One year late, but it is fine!
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Linkin Park – From 0 Review By Hannibal.
That’s right, everyone, I’m dragging myself out of musical review retirement to talk about Linkin Park’s latest offering. Also this is coming a year late. More explanation for that below. But thanks to it being late we can talk about the deluxe addition as well.
Introduction.
So as you will find out reading this article. I wrote this review back in November of 2024. I listened to every Linkin Park album, and reviewed the new one, then I wrote this entire article. However we were in the middle of a singing competition and I didn’t quite manage to get Smoke’s attention long enough for him to go over this. This is not blaming him, he was very Bizzy and I wasn’t persistent.
So now it’s a year later, and I thought I would post it anyway, because I put the work in, and it also gave me a chance to go through and see if any of my opinions have changed. So enjoy this article along with some new sections and foot notes added.
Original Introduction.
This article is a review of From 0, Linkin Park’s new album. But it’s also a reflection on how this new album stands up against the band’s entire discography.
To prepare for this release, I revisited all seven of Linkin Park’s studio albums. You’ll find my brief thoughts on each of them and how I think From 0 fits into the bigger picture.
But first, let’s dive into the new album and my thoughts on it.
2025 note: A deluxe addition of the album came out about 6 months after the original album. The original article didn’t get those songs. But hey they have been included thanks to the year long delay in this article coming out.
Information.
Title: From 0
Band: Linkin Park
Released: November 15, 2024
Reviewed: November 2024/October 2025.
Background.
Formed in the late ’90s, Linkin Park released their debut album, Hybrid Theory, in 2000. Over the next 17 years, they would release six more studio albums, as well as several live DVDs and remix albums. Tragically, in 2017, lead vocalist Chester Bennington passed away, just months after the release of their seventh studio album, One More Light.
The band took an extended break, but in 2024, they announced a new chapter with the introduction of a new singer, Emily Armstrong, and a new album, From 0. They also revealed that long-time drummer Rob Bourdon would not be returning. So, seven years after their last release, let’s talk about From 0. We’ll start with the songs and then look at the album as a whole.
2025 note: Nailed it passed me.
Songs.
01: Intro
It’s an intro. Not much to say here—short and sweet, setting the stage for the album. Let’s move on.
2025 note: I mean still nothing to say. It is still an intro.
02: The Emptiness Machine
This is the lead single, and it’s a strong start. It has that familiar Linkin Park vibe that was missing from their last album, and it gives us a good introduction to Emily’s vocals. The song opens with Mike singing rather than rapping, which is a solid shift. Then Emily takes the second verse and chorus, and they come together in the bridge. The hook is punchy, reminiscent of their earlier work, though it’s not the best Linkin Park song I’ve heard. Still, it’s a perfect introduction to Emily’s style and a solid track overall.
2025 note: I didn’t mention this song came out several months before the album, so I had already heard this one, but it is stil good. I agree with my thoughts.
03: Cut the Bridge
This song feels like a blend of Minutes to Midnight and something a bit more modern. Mike brings back the rap, while Emily’s big, powerful chorus makes the song hit hard. It has a vibe similar to “Bleed It Out”—it’s a fun, energetic track that would be great live. The album is off to a strong start.
2025 Note: It is Bleed it out part 2. Just be honest past me.
04: Heavy Is the Crown
The second single, and my personal favorite. This track really feels like old-school Linkin Park. Mike’s rap verses take us back in time, and the intro has an unmistakable early Linkin Park feel. If “Cut the Bridge” was “Bleed It Out Part 2,” this is “Faint Part 2.” Stripped-back verses lead into heavy, unclean vocals in the chorus, and then the song builds into a monstrous bridge, with Emily even breaking into a Given Up-style scream. This track is everything I hoped for in a new Linkin Park song.
2025 Note: Wait I called cut the bridge, Bleed it out part 2 here, but not in my review of that track. What the fuck sort of over sight was that. I need a better ghost writer. Or a ghost writer to begin with.
05: Over Each Other
This third single takes the band into new territory. It’s an Emily-led track with a Synth driven instrumental and softer, clean vocals. While it’s not a standout, it works well in the context of the album. It’s a modern twist on the Linkin Park sound—softer, but with an energy that fits seamlessly into the album.
2025 Note: Ok so I will say this is a song that really did grow on me over the last year. It is brilliant. My opinion absolutely improved.
06: Casualty
I didn’t edit my notes for this one. Here’s what I wrote during my first listen:
“Get your screamy pants on. What—what is happening? Mike’s got vocal distortion. This is heavy as fuck. This is putting the metal into new metal. Holy shit. Let’s fucking go!”
Mike uses unclean vocals in his rap parts while Emily screams through the choruses. It’s one of the heaviest tracks on the album, and easily the heaviest so far. The song is a powerhouse.
2025 Note: I lied. I absolutely didn’t take notes. I wrote that after the fact and just claimed I took notes. Stop lying to the people past me.
07: Overflow
This track feels like a bad acid trip. From the strange vocal choices Mike makes to the ambient soundscapes, it’s a slow, soft song that every Linkin Park album seems to have. I’m not a fan of this one. Honestly, my notes sum it up: I’ve got nothing more to say.
2025 Note: Stop claiming you took notes. You took 0 notes. Also this song did not grow on me. It was shit in 2024 and it is shit in 2025.
08: Two-Faced
Back to the heavy stuff. This song features a big, catchy hook while Mike brings back his classic raps. Instrumentally, it feels like it could have been on Hybrid Theory. It’s a great example of how the band blends their past and present. That bridge is straight out of the early days of Linkin Park—I’m here for it.
2025 Note: You know what. I agree. Good job past me.
09: Stained
This track feels like it belongs in a movie soundtrack. It’s not bad, but it’s also not my favorite. It’s very pop-driven, and honestly, it doesn’t stand out much after repeated listens. I don’t hate it, but I don’t find it’s grown on me either.
2025 Note: Honestly it is a skip song for me most times. it is ok. But really it isn’t the best.
10: IGYEIH
At first, I thought this song was just “okay,” but over the past week, it’s really grown on me. There’s a nice trade-off between Emily and Mike in the verses, and the chorus has a stadium-rock feel. The bridge has a slight “One Step Closer” vibe but with a unique twist to Emily’s vocals. Here’s what I wrote during my first listen:
“Can we just talk about that title? Wait, I’ve realized it stands for ‘I Gave You Everything I Had’… fair enough, but that would have been a long title. Not a bad song, though—there’s a solid heavy bridge and outro.”
2025 note: Cringe passed me. Learn to write.
11: Good Things Go
Linkin Park, you can’t make me cry! This song hits way harder than it should. The interplay between the two vocalists is incredible—there’s a call-and-response dynamic in the verses, with a rap bridge in the middle. It’s definitely the most emotionally charged track on the album, and while it’s not the best song, it’s a perfect way to close out the album.
2025 Note: I didn’t actually cry. But it did hit me in my feels. It still does. Fuck you linkin Park. I don’t want to feel things.
New section, deluxe addition tracks.
So the deluxe edition has 3 songs and was released several months later, so let’s quickly go through them. This is not my first listen, but my thoughts nevertheless.
12: Up from the bottom.
This song is a fucking banger. Sorry I had to write like passed me. This song really is good. I would say this would be in my top 3 tracks on the album as a hole. The chorus is super catchy. And the verses are really well done. Fast paced and just a good song over all.
13: Unshatter.
This one is tricky. I do like it as a song, but it lacks something. Musically it is a pretty solid Linkin Park track. The Verses are Mike doing his things with Emily on the Choruses. The bridge gets a little bit strange. I wouldn’t say it is a top song. but it isn’t bad.
14: Let you Fade.
Oh you ended the standard addition with a sad song. So you were like well we better make another sad song to end the deluxe addition.
This is the weakest of the deluxe edition songs. It has the emotion, but over all it never feels like it reaches its full potential at any point in the song.
The verses are fine. The chorus feels like it should go harder, and the bridge is the really emotional part of the song. It does hit but just not as hard as I think it could have.
The Album as a Whole.
The songs are a little bit of a mix bag, but when you put it all together.
Overall I really enjoy this album. Sure, the hype might have played a part, but often when expectations are too high, the result can be disappointing. However, From 0 didn’t disappoint.
Mike shows noticeable vocal growth here, which allows him to do a bit of everything. From his singing on “The Emptiness Machine” to his rap verses on “Heavy Is the Crown” and even his unclean vocals on “Casualty,” it’s clear he’s grown as an artist. That growth really shines through across this album.
I can’t imagine how challenging it must be to step into a band like Linkin Park as a vocalist, but Emily Armstrong does an amazing job. Her screams on tracks like “Casualty” and “Heavy Is the Crown” are incredible, while her gentler vocals on songs like “Over Each Other” and “Good Things Go” really showcase her range and depth.
Musically, the album brings it all together. From slow and soft moments to fast and heavy riffs, it has a bit of everything.
2025 Note: I still agree with all of this. I will say that the addition of the deluxe edition songs just added to what I have said. Also some versions have live tracks as well and who doesn’t love some good live tracks.
Final Thoughts (Kind Of)
Honestly, From 0 isn’t the greatest album ever made. It’s not perfect, and at just 32 minutes, it feels like it’s just getting started when it ends. But for what it offers, most of it is pretty damn good.
I find it tough to pick standout tracks, but “Heavy Is the Crown,” “Casualty,” and “Two-Faced” definitely stand out for me—they’re heavy, fast, and just excellent songs. Then there are tracks like “Good Things Go” and “The Emptiness Machine,” which, while not the best, serve their purpose really well.
And when I think about a track like “Cut the Bridge,” I realize that even though the album is short, it has plenty to offer.
If I had to rate it, I’d give it an 8.5 out of 10, but I give that number tentatively. It’s tough to assign a definitive score, but that’s where I’d land for now.
2025 Note: I would add up from the bottom to stand out tracks. Also I would say that 8.5 is a little high. I think it is a solid 8.
Old Album Throwback.
Before From 0 was released, I went back and listened to all of Linkin Park’s past albums. I don’t usually do this, but it was fun and gave me some context to include in this review.
I decided to listen in a somewhat strange order. Since I started just three days before the new album’s release, I split up my favorite albums with some of those I’m not as fond of.
• Day 1: Minutes to Midnight, One More Light, and Living Things
• Day 2: Hybrid Theory and A Thousand Suns
• Day 3: The Hunting Party and Meteora
Here are a few thoughts I had on each album and how they compare to the new one.
2025 Note: I mean this is me talking about albums some of which I have been listening to for 15 years. so I won’t add individual notes.
Minutes to Midnight
This was where I started with Linkin Park. The album starts strong but fades off toward the end. Even so, it’s still one of my favorites. With tracks like “Given Up,” “Bleed It Out,” and “What I’ve Done,” how can you not love it?
17 years later, Minutes to Midnight still holds up.
One More Light
Just… no. One More Light is Linkin Park trying to sound like anything but Linkin Park. I hated it in 2017, and I still feel the same way in 2024.
2025 note: I lied. I am adding notes. I just feel I didn’t express just how much I hate this album.
Living Things
This album has always felt like the most “middle-of-the-road” for me. Sure, it has some good songs like “Lost in the Echo” and “Burn It Down,” but overall, it’s just average. It was easier to appreciate since it came after A Thousand Suns, an album I really disliked when it came out.
A Thousand Suns
I went into this with the understanding that I never liked this album. But I have grown, I am older and I have matured. But as it turns out that doesn’t change my opinion.
Perhaps I don’t hate it quite as much, but the truth is. This album lacks a lot of why Linkin Park’s first 3 albums are so good. Too many interludes and over all this just doesn’t go very hard. A few good songs but for the most part I am happier not listening to this album in full.
Hybrid Theory
What can I say? It’s one of the most iconic albums in new metal history. Certified Diamond twice, with some of the best songs the genre has ever seen, Hybrid Theory still holds up. Personally, I think Meteora is even better, but it’s close—Hybrid Theory set the standard for everything that followed.
The Hunting Party
Going into my album listening session, I expected The Hunting Party to be one of my lower-ranked albums. While it doesn’t make the top 3, it has some great songs. It’s not perfect, and a few tracks fall flat, but most of them are solid, and I really enjoyed revisiting it.
Meteora
God damn, Meteora. While many might argue Hybrid Theory is Linkin Park’s best album, Meteora takes the crown for me. With tracks like “Lying From You,” “Faint,” “Don’t Stay,” “Numb,” and “Breaking the Habit,” it truly has it all. They took everything they did on their first album and elevated it. People said they couldn’t top Hybrid Theory—but Meteora did just that.
Altogether Now.
Comparing From 0 to the older albums is a strange task. The new album has elements that remind me of older material, and it gives me the Linkin Park vibes I expect.
But I hesitate to compare Chester and Emily directly. They are two different people, and Chester can never be replaced. But Emily is brilliant in her own right.
If I were to rank From 0, I’d place it somewhere in the middle of Linkin Park’s discography. It doesn’t quite reach the level of Meteora or Hybrid Theory, and those albums will always be the standard. However, One More Light and A Thousand Suns still sit at the bottom for me, albums I’d rather not listen to in full.
As for From 0’s placement, I wasn’t going to rank it specifically, but it would probably finish in fourth place. I can’t quite place it above Minutes to Midnight, though that’s understandable since Minutes to Midnight has been with me for 18 years, while I’ve only had From 0 for eight days.
It’s a close call, but I’m just happy this is the album we got in 2024. I feared we’d get another One More Light or something equally forgettable, but thankfully, the band delivered an album I’ll be happy to listen to for years to come!
2025 Note: So I think fourth is the right place for this album. Minutes to midnight is above it. and I have had this album for a year now.
Conclusion.
So, this review ended up being far longer than I intended. It took me much longer to write than you’d expect based on its length, but I enjoyed every minute of it.
I hope you enjoyed reading it. If I’ve convinced you to listen to the album in any way, my job is complete.
2025 Note: I mean if you haven’t listened to it in the past year I doubt this article will make you do so. But maybe you enjoyed my words.
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