8/10

Where to begin with From Zero?

Linkin Park’s first three albums soundtracked my 20s, and whilst I appreciated the bold new direction of Thousand Suns, it wasn’t for me. 

And it was downhill from there, ending with the disastrous One More Light.

Rumours have been circulating of a revival for nearly a year, and I must admit that I was intrigued. I was all in when Emily Armstrong was unveiled as the new singer,  as the lead single, The Emptiness Machine, blew me away.

From there, we have been drip-fed alt-rock goodness in the form of singles, Heavy Is The Crown, Over Each Other, and Two Faced, and they are all good tracks. However, in the context of the album, they become great tracks, giving a distinct ebb and flow to Linkin Park’s searing talent.

Image Credit: James Minchin

The writing on “From Zero” fuses rap and sung vocals with a thumping drum track that has you nodding your head from the get-go. Deep cuts mark this album out, particularly Cut The Bridge and Stained, where Armstrong’s vocals are given full flight.

The elephant in the room: how does Armstrong compare to the late great Chester Bennington? To be honest, it’s the wrong question to ask.

No one can be Bennington, and he is gone. The right question is whether Armstrong can handle lead singer duties.

The answer is an emphatic yes. From screeches and fierce roars to delicate crooning, Armstrong has it all. Rather than channelling Bennington, she brings her distinct take to all the tracks, creating a soaring masterpiece.

Now, a 10/10 from me is pretty rare. So what is it that makes this album song good? Is it the song writing – because it is good, is it the arrangements that create a sense of a journey into alt-rock goodness – because they are on point, or could it be the excellent mixing that brings a passionate band’s rawness to the fore – because it is and does.

But none of these are reasons for a 10. What warrants such a high score is that this album – as a collective whole – makes you believe. It’s a fist-pumping, air drumming, sing-along masterpiece. You’ll feel like the first time you did when you heard Hybrid Theory. You’ll sway like the first time you heard Meteora. You’ll jump around like the first time you heard Minutes To Midnight.

This isn’t an album to just listen to once. This is an album to digest and feel heartened by. This is an album that will revitalise a genre that has been staid for too long. This is an album that takes chances, and lands every one of its gambles. It’s bold, brilliant and beautiful.

Simply put, ladies and gentlemen, we have a contender for Album Of The Year.