Linkin Park - From Zero (Album)

For 7 years, handling one of the music world’s biggest losses of Chester Bennington was the reality that the members of Linkin Park had to navigate and recollect themselves from. The future was unknown but a return was deservingly left with an open door if timing and the universe asked for it. On September 5th the band announced its monumental return to the world with newly added vocalist Emily Armstrong and a lead single in The Emptiness Machine to start the cycle for their 8th studio album “From Zero”.

“From Zero” plays as a double entendre in the way it pays homage to the bands initial name of Xero before converting to Linkin Park, and also resets the stage, from the ground up for the nu-metal conglomerates to begin a new era and continue the already definitive legacy the band left off at in 2017. If the return was ever going to gain traction it would have to be led by longtime frontman, producer and more importantly co-founder of the band, Mike Shinoda. Adversity and desire for an eventual return were always the variables in question for a comeback. Talent and creativity were never in doubt, instead it was what would Linkin Park sound like in an era post-ChesterBennington. And the answer to that was what we already knew. “From Zero” encapsulates every bit of life of Linkin Park and does it while sounding refreshing and more than composed for a new era.

Clocking in at a runtime just short of 32 minutes, “From Zero” flows consistently with a collection of songs that essentially takes the listener back to different eras of the illustrious Linkin Park timeline and formidably laces them with stellar vocal performances from Mike Shinoda and Emily Armstrong. All of which impeccably legitimizes the decision of the return and the rightful placement of Emily Armstrong as the vocalist to help carry the LP flag alongside Shinoda and bandmates.

In a reunion and rebuilt evolution of the band that formed organically in the last few years dating back to 2019, the dynamic of the band is well intact and the vision between the musicians are equally aligned, both important qualities that help make this project that much more appreciative and gratifying. The album wastes no time in ushering in the revitalized energy and sound the band has been withholding secretly for the past few years with the introduction of lead single, The Emptiness Machine. A song that perfectly introduced us to Emily Armstrong and excellently cements the chemistry and balance between the lead vocalist and Mike Shinoda. “Cut The Bridge” carries a bouncy and striking influence to “Bleed It Out” from the bands 3rd studio album “Minutes to Midnight”. This track is composed in the traditional Linkin Park formula of Shinoda rap verses and a forceful chorus charged by Armstrong. Following suite, “Heavy Is The Crown” and “Casualty”, which is one of the bands heaviest songs to date showcase the fierce and unrelenting power within Armstrongs’ vocals, landing as favorites already within the fanbase. In contrast to the power-charged songs, tracks like “Overflow” and “Over Each Other” take a more experimental and ballad approach. “Overflow” channels 2010’s “A Thousand Suns” and “Over Each Other” contains the spirited writing and melodies the band produced on One More Light. In what was introduced as the bands 4th single, “Two Faced”, an instant fan favorite, catapults you back to the nu-metal era of the band respectively with its dynamic power chords ala ”Meteora” and a clever twist and semi-callback to the infamous “One Step Closer” bridge from “Hybrid Theory”.

Composed and motivated as ever, Mike Shinoda commands and steers this monumental return on a perfect path that serves as a respectful and nostalgic nod to their old material while sounding refreshing and energetic for the new era of the band. The unmatched prominence to Linkin Park has always been the dynamic impact and counterbalance of vocals between a duo of talented musicians at the forefront, and “From Zero” proves this to still be true with an unparalleled performance between Shinoda and Armstrong. “From Zero” answers a lot of questions and fulfills the desires and joy for longtime fans of the band, but more importantly shows beyond doubt that the spirit and life of the band still pulses with no signs of slowing down. Linkin Park’s 8th studio album embodies a beautiful and flawless return, nostalgic enough to satisfy long-time fans and emotionally invigorating to serve as a distinctive project in the bands catalog.