It’s been seven years since Linkin Park last released new music or performed together, and fans began to wonder if they’d ever return.

While Mike Shinoda has kept active—releasing Post Traumatic in 2018, touring, and performing at festivals worldwide—the question of Linkin Park’s future as a band remained an open-ended “will-they-won’t-they.”

Then, as summer 2024 came to a close, a countdown clock mysteriously appeared, teasing that something was in the works. The extended Linkin Park family buzzed with whispers, theories, and anticipation, speculating what this could mean.

Finally, the countdown reached zero—only to start counting back up again. Was it a glitch? A prank? Something seemed off. But as it turns out, it was a clever nod to the name of the new album and the band’s fresh era, welcoming Linkin Park back to the world. This is From Zero—not to be confused with Xero.

A new era for LINKIN PARK

While there were, of course, mixed feelings about the lineup changes—some expected, others surprising—the Linkin Park community has warmly welcomed new vocalist Emily Armstrong and drummer/co-producer Colin Brittain. If you missed the live stream to celebrate the return watch it here on YouTube >>

If you didn’t get a chance to catch Linkin Park on their recent (and short-notice) world tour, don’t worry—more shows are expected in 2025, so be sure not to miss out!

From Zero by Linkin Park will be released worldwide on November 15, 2024.

On October 29th, DevilBear and a select group of lucky fans were invited to a listening party in London to hear the new album ahead of its official release. Here’s our track by track review of our first listen :

“From Zero” by Linkin Park: Track by Track Review by DevilBearRock

From Zero (intro)
Begins with a long “Oooooo” and then a voice questioning “From Zero…from nothing…oh wait
your band name was…”

Taking us back to the behind or just reinventing themselves (again? Because when did they
ever sound the same twice?)

Emptiness Machine
The track that launched this exciting comeback kicks in quickly and everyone on the room
cheers. It’s amazing how well everyone knows this song and there are key groups singing the
different parts. The best part of a silent disco is taking your headphones off and listening to the
crowd singing and just hearing how excited everyone is. Looking around as Emily’s vocals kick
in it’s really great to see how well she has been accepted by the fans, big smiles and joining in
with her vocals.
This really was the best song to introduce her to the fan base, it sounds like Linkin Park but new
and fun and they’re back!

Cut the Bridge
The first new song to hear has a fun feel too it, beginning with fast angry rapping mentioning
rockets blowing up. The song slows down for Emily to sing, very melodic over a heavy drum
beat, before launching into her screaming.
I love the sound of their voices together, whether it’s screaming, singing or rapping, they blend
together beautifully. “Everything was perfect…” is sung so beautifully and sadly. By ⅔ of the
way through the song everyone is clapping and it feels reminiscent of Bleed It Out, yet lyrically
there is a sadness ‘Something in my head feels broken…’

Heavy is the Crown
As this song starts it’s amazing how seeing all the Linkin park fans in headphones are singing
along, heads are bopping to the beat. It’s a rap song with a heavy screaming chorus and strings
in the background. I took my headphones off just to watch them and the reaction of his much
everyone loves this song. And I’m now writing this at League of Legends Worlds Finals and saw
this song performed live for a room full of gamers and the excitement for everyone to see the
band perform live was amazing.

Over Each Other
A beautiful song that had been released only a few days earlier and I hadn’t listened to through
headphones, I highly recommend everyone does. The harmonies are subtle but Mike is there in
what could otherwise be classed as an Emily solo song. There are echos of lyrics and melodies
in this poppy rock ballad, it’s sad but ultimately lovely. The drums sound incredible – high praise
from someone who is still in the mindset of I-miss-Rob-Bourdon-who-is-this-fucking-imposter?
Having now seen this played live, it’s just as beautiful, every album should have a ballad and
this is it. I feel at future shows this will be stripped down to just a guitar or piano with vocals.

Casualty
“Get your screamy pants on”
One word: Screaming!
“I won’t be your casualty”
Two words: Mike screaming!!!
This is fucking new and unexpected, was Mike experimenting and stretching his vocals or just
playing with something new?
I kinda love it.
“You drew the first blood like playing god”
It’s an aggressive sound I haven’t heard before from Mike and sounds like a Nine Inch Nails
song. I love his vocals and hope he can do this live. Scream for me Mike!
He slips into rapping at parts, which is likely more comfortable for him, but this is an incredible
change in style for him.

Two Faced
A similar theme to the earlier songs returns and Two Faced feels like it could have been on
Hybrid Theory. It’s reminiscent of With You or By Myself – there’s rapping, whispering and
shouting. The base is heavy and this would be great in a rock club, and with Joe cutting in to
remind everyone they started as a numetal band and can very easily slip back into that genre.
Stained
Is Mike talking, rapping or singing? The vocals are almost like one of the recent Mike Shinoda
solo songs with guest girl vocalist, only a little heavier. This song is good but feels a little out of
place after Two Faced, or just shows how far Mike Shinoda’s writing has progressed since
2001.

IGYEIH
“I gave you everything I have” will sound amazing live. There’s screaming, heavy guitars and
singing and it sounds like Linkin Park. The Mike cuts in “clock keeps ticking, the rules are
written” and you know this is a Linkin Park song.
Building screaming of “From now on I don’t need you!” it’s aggressive and angry and emotional
and I hope this finds its way to the next setlists on the tour schedule.
Emily’s singing voice is incredible and it’s perfectly fitting with the band.

Overflow
My first thoughts debated of this was an instrumental track? Something that would be skipped in
future plays?
It sounds like a trance song and at times quite trippy. And then Mike starts wailing and I
wondered if Avenged Sevenfold had served him a meal of magic mushrooms in response for his
review of Life is but a Dream album.
The rapping comes in with a very heavy beat and little singing blended behind his vocals. Then
some really high pitched singing that brings it back to the trippy feel and Mike starts singing, the
repeated words “Going down” are said! Is this a sex song????

Good Things Go
This is the last track and I don’t want it to end and much like they always do Linkin Park hit plus
with the emotional songs at the end of the album. “Feels like it’s raining in my head for a
hundred days”. Repeated with Emily following Mike. It starts slowly and builds. With both singing
alone and together, and it feels lyrically like a Linkin Park song, the necessity for two vocalists,
and with sentiments we can all relate to “Say I hate you when I don’t…push you when you get to
close”
The way Emily gets angrier and higher with her voice is a new sound to Linkin Park, a good
song to show off these vocal gymnastics, it’ll be hard to sing along to in the car on a road trip
but I know I’ll bust my voice trying to. “Only you can save me from my lack of self control”

I can’t wait to hear it again.

These are just our thoughts on the album—make your own call, form your own impressions. That’s the beauty of music: it’s a unique experience for each listener. Either way, it feels like a piece we didn’t know was missing has been restored, though in a new and unexpected way.

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