Minutes To Midnight [PA] [Digipak] by Linkin Park

Pros: Linkin Park continue their slow morph into a solid rock band. Rick Rubin produces.
Cons: A couple of forgettable ballads.

I can't say I ever really "got" the whole rap/metal thing that went down in the late Nineties. Bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit just seemed like mooky (note: I really mean "mooky" or "mook-ish"...this is not a typo for "moody") kids who were appropriating ...

Pros: Increased maturity; high production value; Shinoda's rapping
Cons: Bennington's constipated screams

We knew big things were in store for Linkin Park's long awaited third album Minutes to Midnight when they enlisted Rick Rubin as producer.  They were clearly determined to rise above the rap-metal sub-genre they managed to outlast and ...

Pros: Some adjustments to the band's former rap/rock sound that show intelligent growth.
Cons: More adjustments to the band's former rap/rock sound that show pure idiocy.

"Dude... what happened to Linkin Park?" That's probably the question that a lot of former fans of this rap/rock juggernaut band are asking right now. But it's not a question that I'm asking - and audacious as it sounds, it's because I think I know ...

Pros: Bursts of energy and creativity scattered throughout
Cons: Not a single vintage Linkin Park track; Lots of bland moments

Linkin Park is releasing just their third studio album in seven years, but the band has cemented themselves as one of the last rap-metal groups that's still of mainstream relevance. Hy brid Theory and ...

Pros: Two brooding ballads and some fun Chester scream-a-thon moments.
Cons: Generic angst-rock with clumsy political statements and plenty of high school whining.

With four years having elapsed since its last album release, the multi-million-selling Linkin Park seems to have arrived at a crossroads with its third studio album, “Minutes To Midnight”. The Doomsday Clock-referencing title aids in suggesting a ...

Pros: A couple bright flashes of the 'old' Linkin Park
Cons: Boring; A gaping hole formerly known as Mike Shinoda

I hate to start this review by saying the following: "Linkin Park. Hate 'em or love 'em, you've heard of them and you've got an opinion of them...unless you've been living under a rock (Or in a couple people's houses I know) since 1999...And their back" ...

Pros: Well done experimentation, some good tracks.
Cons: Won't appeal to all Linkin Park fans; some not-so-awesome songs.

After a confusing pre-order from Amazon (I was moving and had no idea which address to put), I got my Linkin Park CD a day or two after popping into my new house, which was a welcome goody considering the strange surroundings and events that had put me ...

Pros: There are scattered remnants of Linkin Park's past glories...
Cons: ...but their new direction will almost certainly inspire cringing and even loathing from ardent fans.

It has been four years since Linkin Park's last full-length album, the smash-hit Meteora, which saw the infamous rap-rock outfit comfortably following the same winning formula that launched them into superstardom on their 2000 release Hybrid ...

Pros: The softer songs are delightful, it's Linkin Park's longest album, some great work from Chester
Cons: Mike is absent far too often, I wish Linkin Park hadn't added the profanity!

Well the new album has finally arrived, and after listening to a demo copy in early May I've now got the real deal, and Minutes to Midnight certainly is different. It's got some of the hard rock elements from Linkin Park's Nu-Metal days, and it's got a ...

Pros: When Shinoda is around, things are good
Cons: Shinoda is barely around

Oh God, Linkin Park. What did you do now. . . Oh. . . you tried to actually evolve as musicians? You tried to show the world you were something more than a formulaic rap-rock band? Hmm. . . I'm not sure you accomplished your goal. You ...

Pros: Very diverse musically, great execution of everything from the vocals to the playing.
Cons: The baseless, pointless, political rants

When I hear about a band or an album that gets slammed critically, I am immediately skeptical. This is because I tend to be a bit contrary when it comes to music. I got into hair bands in the 90s because I got tired of alterna-rockers whining about how ...

Pros: Great track arrangement. Good reformed sound.
Cons: Mike and Chester simply don't work together enough on this album. They seem very disconnected.

Generally Speaking: It doesn't take long to notice a massive change in Linkin Park -- The presence of profanity. In fact, its like they've been waiting to use it and haven't been 'allowed' to so are now using it gratuitously. As other members ...

Pros: LINKIN PARK, maturing
Cons: Maturing?

One of the most depressive teenage acts ever, LINKIN PARK released a new CD in 2007. I wonder why people bother to listen to such a downer subpar stuff. LINKIN PARK was born as a Boy Band aping the then-fresh infamous Nu-Metal (deranged memories of ...

Pros: Marked Improvement from Shinoda and especially Chester; band develops while staying true to itself
Cons: Not enough Mike...one or two forgettable songs

The fat man loves all sorts of music, really; as long as it isn't country or HEAVY heavy metal (you know, the crap where it seems like they just took a male pig, slit its throat, then placed it in front of a microphone and called it "artistic ...

Pros: Lyrical content more matured. Screams of Chester Bennington are better than ever.
Cons: Lack of Mike Shinoda vocals. New sound takes a bit to get used to.

Note: I am a HUGE Linkin Park fan. So this may be a bit biased. Out of nowhere, it’s like the band rose from the dead. That is the way the album starts off with its intro. They are back and doing well as it may seem. There is no doubt that this ...