Disco de Linkin Park: “Minutes To Midnight (Mvi) [Edited]”

Linkin Park returned with this lighter touched album that has gotten people wondering "Where has the old Linkin Park gone?" Though at times that Linkin Park is missed deeply after their two outstanding cds "Hybrid Theory" and "Meteroa"...they are far from being completely lost. Chester, Mike, and the boys hit into a different aspect of the bad...one where their producer wanted them to go. They headed into this album knowing one thing "Throw your old ways of doing an album...and try to create something new...fresh...and lively." And after 100 demos for the new album...in lies "Minutes to Midnight."

Mike-less songs, Chester-less songs, and a few slow beats make a lot of fans turning in the other direction. But before you blow this album off completely...take a second, sit down, and listen to the songs deeply as they flow. Has Linkin Park completely lost their touch? Gracious no. With the like of Bleed It Out...Linkin Park can still impress with the Mike & Chester duo. Mike took a less lead part in this album, even with his two solo songs "Hands Held High" and "In Between". Mike is still not lost in the songs, as he supports a softer background mode as he still takes part vocally in the background. This album let the two express themselves better as musicians and showing how creative they can be.

The band still knows how to rock, with a tremendous live tour in 2007...one spot being Atlanta which myself attended...and was blown away. Minutes To Midnight album took a lot of the setlist, but was performed amazingly and improved my liking of the album even more. There will still be haters, dis-likers, and every other kinda if negative critic to this album...just like any other album...but try and do whatever you can to listen to this album. Buy it, borrow it, or do those other things *wink* that will allow you to listen to this CD. Though the "every song hard rock" sound has left a little bit...this CD still shows that they are tremendous musicians.

GRADING SCALE:

Excellent (5 Stars) = 8 - 10

Good (4 Stars) = 6 - 7

Decent (3 Stars) = 4 - 5

Eh... (2 Stars) = 2 - 3

What Did I Just Listen Too? (1 Star) = 0 - 1

SONG REVIEWS

TRACK 1. WAKE

Serves its purpose as the intro to this CD. It tends to pump you up and prepare you for this CD...especially to those listening to it for the first time. When performed live...the crowd certainly was pumped up.

RATING: 10/10

TRACK 2. GIVEN UP

Mike-less song...but Chester performs very well in this solo song. The feeling you get while listening to this track just makes a great start to the album. Chester's long scream at the end will surely give some the chills. Expect this to be a single very soon.

RATING: 10/10

TRACK 3: LEAVE OUT ALL THE REST

The first song to turn the heads of some people. Again, Mike-less. It is indeed a slow paced song, but the lyrical ability Linkin Park has makes up for all the slow paced songs on this album. The songs is performed smoothly, but knocks you off pace from the high energy start to the album.

RATING: 7/10

TRACK 4: BLEED IT OUT

Enter Mike Shinoda...and exit an awesome song. Mike shows his rapping ability, especially after his Fort Minor album...but Chester saves the rockers with his powerful vocals mixing this into a well executed Hip-Hop/Rock song, without over-endulging you with the rap. It has been blaring the air waves, and doing great at it.

RATING: 10/10

TRACK 5: SHADOW OF THE DAY

Exit Mike again, and enter another Chester solo...with the slow paced rhythm. Already released as a single, Shadow Of The Day carries a good lyrical based song that is showing the good out of the slow paced LP in this song. Chester does a very good job all the way through, and even though it is indeed a slow paced song, Linkin Park does very good.

RATING: 8/10

TRACK 6: WHAT I'VE DONE

It has come and gone from the airwaves, while making some think when they first heard it that Mike was gone from the band. He is indeed not gone, just one of many songs he is not strongly featured in. But was a great single when released, and continues to be a great single. Wiping away your past, and starting a-new...and forgiving what you've done. Great song, great opening single.

RATING: 10/10

TRACK 7: HANDS HELD HIGH

Enter Mike, exit Chester. Mike returns to the cd after 2 consecutive songs no playing a vocal spot. This song is all him, and done with a non-rock...slow hip-hop style. The War song meaning behind it makes this song a nice little tune for those Anti-Bush people. I just think the "Amen" parts get a little annoying.

RATING: 7/10

TRACK 8: NO MORE SORROW

Hard rock song led by Chester, and the performance is very solid. This song grows on you more, and it should be a top pick for the next single if it occurs.

RATING: 9/10

TRACK 9: VALENTINE'S DAY

Out of 100+ demos made for this album, I can't find myself seeing how Valentine's Day was chosen. It's a slow-paced Chester only song that I've yet to grow attached to. It's more like a skipping track than anything. It's a decent song, but just not a good choice. This CD could have done with out it.

RATING: 4/10

TRACK 10: IN BETWEEN

Mike knocks out another solo shot but this one much slower than Hands Held High. This non-rap ballad is a decent track, and serves its purpose as a near album ending song...but just nothing you may find yourself listening too over and over again.

RATING: 6/10

TRACK 11: IN PIECES

The second to last song of this CD "In Pieces" is a very good slow paced song. Chester sounds great and the lyrics are rather nice. One of the better slow paced songs on this album. This album would have been much better if two songs like this would have replaced "Valentine's Day" and "In Between."

RATING: 8/10

TRACK 12: LITTLE THINGS GIVE YOU AWAY <---VOTED BEST TRACK ON CD

Being about the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, if you have not heard this song...DO. Great song and a tremendous performance live. Should be higher on this CD, but the meanings and lyrics behind this song is what is slower paced song is all about. Who cares if it isn't heavy, this song is an amazing performance by the LP boys. Breaking over 6-7 minutes, you will be loving every minute of it. If not, remove the wax from your ears and listen again...be amazed.

RATING: 10/10

FINAL RATING: 99/120 = 8.25 ("Excellent"/5 Stars)

OUTCOME:

I think the rating for this album fits nicely, with two songs lowering that rating, I think it is just a mere step above just being "Good" and finding a soft spot in the Excellent category. To those in love with the lyrical aspect of music...will love this cd. Those who are expecting Hybrid Theory or Meteroa...this album is not for you. It hits a slow pace, but comes out very good and worth several listenings or even non-stop listening.

It really is too bad that a lot of people here are slamming this album as being mediocre or worse. I personally think that a lot of that is a failur to open one's mind. I think that if any band is going to be around for a long time, they cannot just keep putting out the same stuff over and over again. It may please the hardcore fan who wants just more of the same, but it shows no growth on the part of the band making the music.

I admit that the first time I listened to this album I had notions of the first two albums in my head and it was more concentration on listening and comparing. However, from the 2nd time through and on I have enjoyed this album more than I thought I would. Tracks 2-7 are downright awesome and if MTV were still relevant at all the video for "what I've done" would be up there with "right here, right now" and "one" as being more than just a video. The rest of the tracks on the album are not as good as 2-7 but still very good.

I think that what people need to do is imagine these songs blended in with the ones from the last two albums in a live show and they will blend just fine. It will not be like when Guns n Roses pulled out the sofas and mood lighting and played unplugged for 30 minutes as an obvious digression from the rest of the show. I cant wait until they come around here for a live show and I will happily be listening to this album and their others

Being the music-enthusiast that I am, I rarely ever purchase a bad CD. I do my research prior to buying most CDs unless I'm just so in love with the artist/band that it doesn't really matter that much. I'd never even heard a Linkin Park CD prior to buying MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT so it was weird that I'd even pick up the new CD by a band I hadn't followed. The only thing I'd ever heard by Linkin Park was the mash-up that they collaborated with Jay-Z, which was in my mind promising. I liked what I heard of their original songs ("Numb", "Lying From You" among others)so I thought I would try the bands long-awaited follow-up from 2003's massive METEORA. I mean, METEORA had teenagers swooning practically, so why not. If I could go back, I probably wouldn't have bought MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT. It isn't awful or incredibly horrible, but it certainly isn't what I expected or what I would gravitate to as a music CD. I'm a self-proclaimed 'multi-dimensional' musician/music-listener, but if this is true Linkin Park, I have to say they aren't on my radar of musical tastes. To the credit of MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT, there are a couple of great numbers and I wouldn't slight the album of that in the least. As a whole, the album isn't my favorite.

After a pointless intro via "Wake" (aren't all intros and interludes pointless for the most part?), the album starts with a true bang, via the exceptional "Given Up". While I don't advocate screams that seem like they're ever going to end (Bennington vocal cords must be chocked full of vocal nodes/nodules),I appreciate the angst within Bennington's vocals. To call "Given Up's" lyrics are true, potent songwriting would be an overstatement, but angst filled teens and twentysomethings will be singing along: "I've given up... tell me what the f**k is wrong, with me" as wells as "put me out of my f**kin' misery". True, substance filled songwriting right there (sarcasm). "Leave All the Rest" isn't a potent as the screaming match that is "Given Up", but it is OK, which is the general sentiment of MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT. It does features nice production work, which is a positive point. What "Leave All The Rest" lacks is true star-potential, which the proceeding track "Bleed It Out" has written all over it. Thank God for Mike Shinoda's spirited performance here coupled with the second coolest hook of the album, provided by none other than Bennington ("I Bleed It Out just to blow it away"). Still, you worry about those vocal cords of Bennington's.

"Shadow of the Day" isn't bad and it grows on you after a couple of listens. "What I've Done" features the standard Linkin Park production and production-wise it is a standout. Overall, it is a fine track, but I do believed it has been overhyped by everybody. Sure, it went to no. 7 on the Billboard Charts, but is it really as great as everybody makes it out to be? Compared to "Numb", isn't it insubordinate and a bit insignificant? Just my thoughts. It's OK though, but that about all in my eyes. "Hands Held High" is a production standout and once again features the quiet Mike Shinoda, who isn't quite as effective here as he was on "Bleed It Out". However, "Hands Held High" is one of the better tracks of the entire album. By "Hands Held High" (track 7), the general sentiment I get from the album is that it is a bit scattered as opposed to being unified, which in my opinion hurts it a bit. Again though, there are enough promising moments here that I think the notion of unity is counteracted a bit.

"No More Sorrow" wins the production award for the album. The mammoth drums at the beginning are enough to wake any body up from a deep sleep. The instrumental work here is top rate as well, which leads the listener to believe there is hope for MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT. To call "No More Sorrow" and unfaltered hit would be quite the overstatement, but it is middle-of the road minimally. "Valentine's Day" is average at the most and leaves you thinking 'so what?' after you've listened to it. You get the feeling that "Valentine's Day" is the breaking point of MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT. You have to ask yourself how many more predictable songs can Linkin Park produce on this album with the cliché anthemic refrains? "In Between" falls in the trap of being too repetitively bland. Sure, I'm a fan of the production, but after hearing the loop for so long, it utterly bores you.

"In Pieces" revives a bit more interest in the album as the penultimate track, though it is more a production masterpiece than a songwriting marvel. "The Little Things Give You Away" concludes the album showcasing Linkin Park's electro-centric production work coupled with a cool acoustic feel. It is good to hear Bennington a bit more senitive than usual, but then again this is the same man who scream for countless number of seconds on the twice as exciting "Given Up", the gem of the entire album.

Production wise, this album is right on point and if my judgement were based solely on production, I would give this album probably 4 stars. But this is by no means a 4 star album in my mind; there are enough unspired moments and vocal instabilities to shut that notion down quickly. Where hit material and truly stellar tracks are concerned, this album meanders from the best, most exciting or exhilarating ("Given Up", "Bleed It Out") that don't question the credibility of Linkin Park, to the worst, least interesting ("In Between" or the boring "Valentine's Day"). At most this album is average though I've heard much more exciting, well thought out 'average' albums than this disunified affair. 2 stars.

Like everyone here, I was excited when the new album was released. Hybrid Theory and Meteora were really classic albums and I thought Meteora, at the very least, one-upped Hybrid Theory. Reanimation was a good remix album but I wasn't fond of their remixes with Jay-Z. I was hoping Minutes To Midnight would bring back something that has been absent, for us fans, since 2003.

I was way off the mark. What I've Done was almost like a deception for what the album really is: a slower and softer melody by LP. What I've Done, when I listened to it, reminded me of what LP did on Hybrid Theory and I was pretty pumped by it. But I was shocked to find out that the album was on the other side of the spectrum for the two previous entries LP has done.

What I've Done, for the most part, is the only song on here in which LP continues where the left off from the previous two albums. Everything else is much more slower, mellow, and, at times, depressing. What I've Done is a good song. Leave Out All The Rest is slow but has a nice up-beat melody as it progresses and is my favorite song on the album. Valentine's Day has some nice parts to it but it doesn't work as far as melody goes.

To be honest, I found Leave Out All The Rest and What I've Done to be the only enjoyable songs on this album. Why LP decided to go more mellow this time is anyone's guess but all their fans, including myself, know them to be a band of rock mixing it up with some rap. For the most part, that is gone. I was extremely disappointed by this album considering they haven't had a true album release since Meteora (2003), which happens to be my favorite album of theirs.

Hopefully LP is not trying to change direction with this album and trying to make more mellow tunes. While some of those such songs have some decent qualities, for the most part, it just doesn't work. If anyone is considering buying this album, I suggest previewing some of the songs here or on iTunes and make your decision as to whether or not you still want to go through with the purchase. Some of you may enjoy it thoroughly and that's okay. But if you are an LP fan that expects the style that they have been known to produce from their first two albums, like myself, you may end up being disappointed.

I'm going to start this out by saying, do NOT! make a final judgments of this record until you've listened to it a few times all the way through. the first time I listened to this, i was just like a lot of the reviewers and just felt kind of disappointed, but then directly afterwards I listened to it again and got more into it, the 3rd time I started to really enjoy it, the fourth time I found myself singing along to it. In the past five hours I've listened to this record none stop, and I still can not get enough. I almost made the mistake of reviewing it after only a couple of listens, but in reality, this record needs to grow on you, and once it does, you'll realize exactly what they were trying to do.

This record is for people with open minds and that are willing to accept the fact that they are doing something totally different. You will not find hybrid theory or Meteora in this record. That sound is totally gone, but once you give this record a chance, and it grows on you, you'll love it just as much or maybe even more then their last records. I can not believe all of the negative reviews I have seen for this record, but I can't help but think that its because you haven't given the record enough listens. Before you review this thing, just listen to the record a bunch of times.

in my opinion, this record is amazing & it was totally worth the four year wait. There are so many different genres of music in this one little disk that a music freak like me would just totally eat it up. The record goes from metal, to modern rock, to hip-hop, to punk, to ska, and a lot of others. The record is so different but at the same time it still feels like a linkin park record, which is very hard to pull off. i think my only complaints about this record are its too short (but longer then their other two records) and it would be nice to have more Mike and Joe on it.

stand out tracks imo would be: Given Up, one of the heaviest songs on the record if not the heaviest, and will defiantly satisfied old linkin park fans or people that want their heavy stuff i should say. Leave Out All The Rest, a slower song but Chester's voice is just amazing in the song and the music is just so relaxing...this song will grow on you, just give it a few chances. It would make a great single. Bleed It Out, one of the two songs that mike raps on, his rapping skills are amazing, it's a very upbeat song and would make a great single as well. What I've Done, you've heard it, love it or hate it, I've always loved this song. Hands Held High, a song obviously about the bush administration and if you read the lyrics they actually say some pretty humorous stuff about bush. No More Sorrow, another really heavy song and will make older linkin park fans happy. Valentines Day, great ballad that explodes into a very heavy song and is very emotional and great. Probably a lot of people will be able to relate to it. In Pieces, the song I was looking forward to the most. It has really different drumming, ska/clash-like guitars and also a great guitar solo in it. One of the best songs on the whole record. The Little Things Give You Away, amazing song and has the solo that every linkin park fan has been waiting for and its very beautiful and the whole song is just great.

Agree or Disagree, I think this record is amazing and if you give it a few listens I'm sure you'll fall in love with it. If not, that sucks and its too bad you don't like it.

Just like Meteora, I'm dying for their next record already. Hope the next one comes out a little sooner though :P

peace!