Niki N. Phaser

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that the best gigs are those of the bands you know to perfection (B-sides and side-projects included), the bands you grew up with no matter the age you first heard them. In December 2012, I will be celebrating a decade since I first considered myself a Linkin Park fan. However, the celebration came a bit early, as the boys finally decided to rock Romania on June 6^th, prompting a lot of the 10.000+ fans, gathered at the oh so familiar venue – Romexpo, to loudly proclaim the likes of “this is a dream come true” or “I’ve been waiting for this since high-school’’. The surprising truth is that Linkin Park have been around for a relatively long time now. It just goes to show that being in a constant development and not being afraid to experiment (A Thousand Suns was the most underground mainstream album of 2010) has paid off. Different people have different notions of what the Linkin Park ‘sound’ is.

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         Rap veterans Cypress Hill are about to make yet another spectacular comeback this April, as they will release their first album since 2004′s classic Till Death Do Us Part. The new one is suitably entitled Rise Up and will be out on the 20th next month. It has been announced by a first single, It Ain’t Nothin’. As with the previous album, the South Gate gang is finding new ways to expand their sound, while still combining an unforgiven edge with some laid back-laid high grooves. There are also some interesting choices in their guests collaborators. Tom Morello succeeds in making the guys sound like RATM, while the track with Daron Malakian (System of a Down) promises to be something quite different. I have to admit, though, that from the tracks already available on the band’s MySpace, Armada Latina, their chill number featuring Pitbull and Marc Anthony (yes, that’s what it says) is the one with the most classic-potential. Other names featuring on the album: Mike Shinoda, The Alchemist, Kannabis Kartel, Everlast, Young De.

It Ain’t Nothin’ HERE

              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