FOR a band whose songs were anthems for angsty teenagers back in the 90s, From Zero is an album that was supposed to give Linkin Park the grand entry that it deserved into mainstream music after going radio silent for a decade.
A seminal debut with Hybrid Theory in 2000, Linkin Park was not shy in announcing its banging arrival to the nu-metal and rock scene. The band then released a statement album Meteora that gave it its “innovative” quality.
The band then went on to release One More Light in 2017, its seventh studio album, before going into an indefinite hiatus after the untimely passing of frontman Chester Bennington.
With a discography that spans two decades, the band enjoyed a successful career, earning its place in mainstream media for the nu-metal genre. However, like any popular music act, Linkin Park was not without its critics.
The quality that made the band had its fans at odds for constantly experimenting with its sound instead of showcasing a steady evolution.
Seven years later, on Sept 4 this year, the band gave nostalgia-ridden, burnout millennials a new lease of life when it announced its frontwoman Emily Armstrong and its comeback album the next day.
From Zero is meant to set the precedent for the band’s future in a new era of music, in which EDM and Lo-Fi dominate. But, did the album deliver what it was predestined to do?
Nostalgic sound
The album opens with a 0.22-second track From Zero (Intro) – an exchange between two unspecified individuals, foreshadowing the rest of the album.
Off the bat, Linkin Park welcomes fans home with The Emptiness Machine, the refrain revs up to Mike Shinoda passing the figurative mic to Armstrong as she takes the chorus. Sonically, it is a classic Linkin Park song with a massive hook that is radio-ready but after several plays, the track, which is a reminiscence of Meteora, will just be another run-of-the-mill song.
Shinoda’s and Armstrong’s vocal distinction is the only standout quality of From Zero. The interesting disparity between Shinoda’s baritone vocals and Armstrong’s soprano is a welcomed surprise.
Their opposing vocal colours complement each other, which makes this new chapter interesting, signalling a departure from the band’s old sound.
Over Each Other, entirely sung by Armstrong, demonstrates the divergence from Linkin Park’s former sound as fans are treated to her soft falsettos while still keeping the band’s melodic essence.
In an exclusive press conference with Linkin Park, Armstrong noted the experience with the band is surreal, adding that she takes one day at a time. The lead singer certainly has big shoes to fill and it is early to tell if she has delivered but throughout the album, Armstrong manages to show off her expansive range from falsettos to a screamo in Casualty.
However, the powerhouse still lacks the frontwoman quality that the mega band needs. That said, it is only fair to give Armstrong the benefit of the doubt.
The album closes with an alternative indie track Good Things Go, beckoning the new era of Linkin Park with a looming sense of familiarity.
From the first track to the last, the band takes fans on a sonic journey that pays homage to its previous albums, from Meteora to One More Light.
But, that is all about it – next to Linkin Park’s older albums, especially its first two albums, From Zero pales in comparison.
Bromidic writing
Hardcore Linkin Park fans would know that the band’s penmanship was never a clever play on words or vivid storytelling, instead it is its introspective, raw lyrics that built a loyal fanbase.
Therefore, fans who come expecting authentic, well-written tracks such as Easier to Run or Papercut may be discontented with the generic, devoid-of-substance lyrics.
Cut the Bridge (track two), for example, promisingly starts with Linkin Park’s staple sing-talking by Shinoda and head-banging music. But, the progression is rendered meaningless as there is a lack of authenticity in the lyrics.
Casualty stands as an impostor in Linkin Park’s discography of hardcore songs that reign superiority in writing. The hook “cut it down, cut it down” could have been an epic crowd chant but it comes off juvenile, prefaced by substandard lyrics.
Heavy is the Crown, the main theme for the 2024 League of Legends World Championship and featured in the second season of Arcane, is a track that grows on you and lyrically, it is the only track, other than Good Things Go, that showcases the penmanship that fans missed from the band.
Tracks such as Casualty and IGYEIH (I Gave You Everything I Have) are reminiscences of debut Linkin Park, sound-wise – but lyrically, they could have very well been rejects of the band’s early albums.
The raw, introspective songwriting that once resonated so deeply with fans is notably absent, replaced by generic hooks and lacklustre lyrics. So, returning to Linkin Park’s world with this album would be anticlimactic.
Linkin Park’s ability to experiment with sound has always been one of its defining qualities but on this album, that same spirit of innovation seems diluted, leaving behind a record that feels more like an echo of the past than a bold leap forward.
From Zero feels like a missed opportunity for Linkin Park to truly redefine itself in a new musical era. For diehard fans, From Zero may offer a comforting nostalgia but for those who have been waiting for the band to evolve into something new and impactful, this comeback does not quite live up to expectations.
