I've been listening to this album for a while (i got my hands on it way before the album came out but I bought it so its not stealing
)I have to say this goes back to the core of Linkin Park. This is their best album yet. The reason? The lyrics. They replaced all the crap they mix into their songs and replaced it with something more meaningful. the lyrics in this album are powerful and thats a big step forward for Linkin Park. The music reflects the lyrics and thats why its a little different. You can't mix all this techno over a meaningful song without hurting the power of the lyrics. The music reflects the words perfectly. It throws an emphasis on the feelings put into the songs. Thats very important. i guess its not everyone who can truly appreciate the power of lyrics in a song though and the way it is emphasised by the right riffs and tunes.
Maybe softer but a million times more powerful.