Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight

Linkin Park They have changed in Minutes to Midnight, and the metamorphosis isn't a positive one.This album lacks the heavyweight that characterized its predecessors. Most of the tracks are soft. Gone is the Points of Authority style headbanging except maybe that guitar solo part of What I've Done.Undoubtedly, this album is the type that grows each time you play it, but it simply doesn't do what fans of the band wanted it to do and seems I've always preferred Chester's raspy vocals to Shinoda's rapping, but he's so underutilized on this album that you realize that he's an integral part to the Linkin Park sound MC Mike Shinoda drops the two best verses of his career, blending vocal styles with singer Chester Bennington for a moving song piece.Mike Shinoda's rapping presence is minimal.The fusion of his rapping and Chester's vocals combined with excellent beats and melodies makes the band.

this album is the type that grows each time you play it, but it simply doesn't do what fans of the band wanted it to do. There are a few hints of where the band has been but I must admit that their intent to sound different did not produce good results.This change was not a welcome one, and anyone who loved the first two albums may doubt with this Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight

Metallica - Death Magnetic

Metallica Death Magnetic is also its first with renowned producer Rick Rubin (Danzig, Slayer, System Of A Down,Slipknot), first with bassist Robert Trujillo, and first on Warner Bros. Heavy and thrash y.And seems Unlike "Load" and "Reload", "Death Magnetic" avoids the bluesy, dirty grinding songs, and unlike "St. Anger" this one aims for strong hooks, harmonies structure and flow. Metallica attempts to win back their old fans while retaining their new ones. This CD ought to hold most everyone's attention, at least initially.

However "Death Magnetic" is not a new Master but rather a culmination of everything these guys have every done. While many songs will remind listeners of "Justice" "Broken, Beat and Scarred" is reminiscent of "St. Anger" with its chants of "what don't kill ya, makes ya more strong" and riffing rather than solos.It's packed with amazing scorching solos that will just pummel your eardrums in rhythmic fashion. It's heavy and progressive, lots of long instrumentals carried by some pounding drumbeats. The kind of stuff that will scare old people. With their first radio release The Day That Never Comes, there are some grating guitar riffs that are undeniably borrowed from the song One. Maybe not too original, but it sounds excellent. Lyrically, the rage and rebellious spirit is still there, maybe slightly less convincing than the younger days but still well written.

All in all, this is a very solid effort. Metallica attempts to win back their old fans while retaining their new ones but expect reaction to it to be very mixed. The part of the Metallica fan base who will enjoy this the most are those who liked ...And Justice For All and The Black Album.

Dream Theater - Falling Into Infinity

All I know is that everyone in Dream Theater is a tremendously gifted musician, and despite the difficulties they made a fine album with Falling Into Infinity.And as we obviously know that John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy are incredible musicians.They bring "Take Away My Pain" is another ballad, and another beautiful song that I loved.This was the turning-the-clock-around album for Dream Theater. Mike Portnoy said that this album nearly killed Dream Theater because the record company wanted them to make a commercial album.Mike Portnoy says that the recording of Falling Into Infinity almost broke the band up. Pressures from their record company to make a commercially appealing album were teeming here, evidenced by some very commercial rock songs and some standard ballads. I despise it when a record company tells you what to do, but Dream Theater compromised.This album has gotten a lot of negative response because, apparently, it's their commercial album. Well, don't take that too seriously, because aside from a few weaker songs this album is frigging amazing.