The Hunting Party, the new album offered up by Linkin Park, is a welcome return to their heavier nature, moving away from the electronic experimentation of their last
The Hunting Party, the new album offered up by Linkin Park, is a welcome return to their heavier nature, moving away from the electronic experimentation of their last two albums A Thousand Suns (2010) and Living Things (2012). They’ve managed to recreate the nu metal that we all fell in love with, but with an enjoyable heavier kick.
Since the release of Hybrid Theory in 2000, Linkin Park have been a major name within the nu metal genre. Their follow up album, Meteora (2003), continued to further the success achieved by the band. Despite moving away from nu metal in Minutes to Midnight (2007), the album still managed to reflect the recognisable sound of Linkin Park.
Yet something seemed to drastically change with the next two albums, A Thousand Suns and Living Things. It was here that they began to move towards electronic experimentation, severing the ties with their nu metal roots.
Thankfully, we’ve not seen the end of their original style. Linkin Park’s 6th album, The Hunting Party, is a more than welcome return to some of the heavier sounds produced within their first albums. In fact, they’ve even managed to ramp it up a notch.
Newly revived nu metal sound
The opening track, “Keys to the Kingdom,” sets an immediate tone for the entire album. It brings back some of the musical aspects that the band have been missing for so long. It’s great to see just how powerful Bennington’s vocals can be, and they are displayed brilliantly within this opening. The opening does nothing short than remind us who Linkin Park were and who they should always have been.
Bennington’s vocals continue to impress across the entire record. The following song “All for Nothing,” featuring Page Hamilton, again blasts you with his vocals and the bands newly revived nu metal sound. In “Until It’s Gone” and “A Line In The Sand,” he shows off his melodic ability, combining it perfectly with classic screaming we’re all used to.
Linkin Park have not only brought back the successful sound formed within Hybrid Theory and Meteora, but carefully heightened the heaviness.
A return to the heavy has been long overdue
The only thing wrong with this album is the questions it leaves you with. If they were capable of making a heavier album with so much punch to it, why has it taken Linkin Park so long to produce it? Surely, after the success of their first two albums, they should have produced this after Meteora. A return to the heavy has been long overdue.
The punches packed during tracks such as “Guilty All The Same,” “Wastelands,” “Mark The Graves” and “A Line In The Sand” seem less powerful when you think of how long it’s been since we’ve heard this sound. True, the guitar solos of Brad Delson are incredible across the album. But, I can’t help but feel this all should have been done sooner rather than later.
Despite how long it’s taken Linkin Park to sound like themselves again, it can only be a good thing that they’ve finally treated us to it. The Hunting Party manages to combine the bands nu metal roots, show the progression of their heavier side, as well as highlight wonderfully how Bennington’s vocals can go from melodic to full-throttle screaming in seconds.
The Hunting Party is a more than welcome return to and ramping up of their earlier style.
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