9 Things We Really Love About Linkin Park’s New Album ‘From Zero’

Here are nine things we totally love about Linkin Park’s new and highly anticipated album, From Zero.

Calling this record highly anticipated even feels like a vast understatement. Simply, this is a historic moment for one of the biggest bands in the world — a band that has transcended its rock and rap metal origins to become one of the most beloved in the world.

The Linkin Park fan community is in a class all its own and, after the passing of Chester Bennington, we saw just how deep the impact this music has made on people worldwide.

We all waited, wondering not when Linkin Park would return, but if they would at all. And if the band could recapture that same magic that propelled such a remarkable and ambitious career.

The new chapter is here and there are still many more pages to be written as we soak in everything From Zero has to offer.

Below, Loudwire (Chad Childers, Joe DiVita, Lauryn Schaffner) explore the things we each love the most about Linkin Park’s exciting new record.

9 Things We Love About Linkin Park’s New Album From Zero

1. “The Emptiness Machine” Won Us Over Immediately

Before anyone had the slightest opportunity to cast doubt on this new era of Linkin Park, the band reintroduced themselves to fans with a special livestream event attended by a lucky select bunch of fan club members.

Walking out onstage, Mike Shinoda’s familiar and comforting voice ushered in this new era as he sang the memorable opening lines to lead single “The Emptiness Machine.”

A thoroughly impressive song that manages to sound like classic Linkin Park, yet entirely modern, this is one that gets stuck in your head for days. You wake up and the melody is in your head. Right from the jump, fans had nothing to worry about. “The Emptiness Machine” is a bona fide 10/10 banger. —JD

2. The Studio Banter Recordings

There are moments of studio banter laced between some of the songs that give the record a light and casual vibe, making fans feel more connected to the band and like they’re part of the recording experience as opposed to just the listening experience. At the end of the short eponymous opening track, a woman (presumably Armstrong) asks, “From zero, like… From nothing?”

That’s a question a lot of us had when Linkin Park started teasing their comeback. Was this next chapter going to be a continuation of everything they had built, or were they planning to start completely from scratch?

Then there’s a couple of seconds of dialogue from Shinoda at the end of “Over Each Other,” which was sang entirely by Armstrong. “You got it, that’s the one,” he says, then introduces heavy hitter “Casualty” with, “Okay get your screaming pants on” as Armstrong snarls the opening lines.

The little bits of conversation help guide the various directions the album takes, just making for a more fun listen overall. It reaffirms that music isn’t meant to be taken so seriously. — LS

3. Songs That Make Us Feel Nostalgic

Linkin Park had to stick the landing to ensure their reunion could be a success and they did that right out of the gate with “The Emptiness Machine.” The song was a perfect re-introduction, having Mike Shinoda take the opening verse and building up to Emily Armstrong’s aggressive chorus that immediately felt like it could have been a part specifically for Chester Bennington.

But that’s not all that takes us back. There’s been a lot of talk about honoring the band’s legacy and this album has plenty of call-back moments.

Who doesn’t think of Bennington screaming “Shut up while I’m talking to you” when Emily Armstrong lets out “Stop yelling at me” in “Two-Faced”? Does the beat of “Cut the Bridge” give you “Bleed It Out” vibes?

There are plenty of moments where just a simple guitar tone, Joe Hahn scratching or even a vocal take you back to the times that Linkin Park were at their commercial peak. That’s not a bad thing when you’re trying to get fans back on board for this incredibly scrutinized next phase of their career. —CC

READ MORE: What Reviews Are Saying About Linkin Park’s New Album ‘From Zero’

4. That Scream in “Heavy Is the Crown”

It’s awesome that we all got to hear this as a live version before the studio recording dropped as a promotional tie-in with the League of Legends video game world championship.

Of course, the moment in “Heavy Is the Crown” that shook the rock world and cemented Emily Armstrong as a genuine powerhouse vocalist, is the scream. Or should we say, the scream.

There are a handful of iconic screaming outbursts in all-time songs and we’ve got another to add to that list. Seeing Armstrong execute this live and at such a staggering length (12-13 seconds) with no wavering distortion or grit in her voice.

Absolutely f—king ridiculous. —JD

5. “Over Each Other” Let Us Hear Emily’s Soft Side

“Over Each Other” may have come as a bit of a surprise to Linkin Park fans, who seemed mostly pleased after hearing the first two harder hitting singles “The Emptiness Machine” and “Heavy Is the Crown.” This third track arguably sounds the “least Linkin Park” of the three, but different isn’t always a bad thing and, in this case, we were pleasantly surprised.

With Armstrong in the spotlight throughout the entirety of the song, “Over Each Other” is a powerful cry for help about trying to salvage what’s left of a crumbling relationship and wondering if it would be better to walk away.

Obviously, the duality of Armstrong’s vocals is what made so many longtime Linkin Park fans accept her as the group’s new co-vocalist. “Over Each Other” really accentuates her clean vocals and showcases how capable she is of inflecting emotion into her singing.

This is exceptionally important for the Linkin Park community, who’ve always looked to the band as a source of comfort and solace. If it wasn’t already clear that they picked the right singer to join them for this next era, it is now. —LS

6. “Sometimes bad things take the place where good things go”

Ain’t that the sad truth? This lyric from album closer “Good Things Go” and it ends From Zero on a really somber, glum note.

Introspection and internal torment has been a pervasive theme in Linkin Park’s lyrics throughout their career. This is about being not only your worst enemy, but someone who causes grief to those close to them. It’s no secret we sometimes take things out on the ones we love the most, giving the appearance that scorn and malice (bad things) are overtaking love and compassion (the good things).

It’s a reminder to be mindful of our emotional impact on others and express gratitude for the help they offer us during our darker moments. —JD

7. “IGYEIH” Is Linkin Park’s Rage Against the Machine Moment

We all have moments of exasperation, frustration and a need to utterly freaking unleash. It’s something that Rage Against the Machine did so well on “Killing in the Name,” especially as Zack de la Rocha’s sways from “Now you do what they told ya” all the way to “Fuck you I won’t do what you tell me.”

On “IGYEIH” (that’s “I Give You Everything I Have”), Emily Armstrong is completely out of “fucks” to give.

The exasperation meter is pinging into the red as can be heard in her vocal delivery. “I give you everything I have / Yeah yeah yeah yeah” is the rasp-filled rant at the beginning of the song. And much like Rage, there’s a storm of attitude brewing that’s just waiting to be unleashed.

After the last “I give you everything I have” tails off for a brief moment of silence, Armstrong starts with a more subtle, “From now on I don’t need ya.” Her intensity continues to build with confidence, the band gets heavier and you’d be hard pressed not to scream along with when she hits peak volume.

Driving home the point that she’s done with the past, Armstrong alters the last line to “From now on, got amnesia.”

Catharsis achieved! —CC

8. The Metal Riffs in “Casualty”

It would appear that with “Casualty,” Linkin Park had every intention of making the most hard-hitting, visceral track on From Zero.

Parts of this song are pure thrash metal, which trades off with a grimy bass groove and some aggressive shouts from Shinoda. He’s overtaken by Armstrong’s adrenalized screaming and it all coalesces into what will inevitably a fan favorite live.

Open up the pit! —JD

9. Emily’s Voice on Album Closer “Good Things Go”

The closing song of an album is just as important as the opener, because just like the first impression, you want something to end on a memorable note. On the subject of notes, Armstrong hits some insanely high ones during “Good Things Go.” We already knew she had a powerful voice, but there are moments in this closer where her range gives us goosebumps.

Linkin Park have always been just as good at doing ballads as they are at doing heavy tracks and it’s a relief to know that after seven years and the addition of some new faces, they still have that same versatile magic.

“Good Things Go” leaves us feeling satisfied and yet hungry for more all at the same time. Good thing you can listen to records as many times as you want, because this is one we don’t plan on letting collect dust.

We’re looking forward to getting to hear more of these tracks live overtime and to what else the band has in store for the future.

Welcome back, Linkin Park. We sure have missed you. —LS