A Thousand Suns (CD & DVD)

After all the mixed reviews "Minutes To Midnight received, "A Thousand Suns" was also inevitably going to be met with fierce competition from "Hybrid Theory" and "Meteora" fans (or Hybrid Theory 1 and 2 as they are sometimes called).
I can understand the differing opinions - Linkin Park changed their genre which obviously resulted in a huge loss of fans specific to that genre. What I can't understand is talentless critics and narrow-minded fans labelling this album "pathetic", or words to that effect. This album is not pathetic, it's anything but. Linkin Park have matured and expanded in their music since the early days, something which an awful lot of people seem unable to grasp. Simply because the songs on this album haven't been "Linkin Parkified" (beautiful quote from the DVD), it doesn't mean they are bad - they are merely different, showing that the 6 members of the band aren't one dimensional aliens who can only produce one type of music. If half of the judgemental… more »

After all the mixed reviews "Minutes To Midnight received, "A Thousand Suns" was also inevitably going to be met with fierce competition from "Hybrid Theory" and "Meteora" fans (or Hybrid Theory 1 and 2 as they are sometimes called).
I can understand the differing opinions - Linkin Park changed their genre which obviously resulted in a huge loss of fans specific to that genre. What I can't understand is talentless critics and narrow-minded fans labelling this album "pathetic", or words to that effect. This album is not pathetic, it's anything but. Linkin Park have matured and expanded in their music since the early days, something which an awful lot of people seem unable to grasp. Simply because the songs on this album haven't been "Linkin Parkified" (beautiful quote from the DVD), it doesn't mean they are bad - they are merely different, showing that the 6 members of the band aren't one dimensional aliens who can only produce one type of music. If half of the judgemental critics actually took the time to listen to this album, they would be utterly blown away. There is so much variety, from high-tempo hip-hop tracks such as "When They Come For Me" to slow, melodic songs like "The Messenger", meaning that this album offers something to both fans of the old and fans of the new Linkin Park. My personal favourite tracks are "Iridescent", "The Catalyst" and "Blackout", three entirely different songs.
If you are one of those fans who enjoys consistency and faimliarity within an album, then "A Thousand Suns" probably isn't for you. If you are somebody who enjoys a bit more diversity or simply a Linkin Park fan that can listen to a band experiment with new sounds without instantly rushing on to the nearest forum to express your disgust, then yes, this is definitely for you. This is quite possibly the best album I have ever heard in my life, rivalled only by some albums (including the other 3 studio ones from LP) that I once thought untouchable. The DVD is also worth a watch, as it takes you though the making of the album and suggests some of the reasons for the change from their earlier work. If you are a Linkin Park fan (and I mean a fan, not just a lover of the first two albums and hater of everything since) then you have to own this album. If you don't like the new style, then maybe you should take Chester's advice and "find something you do like" instead of expressing your poorly-founded reasons for not appreciating brilliant music.