, Hybrid Theory, where Mike Shinoda hits us with an immediate rap adrenaline rush meshed perfectly with the belting screams of Chester Bennington. The next two songs have the same aura in “In My Remains,” and the lead single, “Burn It Down.” When Linkin Park released “Burn It Down,” I was pretty excited about this album and I wasn’t disappointed at all. The record has that strong rap-rock feel that we’ve all grown to love from Linkin Park over the years, but what captivates you with Living Things is the fact that they have their trademark infamous sound but they use more mature lyrics than their earlier music but also keep the musical aspect similar to what is popular now. This album has stuff for the old school LP fans but will also usher in a whole new generation of LP fans as well. Minutes to Midnight was a good album but A Thousand Suns had all of us wondering if Linkin Park had lost a little bit, but with Living Things, Linkin Park has made a statement- they still got it! The only criticism I have is that the album loses steam toward the end of the record. I would have loved to have a hard-hitting LP album from beginning to end, however, what they seem to have done is combined sounds from each Linkin Park album. It really shows the progression Linkin Park has made over the years and I love it. Don’t get me wrong, Living Things is not your Hybrid Theory or Meteora-esque Linkin Park album, but it’s definitely what they needed to release right now. When it’s all said and done, this is what we’ve been waiting for from Linkin Park for years. If you missed the old Linkin Park, you should definitely grab Living Things when it releases, you’ll love it. Rating: 8/10