Niki N. Phaser » linkin park

Linkin Park Debut New Song For Haiti Relief

Niki N. Phaser — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:09:20 +0000

Music for Relief, the non-profit organization created by Linkin Park in 2005 for helping victims of natural disasters, is doing its part for the Haiti survivors. A compilation of 9 songs penned by important names in mainstream music of all genres is available to download at the organization’s site. All earnings will go to the United Nations Foundation, Habitat for Humanity (for rebuilding the homes of those affected) and Dave Matthews Band’s BAMA Works. Linkin Park’s new track, Not Alone, is also featured on the collection. They are joined by other artists like Peter Gabriel, Slash, Dave Matthews Band, Alanis Morissette, The All-American Rejects, Hoobastank, Kenna, Enrique Iglesias and Lupe Fiasco. This is all previously unreleased music, published especially for this effort, hence the empowering lyrics about unity and help. You can listen, download and donate:

HERE

Mike Shinoda Teases LP Fans

Niki N. Phaser — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:16:42 +0000

In a recent blog post on his official website, Linkin Park/Fort Minor member, Mike Shinoda gave fans an update on LP’s new LP. The band had their first meeting of the year, regarding the evolution of their future album, expected to be released, sometime in the summer/autumn of this year. It will be their fourth and the follow-up to the successful Minutes to Midnight. The MC seems happy with the way things are going and emphasizes a lot on the new direction of their recent songs. He even talks about initiating a new genre with this one, so the pressure to not repeat themselves seems to be really off. He also teases the army of fans, waiting for any new information: “I was going to tell you guys the working titles…but I changed my mind”, he writes. Though not a concept album, the new material is, so far, tied by “some thematic threads”, the producer also admits. Five songs are almost confirmed, with another 15-20 being worked on, a batch from which the final tracklisting is supposed to be picked. In earlier reports, there was talk of a more electronic sound, Blade Runner-inspired, but, as we all know, an album has many gestation periods, so we’ll just have to wait and hear.

Album Review : Dead by Sunrise – Out of the Ashes

Niki N. Phaser — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:21:56 +0000

The thing with Dead by Sunrise is that you can either listen to it as Chester Benington’s side-project and compare it to Linkin Park, you can also listen to it as Julien-K without Ryan Shuck on vocals, or you can clear your mind of all these faces and names and enjoy a new rock band. And, truth be told, it’s not at all difficult to enjoy Dead by Sunrise’s debut album, Out of the Ashes. The overall feeling you get from this first studio effort by these guys, is that you are listening to some classic rock’n'roll album, something old school, but still alive and kicking. Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell is the first thing that comes to mind, but Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet is not too far either. I’m not entering sound issues when mentioning these albums. I’m just trying to say that Out of the Ashes has everything you would want from a rock album. It might not become your favourite, but you will respect it.

First of all, there is the rock out side, the fast and the heavy, stylized punkish tunes that rely on riff energy and Benington’s screamer abilities. Debut single, Crawl Back In, with its feel good beer party riff, is pretty much what I mean. The grunge-inspired lyrics of inner pain, self-loathing and confusion spawn a bit of an oxymoron in here, because you don’t really see drunk crowds shouting “Dont wanna loose my innocence”. Just as energetic, we can name Inside of Me and Condemned, both of which have that action flick vibe, suitable for the scene where the hero decides to take his ruthless revenge on those who wronged him: “Come on beat me, I’m not a man, Condemned”. The highlight of this punk aesthetics is the less than three minutes long, My Suffering, which has catchy melodic vocals on its otherwise dirty chorus. Chester’s pop voice and rock voice meet up on this one.

And speaking of his pop voice, what would a rock album be without its ballads… Out of the Ashes‘ strongest points are the softer tunes and from these, I have to go with Into You and Give Me Your Name as the best. Second single Let Down doesn’t… let down, either. Tracks like these have that classic value, that I was talking about earlier, while still benefiting from modern producing and interestingly manipulated guitars. Keyboards, synths and programming are also used to great effect (there are moments when Give Me Your Name will remind you of Angelo Badalamenti’s Twin Peaks) , though they never overshadow the guitar work.

There is also an anthemic side to Out of the Ashes, but, if you know your Chester Benington by now, you’ll guess that these are no ordinary anthems. For example, opener Fire, though sounding very stellar, is actually about death: “When I look to the stars I know just were you are, Your looking down upon me”. The last track, In the Darkness, sounds just as grand, but this time the dramatic overtones are in tune with the lyrics: ”I want to cut through my skin, And pull you within”. The rock craftsmanship is definitely there with Dead by Sunrise and it should be, because these guys are no rookies. Hopefully, we’ll hear a follow-up to Out of the Ashes sometime, because this is one side-project that…

CRAWL BACK IN LET DOWN ALBUM MAKING OF

Vangelis – Blade Runner

Niki N. Phaser — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 22:51:28 +0000

From all the other arts, music could best be compared to painting. A painter is able to communicate emotions through the images he creates. Sometimes, these are very complex, filled with all sorts of details, shades and colours and sometimes, they are very simple, just a few lines and yet they are still as strong, if not even more. In this respect, songs are very similar to paintings. Some are multilayered, with all sorts of sounds an instruments filling the sonic space, while others are very minimal, played on one instrument or composed of one melodic episode. The music of Vangelis is a good way of exemplifying this theory. He has plenty of tracks that use dozens of sounds and create an universe which offers something new to discover at every listen, but he also has very simple compositions which are very effective in creating moods.

The soundtrack to Ridley Scott’s SF classic Blade Runner contains both of these types of songs and a lot in between. First of all, I will make it clear: this review is about the first official release from 1994, the one we all grew up with, even though the 2007 anniversary edition does contain some interesting new material, both from the movie and inspired by it (Vadavarot sounds quite intriguing). It is one of the most influential instrumental albums, actually creating the concept of Blade Runner sound, meaning dark and futuristic and very synthy. Liam Howlett quoted Blade Runner as an inspiration for the track Omen Reprise, Massive Attack did a reworking of the score with the help of the Heritage Orchestra, but this material is not available. Unfortunately. Linkin Park are talking about a Blade Runner influenced future album, as well as Editors and their upcoming In This Light and On This Evening.

The thing is you just can’t have the movie Blade Runner without all the sounds provided by Vangelis. He should have been credited for doing sound effects, too, not just the music. A track like Main Titles (though it doesn’t feature on the movie’s opening titles) offers so much more than just the massive oberheims and synth orchestra which create that image of something grand and yet very creepy. The constant layer of chimes and bells and engine effects give an ineffable contour to the dark world of Rick Deckard. Just as the loneliness of these strange characters is so beautifully infused by Love Theme (featuring sax by Dick Morrissey) or the Blade Runner Blues. In the same territory we find Memories of Green, which is the very definition of a haunting piece of music. Originally from a previous Vangelis album, See You Later (definitely try the epic Suffocation from this one), Memories of Green, besides being able to take the listener to every possible mood with simple piano keys, also features various sound effects that fit the movie like a glove. It’s one of those weird cases of musical premonition.

Vangelis also makes great use of some vocal samples from the film, lines that will bring a corner smile to every fan of the soundtrack when they are watching the movie. Blush Response and Wait for Me, both remarkable for their groundbreaking beats at the time, begin with conversations between Sean Young and Harrison Ford, while Tears in Rain contains what is probably Rutger Heuer’s best movie moment ever. Speaking of voices, you also get a little bit of Demis Roussos in there (Tales of the Future), Vangelis’ former bandmate from Aphrodite’s Child. This track and Damask Rose help enhance the multiculturalism feel of the dystopian 2019 Los Angeles.

But, there is no point in fooling ourselves, when it comes to voices on the Blade Runner soundtrack, Mary Hopkin’s melisma on Rachel’s Song is by far the best moment. It’s also one of Vangelis’ best two tracks. Constructed on some dripping sound, this song is one of those things that just can’t be put in a box. At least, not in an already existing one. It’s a world of its own. If someone would be crazy enough to claim that there is such a thing as the best song ever, Rachel’s Song would be a strong contender. Why it never made it on the film remains a mystery, but, in a way, it just adds more to the myth. And I’ll conclude, of course, with End Titles, the most influential track from the album, endlessly remixed by trance and house projects around the world, a song that has the sadness of Barber’s Adagio for Strings with the energy of The Prodigy. It’s also a good way of getting acquainted with the master. If you don’t already know Him…

Alice In Chains take reformation seriously

Niki N. Phaser — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:04:12 +0000

Grunge major players Alice In Chains have finally completed a reunion project, recording a new album with singer William DuVall, who is replacing Layne Staley, dead of an OD back in 2002. The album is called Black Gives Way to Blue and will come out in September. They also have several gigs lined up, including a slot at the Epicenter show alongside Linkin Park and Street Sweeper Social Club. A few dates in Germany will mark their return to Europe, where they played last in 2006. The first single and video, A Looking in View is available at their official website. Judging from this song, this is the real thing. These guys are not just surfing the 90′s nostalgia wave, they still have some heavy riffs left in them. On the other hand, they probably know they woun’t get the spotlights of their younger years that’s why they selected a seven minutes PG-18 video to announce the comeback. Both the song and the video worth your attention.

Linkin Park – In Pieces : All in One

Niki N. Phaser — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:57:25 +0000

If you are a bit familiar with the history of Linkin Park, you would know that their 2007 album, Minutes to Midnight, was a crucial moment in the band’s evolution. A big difference from previous albums was that they got more in touch with their inner pop child and the result was several softer songs like Leave Out All The Rest, Valentine’s Day or In Pieces. This is a song where Chester Benington really exhibits his pop voice. There is no nu-metal screaming, just a lot of vulnerability and that “wounded soul’s power”, displayed in some of Linkin Park’s best songs. In fact, the whole track, lyrically speaking, sounds like a love song, but in LP style, which means plenty of imputations and emotional accusations like “There’s truth in your lies, Doubt in your faith, What you build you lay to waste”.

Musically, In Pieces represents a fortunate combination of numerous elements from distinct genres. The song is built on what sounds like a celesta riff. There are hip-hop synth beats and atmospherics effects courtesy of Mr. Hahn, but you also get real rockin’ drumming, both intense and complex. The vocals, as I said, are soft and quite balladesque. The second verse is punctuated by some Clashy guitar hits and speaking of guitars, Brad Delson’s solo really takes you back to some 80′s hard rock, something like AC/DC or Motorhead even. It’s a shame that Linkin Park didn’t saw a single in this one, but they certainly haven’t ignored it live.

LISTEN TO THE SONG HERE

Linkin Park’s Chester Benington is shaping up new band

Niki N. Phaser — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:16:41 +0000

Linkin Park’s frontman Chester Benington is finally releasing an album with his side-project, Dead by Sunrise, comprised of Julien-K and ex-Orgy members. Talks of a non-Linkin Park project have been circulating even before Meteora days. This time, it’s the real deal. Benington revealed that Dead by Sunrise will release an album entitled Out of Ashes in September. The sound will be dramatically different from Linkin Park, mainly due to the absence of Mike Shinoda, who, Benington considers, “has created our signature sound“. There will be no hip-hop influences on this one, just straightforward rock. The album will have ten tracks, as this reminds Benington of the memorable records of the 60′s and 70′s. A possible first single is a track named Crawl Back In, for which they will be shooting a video around the beginning of August. As for gigs, the nu-metal icon announced through Twitter a series of surprise Dead by Sunrise shows, adding “They will be short sets. And no one will know when or where they will be”. The one hint he gave was “So if anyone wants to see us doing these performances you’d better try to get to the LP shows this summer”. Their first official offering (through their Myspace page), entitled Morning After, is quite promising.

Linkin Park – New Divide: Are they going back ?

Niki N. Phaser — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:13:58 +0000

New Divide

Linkin Park have released their latest single on June 16, titled New Divide, included in the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen soundtrack. The song has also been reworked by Hans Zimmer for the movie’s score.The song charted really well, in the Top Ten in all the important American charts. The video is pretty cool, too. But…

As an appreciator of Linkin Park, I must say that New Divide got me a bit worried. Their last album, Minutes to Midnight was an instant classic. It was one of the few cases when a band says that ol’crap about “this album is different than the others” and it was really true… and really fortunate, since their straighforward rock songs and punky ballads (does that exist?) were a breath of fresh air. The rap-rock of their first two albums gave the mainstream baptism of a new genre and they moved from that with grace. So…

The problem with New Divide is that, despite having no Shinoda vocals, it represents absolutely nothing new, it is Linkin Park by the manual, which might not be a good omen for their upcoming 2010 album. It might as well be a middle part in What I’ve Done. Minutes to Midnight was a great surprise and I woun’t be the only one disappointed if they don’t follow up on the evolved sound or, even better, come up with something even more fresh.