Band:	Linkin Park
Album:	From Zero
Style:	Alternative metal, Nu metal, Alternative rock
Release date:	November 15, 2024
A review by:	omne metallum

01. From Zero (Intro)
02. The Emptiness Machine
03. Cut The Bridge
04. Heavy Is The Crown
05. Over Each Other
06. Casualty
07. Overflow
08. Two Faced
09. Stained
10. Igyeih
11. Good Things Go

The return of perhaps the biggest rock band this side of the millennium: can they build on their legacy?

For all the hype, hate, discussion and debates, the world finally has their hands on the first full slab of music from the new-look Linkin Park; resurrected seemingly out of nowhere only a few months before, the band are back with From Zero. So, after all the discourse, the question finally gets an answer: namely, was it all worth it? And the answer is...

Starting off on a high note was something Linkin Park needed to do, and picking "The Emptiness Machine" was a solid choice, one that highlights the new band's credentials and offers a soft landing into their new iteration meeting with their old sound. Running with the ball, "Heavy Is The Crown" and "Over Each Other" are reminders of what built Linkin Park's legacy in the first place, serving as solid callbacks to the band's nu metal roots.

Perhaps the biggest compliment I can give From Zero is how they seamlessly transition into this new era, feeling like a natural progression rather than the enforced upheaval it represents. Without turning this review into a debate on Chester/Armstrong and the baggage that brings, Armstrong's performance is good, if a little formulaic. "Cut The Bridge" won't endear her to many, given her parts are so bland that she doesn't get to inject much personality into her performances. That said, her voice is strong, and works very well on "Over Each Other".

What drags From Zero down is a threefold problem. The first is more understandable than the rest, namely that, for a record surrounded by so much controversy, the band play it incredibly safe. From Zero settles on having Armstrong fronting the band and the change in drummer be the sole experimentation, leaving the music to be more of the same in terms of style. With everything going on, it's understandable why they'd choose to write more risk-averse material, but the band play it too safe, with "Cut The Bridge" and "Two Faced" in particular sounding like facsimiles of their earlier work.

The second problem is that the album dips in the mid-section, with the run from "Casualty" to "Two Faced" making you wonder if the band rushed the album out with what material they had, rather than returning when they were playing with a full deck. The third problem, and the one that compounds the other problems, is the album's lifeless mix, leaving From Zero sounding hollow and restrained. Case in point: "IGYEIH" could hit so much harder than it does, but instead it feels like it is being kept on a short leash in order not to hurt anyone.

So, to get back to the question at hand, was it all worth it? Well... a soft yes and weak no. As someone who was a casual fan of the band in their heyday, it's an OK record: not something I'll rush to hear again, but not something I'd actively avoid. For all the hype and discussion surrounding it, it seems ironic, given that if this was a brand-new band of nobodies, there is little here that would get people talking.