Rarely has a comeback been met with as much simultaneous excitement and derision as Linkin Park's recent resurgence.
You see, it's been seven years since their last studio LP (2017's One More Light), which arrived two months before beloved frontman Chester Bennington tragically took his own life. Since then, listeners have been waiting eagerly to see if, when, and how Linkin Park would continue, and when they announced that Dead Sara co-founder Emily Armstrong would be their new frontwoman, many devotees were upset.
After all, the thought of anyone taking over for Bennington was seen as downright blasphemous (even though everyone involved clarified that Armstrong is not trying to outdo or replace Bennington, but instead trying to steer Linkin Park into a new era that's successful both artistically and commercially). Plus, Armstrong's ties to scientology and convicted rapist Danny Masterson were understandably problematic.
Suffice to say that their newest record, From Zero (which marks the debut of Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain), arrives with mixed feelings from countless fans (if not the music industry as a whole). That said, when assessed entirely on its own merits and removed from those controversies, From Zero is a very enjoyable – and even nostalgic – ride that demonstrates how well Armstrong fits into the fold and how well Linkin Park have maintained their adored trademarks.
Many of the best moments on From Zero are also the freshest moments.
For instance, 22-second opener "From Zero (Intro)” is mostly an angelic vocal harmony that – intentionally or not – suggests rebirth. Honestly, it has more in common with The Beach Boys' "Our Prayer” or Big Big Trains' "Evening Star” than anything Linkin Park have done before, and it's all the better for it since it immediately brings innovation and importance to the LP. Likewise, "Good Things Go” is meaningful not only for its symbolic lyrics ("Sometimes bad things take the place where good things go”) but also because of how wonderfully Armstrong and Mike Shinoda's singing blends. Beyond their compellingly mirrored verses, her soaring rawness and his matter-of-fact earnestness are utterly captivating, helping make "Good Things Go" an immensely epic and impactful closer.
In fact, Armstrong earns her place throughout the sequence, as both her husky outrage and operatic cleanness work perfectly alongside instrumentation that's purposefully written for her style and range. From the confrontational aggressiveness of "The Emptiness Machine,” "Casualty,” and "Heavy Is the Crown” to the softer shades of "Over Each Other” and "Overflow,” she easily adapts to whatever her groupmates throw at her amidst overtly bringing her own flavor to the songwriting and arrangements.
As "Cut the Bridge” and "Two Faced” highlight, Shinoda is as adept as ever at singing and rapping, too, and as controversial as it might be to say, these tracks (among others) even evoke older Linkin Park tunes. In particular, "Cut the Bridge” sounds a lot like "Bleed It Out,” just as the penultimate "IGYEIH” is kind of like a more melodic and singable take on "Blackout.” In that sense, and for better or worse, the album is largely reminiscent of the band's prior works, so while it doesn't break a lot of new ground, it also doesn't see the sextet losing sight of what's always worked about their chemistry.
It'd be unfair to say that Linkin Park fans don't have valid reasons for automatically opposing From Zero (and this review is in no way trying to dismiss those apprehensions or any of the group or Armstrong's transgressions). Nevertheless, from a purely and solely artistic lens, the record is extremely successful at recapturing the group's magic with just enough newness to keep it intriguing. While no one could fill Bennington's shoes, Armstrong (who, again, isn't trying to do that) is unquestionably skilled and fresh enough to be a great successor to him as well.
Put another way, listeners who approach From Zero with an unbiased and welcoming mind will find that it's a triumphant return from one of the biggest rock bands of the last 25 years.
