leak of the week

Linkin Park Album Leaks, Fans Crush Beer Cans Against Foreheads

Courtesy of Warner Bros / WEA

What’s new on the file-sharing networks this week.

Linkin Park, Minutes to Midnight

Official release date: May 15

The Internet loves it! “Wow … Just a great album. Talk about changing gears. Talk about sounding more pure and more raw than ever before. Talk about finding a new take on old sound … I think this is one of the best rock albums I’ve ever heard.” [Black Iris]

The Internet hates it! “Why do todays’ bands feel the need to re-invent themselves? … Where is the ENERGY?!? I wanted to love this so bad, but in the end, it’s a valiant try at something new, but it just leaves me wanting what they gave us in the past.” [A City Full of Dharma]

We think: A passable stab at a mid-career reinvention, Minutes to Midnight finds Linkin Park attempting the difficult transition from rap-metal to emo — another crowded genre nearing its expiration date. Rick Rubin’s outsize production and “Shadow of the Day“‘s not-so-subtle nod to Joshua Tree–era U2 help make things interesting, but probably not enough to win them any new fans. —Lane Brown

Linkin Park Album Leaks, Fans Crush Beer Cans Against Foreheads