I listened to Linkin Park’s new album A Thousand Suns and totally fell in love with it. Perhaps it was because of my recent fondness for alternative musicians like Björk, Tori Amos, Emilie Autumn and Rasputina that drew me to Linkin Park’s experimental electronic sound, which deviates from their signature nu rock sound. Many fans have been put off by this. To them, Linkin Park isn’t Linkin Park without the guitar riffs, Chester’s screams alternated with Mike’s raps, Mr. Hahn’s scratches and angst-ridden lyrics. I am one of those few fans who believe that being fans means being loyal to their favorite bands no matter how much they change.
Personally, I respect Linkin Park even more now that they’ve broken out of nu rock. I think their electronic music feels more real in a way. It’s more powerful and poetic rather than excessively woeful and melodramatic. It’s very refreshing to me. The band has matured with their fan base although the fan base has been tragically divided since Minutes to Midnight. Upon the release of A Thousand Suns, fans have either rejected the new sound because this wasn’t what they loved, or embraced it as an artistic development while claiming that accepting the changes that their favorite band experiences is what true fans do. I’m more inclined toward the latter.
I was thirteen when I first became a fan of Linkin Park and I have loved their music very much throughout my adolescent years. The music and lyrics from their first two albums Hybrid Theory and Meteora spoke to me. The raw anguish and sorrow bubbled into a deliciously sour stew; how could I, as a victim of bullying dealing with disappointment over wasted potential, not swallow it up? I felt release upon Chester Bennington’s screams; I felt power upon Mike Shinoda’s rapping. The exquisite blending of rock and hip-hop put me in awe; the absence of profanity earned the band my respect for expressing angst without needing swear words to drive a point.
But I entered college and my life changed forever. I gained the friends I have craved for so long. I experienced acceptance from peers who didn’t laugh or make faces when I expressed my self. I also gained a wide amount of knowledge from philosophy and literature. I learned to appreciate the human experience and everything that comes with it. I learned that art encompasses a wide range of media and genres that appeal to an even wider range of tastes; for example, I agree that Metallica and KISS are epic pop culture icons although I don’t appreciate their music all that much. In other words, I think I have a clear idea on what good music is and Linkin Park’s new sound is just that.
Also, shortly before the release of Minutes to Midnight, I’ve encountered “haters” on the internet that label Linkin Park as “emo” for their melodramatic lyrics; they hated Linkin Park exactly for what I had loved them for in the first place. At first, I laughed it off because it is true that Linkin Park is known for songs that explore rather shallow adolescent issues like self-hate and parental “neglect”. But after some contemplation, I realized that those complaints about Linkin Park are legitimate; there are more issues worth singing about than an anonymous person not caring about you.
So when I listened to Minutes to Midnight, I experienced healing and hope and maturity. I’ve grown up and so has my favorite band. They’re not the way they used to be; the same can be said for me, and I’m glad I’ve left the old “me” behind. Linkin Park is Linkin Park no matter what kind of music they play, just as Stephen King exudes as much talent in Children of the Corn as in Hearts in Atlantis.
Then, A Thousand Suns came out, bringing back the electronic sound that was largely absent from Minutes to Midnight. I love that about A Thousand Suns. And the songs are relentless, unrepentant and unforgiving; a few of them have subtly attacked old songs, indicating newfound hope and freedom as well as a mature perspective of the world. Minimal profanity has also been put to use too, which is surprisingly not a big deal. Linkin Park has gone on record to say that in playing a new sound in this new album, they are not interested in selling records but in artistic expression, an exploration of new music with profound poetry.
I have great respect for Linkin Park. As an artist myself, I want to follow in their footsteps and shine with the light of a thousand suns too.
