Linkin Park
A Thousand Suns
Machine Shop/Warner Bros
[Three stars]
Oct 10, 2010
“We’re broken people living on the loaded gun,” Linkin Park cry over clattering keyboards on lead single ”˜The Catalyst,’ which suggests a scream-y Depeche Mode. With Rick Rubin co-producing, the band embraces not just synth-pop clamour but also dancehall-style chants and U2’s grandiosity. It’s the sound of Linkin Park feeling their way toward a new identity, but their skill for melody is obvious. And on the rap-rock ”˜Wretches and Kings,’ they sound like a killer Linkin Park tribute band.
Key Tracks: ”˜Empty Spaces,’ ”˜The Catalyst’
