| Wastelands | |
 | |
| Album | The Hunting Party |
|---|---|
| Released | June 1, 2014 |
| Length | 3:15 |
| Genre | Rock |
| Label | Warner Bros. Machine Shop |
| Tempo (BPM) | |
| Key | |
| Producer | Mike Shinoda Brad Delson Rob Cavallo (co.) |
| Previous Promotional Single | I'll Be Gone (Vice Remix) (featuring Pusha T.) |
| Next Promotional Single | Rebellion (featuring Daron Malakian) |
Wastelands, originally known as Wastelands of Today during the recording sessions, is the sixth track from Linkin Park's sixth studio album, The Hunting Party, which was scheduled to be released on June 17, 2014. It was released on June 1, 2014 promotionally via airplay, then it was released as a promotional single on June 2. The song debuted live on May 25, 2014 at KFMA Day 2014, after the band performed it live for the first time in Tuscon, Arizona on May 24, 2014. The song was leaked online on May 30, 2014, along with its lyric video and a video of the CD version. It is produced by Brad Delson and Mike Shinoda, as the track segues into the album's second single, "Until It's Gone".
Composition[]
This tune starts with a hip-hop verse and the song has a lot of groove with a late 90's style heavy drum and bass. The chorus is catchy yet sludgy and has some grit to it. Watch out for the heavy breakdown in the middle of the song. Linkin Park take you on a sonic roller-coaster ride as they play around with the tempo and ambiance of the song. Song debuted live on May 25, 2014 at KFMA Day 2014.
Background[]
Fans of Mike Shinoda’s hip-hop oriented side project Fort Minor, will undoubtedly be left in awe over the exquisite rhyme pattern and wordplay Mike Shinoda delivers on top of Wasteland’s gritty stomping drum beat and distorted guitar riffs that pervade the song’s 3 minute plus running time. A confident display of his rap abilities, Shinoda puts his skills on full display stating “This is war with no weapons, marching with no stepping, murder with no killing, illin' every direction” informing other emcees to first “do the math” because there’s “no equal, a John with no Yoko, more power, less people…” complimented by a chorus that features lyrics themed around an end of the world apocalyptic scenario, this track hits hard, and lets everybody know that Mr. Shinoda can run with the best of them.
Live Info[]
Linkin Park performed the song in Tuscon, Arizona on May 24, 2014, along with Guilty All the Same (which Shinoda raps Rakim's verse on during the performance) and Until It's Gone. On May 30, 2014 at Rock in Rio, before the song began, while the short version of "Runaway" was being performed at Rock in Rio, Mike reaches into his pockets during the performance, wanting to skip part of the song, takes out CDs of brand new songs that are not out yet (except for "Guilty All the Same" (without Rakim on stage) and "Until It's Gone" that they also performed in Rio), and tossed them out to fans who attempted to catch them before "Wastelands" was performed by the band. A hardcore Linkin Park fan named Tiago Rodrigues was one of the lucky fans to get his hands on a CD that contains the studio version of "Wastelands" during the Meet and Greet.
Track Listing[]
- Digital download
| # | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wastelands | Linkin Park | 3:15 |
- Promotional single
| # | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wastelands (Single Edit) | Linkin Park | 3:10 |
Lyrics[]
This is war with no weapons
Marching with no stepping
Murder with no killing
Illin' every direction
First, no sequel, do the math
No equal
John with no Yoko:
More power, less people
And no, I'm not afraid of that
Print in your paperback
Every rap is made in fact to act as a delayed attack
Every phrase a razor blade that's saved until they play it back
Slay em', leave em' laying on the pavement
Bang
Fade to black
In the wastelands of today
When there's nothing left to lose
And there's nothing more to take
But you force yourself to choose
In the wastelands of today
When tomorrow disappears
While the future slips away
And your hope turns into fear
In the wastelands of today
Roll credits, you get it, the show's done
They're talking for just talking, but meaning, they got none
None of em' come proper, they talk like a shotgun
But how many got bred with integrity? Not one, so no
I'm not afraid to see you suckers hold a blade to me
Ain't a way to shake the ground I built before you came to be
Take it how you take it, I'm the opposite of vacancy
And this not negotiation
Y'all can hate and wait and see
In the wastelands of today
When there's nothing left to lose
And there's nothing more to take
But you force yourself to choose
In the wastelands of today
When tomorrow disappears
While the future slips away
And your hope turns into fear
And your hope turns into fear
In the wastelands of today
In the wastelands of today
When there's nothing left to lose
And there's nothing more to take
But you force yourself to choose
In the wastelands of today
When tomorrow disappears
While the future slips away
And your hope turns into fear
And your hope turns into fear
In the wastelands of today
In the wastelands of today
In the wastelands of today
Personnel[]
- Chester Bennington – lead vocals
- Rob Bourdon – drums, percussion
- Brad Delson – lead guitar
- Dave Farrell – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Joseph Hahn – turntables, samples, programming
- Mike Shinoda – MC vocals, rhythm guitar