Here we go, with an album that has certainly divided fans and newcomers alike. From what we've heard so far, it seems that Linkin Park have left the rock and nu-metal music that we've grown so accustomed to, behind. From the iconic Hybrid Theory and Meteora, through the experimental A Thousand Suns, right up to now, we've seen many sides of this versatile band. But none like what we appear to be about to see. So far we have had singles featuring Kiiara, Pusha T and Stormzy - not, maybe, what fans were expecting. So let's see what else these guys have to offer this era. Definitely going into this with an open mind, if nothing else!
Once more, here's how our ratings work:
Once more, here's how our ratings work:
1 - Shouldn't have been recorded
2 - Filler
3 - Above average filler
4 - Killer
5 - Career defining masterpiece
Track 01 - Nobody Can Save Me
John - 2/5
Tilly - 2/5
Track 02 - Good Goodbye [Feat. Pusha T and Stormzy]
John - 3.5/5
Tilly - 3.5/5
Track 03 - Talking to Myself
John - 3/5
Tilly - 2.5/5
Track 04 - Battle Symphony
John - 3.5/5
Tilly - 2.5/5
Track 05 - Invisible
John - 2/5
Tilly - 2/5
Track 06 - Heavy [Feat. Kiiara]
John - 3/5
Tilly - 3.5/5
Track 07 - Sorry for Now
John - 1.5/5
Tilly - 1.5/5
Track 08 - Halfway Right
John - 2.5/5
Tilly - 2.5/5
Track 09 - One More Light
John - 3/5
Tilly - 2/5
Track 10 - Sharp Edges
John - 4/5
Tilly - 2.5/5
Conclusion
John - This was an interesting listen. First of all, I don't by any means think this was a bad album. There were a few tracks that could've done with not being on there, Sorry For Now being one of them - purely because they were just incredibly forgettable - but for the most part I enjoyed One More Light. The production was a bit hit and miss, but the lyrical content was good mostly, and I actually quite liked the majority of the instrumentals, which I wasn't expecting at all. The highlights were Heavy, Good Goodbye, Battle Symphony and Sharp Edges, the latter being the best on the album for me. Chester Bennington's vocals are as good as they've ever been, and this is very much demonstrated by his versatility on different tempo tracks. Overall, I'm pleasantly surprised by One More Light. It's definitely not a perfect album - especially not when compared to some of their best work - but it's not a bad effort either.
Overall Score - 3/5
Tilly - I'll be the first to admit that I know very few songs by Linkin Park. Of course, I have the obvious ones all on my rock playlist, but aside from those, I know next to nothing about them. One More Light was probably an odd place for me to start delving into their extensive discography but it surprisingly wasn't a bad place. Sure, it's certainly more poppy than what I know of their music, but the decent lyrics and catchy chorus' are still very much a part of their new sound. Heavy and Good Goodbye were the highlights and obvious single choices, whereas songs like Sharp Edges and One More Light felt like potential gems dragged down by a multitude of unfortunate lyrics. It was still a really cohesive and enjoyable listen, and I wouldn't be opposed to adding all of the songs to one of my playlists - bar Sorry For Now - to see if I end up liking it more than I feel like I do right now.
Overall Score - 2.5/5