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Permalink Reply by Ryan Like Lightning on August 21, 2010 at 5:59pm

The song is repetitive, like a prayer, it's like this for a reason. I see a lot of themes here, redemption, sins, "burn in a thousand suns" is clearly reminescent of Hell and the afterlife. More on that later.

Now for the song's sound, I actually love it, a fantastic hybrid of fast-paced techno with classic LP style rock. True, the techno elements may seem more prominent, but the rock's still there, and the lyrics are splendid. I see how they repeat, and I wouldn't have it any other way, they're all said at rising parts during the song, they go so smoothly with the tempo, it's like the meanings can alter with the music.

I've noticed a lot of people don't like the song for a variety of reasons, but many like the "Lift me up, Let me go" part. Well, that part's just beautiful in my mind, the piano, Chester's words, it all melds so perfectly. My favorite part of the song. So it's understandable why other people like it, and not the rest of the song, it sounds different. But that's just another part of LP's brilliance, to converge different instruments and methods in one song for a perfect cocktail of sound.

I can't wait for the video, how they want these lyrics to be interpreted, will fascinate me.

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Permalink Reply by Storm_Rider00 on August 21, 2010 at 6:30pm

It refers to the perilous times we live in and is a call to God to save us from the ills of humanity, and like it's predecessor ''What I've done'', it touches on how close we are to destruction by our own mistakes. 'A Thousand Suns' could be interpreted as a euphemism for Nuclear War, speaking from a political angle, but it also has spiritual connotations such as hell,etc.

The song maintains a techno-based rhythm similar to 'Breaking The Habit' but is given extra intensity by Chester's forceful vocals. While strangely beautiful in a way, this is relatively repetitive and deviates significantly enough from previous works to disappoint the average hardcore Linkin Park fan, at least until halfway into the song, when a memorable piano riff perfectly compliments the electronic synth waves and gives a sort of 'Epic Action-Themed aura' as seen in the trailer for EA's Medal of Honor.

At this point, the song takes on a new chorus, the ''Lift me up, Let me go'' phrase is repeated as the song intensifies and more sonic effects are added to it, such as the mild guitar riffs. The new chorus could be a verbal narration of the one being fed up with the suffering caused by the actions of an evil and cold world. And wanting to be in a more harmonious environment. A lyrical theme explored in ''Somewhere I Belong.''

All said, The Catalyst is a unique and unexpected performance by Linkin Park, but one that shows off the band's skills and expertise at expanding their comfort zones and performing in a different way. The song is diverse enough to feature different elements and even though the usual rock edge is largely absent, it does not fail to deliver an altogether gripping performance and avoids being a 'departure'. The song is a first draft of how amazing the visual, sonic and lyrical collaboration will be once the video comes out.
9/10

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Permalink Reply by Leon Cox on August 21, 2010 at 6:41pm

This song is quite easy to pick out. it's clever how they've hidden all of these little details. Anyway moving on.

When chester sings 'God bless us everyone we're a broken people living under loaded gun" It MUST be do to with cowboys and possibly indians (Im not sure). Because Cowboys were highly religious - to our knowledge - and they were saying god bless us. And they obviously loaded they're gun in the fight against indians (Or possible mammal)..

'Lift me up - let me go" This obviously means when The Cowboys hunt for they're food and they kill it, and lift it up on theyre cattle, and ride it home, and let it go on the floor.

it's clever how theyve hidden all of this, but the theme of the song is Cowboys and Possibly Indians.

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Permalink Reply by Ejaz loves You on August 21, 2010 at 6:44pm

its obvisously about war but im gonna listen to the song more b4 i can give a definite answer

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Permalink Reply by §ilent Thought§ on August 21, 2010 at 7:03pm

I would say that ryans hypothesis of the song does make the most sense to me since the song seems like its about what were going thru in the country today and possibly in the world, and that were struggling thru this difficult time and to those whos sins like the wars made it better or worse for everyone else..... i dont think its about indians or cowboys lol which would be completly random lol so yea iam tired of typing stuff feels like homework lol bye

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Permalink Reply by Ejaz loves You on August 21, 2010 at 7:29pm

when i first heard in the end i was automatically hoooked the music is so revolutionary. But seriously i see war and suffering but hope and revival in this song. the new album will be a smash hit.

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Permalink Reply by Darlene on August 21, 2010 at 7:52pm

Seems like we're all in the same page.
But some people just don't like the song. Personally, I think it's that type of song that only after a couple times of listening to it is when you realize that you actually like it. The beat, lyrics, with the whole rhythm that just makes you want to press "repeat". That makes you want to listen to it over and over, before you can move on to a different song.

With the drumming that sets off a good beat, and that “No!” at the end sends the message of the present generation are refusing to give in, regretting all the damage and how transmissions seem to be echoing away where oceans could just evaporate into the sky.

LP giving a wake up call, sending everyone the message of how we're living under that loaded gun that could go off anytime, so they're hoping this could be a Catalyst. A change, waking the world up in their own modern way.

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Permalink Reply by Darlene on August 21, 2010 at 8:03pm

There's so much to learn from this song, I just hope the rest of us get the message LP are trying to give, going past all their previous lyrical setting to make way for this whole new different message from them.

With them saying, "God bless us everyone" referring to someone with a higher thinking and guidance than the common. Could be a God, could be anyone you think highly enough to lead us, lead you. Any way you like it. Just a picture of how most of us need someone higher than ourselves, so much that there's nothing left to say but just a desperate "God bless us."

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Permalink Reply by Dex on August 21, 2010 at 8:53pm

I hated the song at first.It didn't sound like LP to me and it annoyed the crap out of me because of it, but it was catchy and I kept listening to it.
After hearing it about 50 times I now love it, I realise that it is still true to LP, it's just that before the different elements of the music were often pieced together separately, and on the Catalyst it feels like they've all been laid on top of each other.
When I listen to the song, I find it really easy to get lost in parts, I will hear only one vocalist and the piano, for example, and then another time the drums, electronics and different vocals. It feels like there are several songs on top of each other here, and it put me off at first. Once you understand what they were trying to do with the music here, it's a very powerful song and you can get something different from it every time you listen to it.
There's a complex simplicity to the song, and I don't know if that makes sense to anyone else, but I personally am really excited to hear the rest of ATS.
LP worked incredibly hard on this album and we have watched them put everything into these songs. I really don't think true fans should give up on the song or the album quickly after just a couple of listens. It really is worth getting to know the song. This is not the end of Linkin Park, it's an evolution, and I am very proud to be here to witness it.

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Permalink Reply by Spiderguy252 on August 21, 2010 at 11:57pm

This. :)

Dex said:

I hated the song at first.It didn't sound like LP to me and it annoyed the crap out of me because of it, but it was catchy and I kept listening to it.
After hearing it about 50 times I now love it, I realise that it is still true to LP, it's just that before the different elements of the music were often pieced together separately, and on the Catalyst it feels like they've all been laid on top of each other.
When I listen to the song, I find it really easy to get lost in parts, I will hear only one vocalist and the piano, for example, and then another time the drums, electronics and different vocals. It feels like there are several songs on top of each other here, and it put me off at first. Once you understand what they were trying to do with the music here, it's a very powerful song and you can get something different from it every time you listen to it.
There's a complex simplicity to the song, and I don't know if that makes sense to anyone else, but I personally am really excited to hear the rest of ATS.
LP worked incredibly hard on this album and we have watched them put everything into these songs. I really don't think true fans should give up on the song or the album quickly after just a couple of listens. It really is worth getting to know the song. This is not the end of Linkin Park, it's an evolution, and I am very proud to be here to witness it.

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Permalink Reply by Nexus87 (Moderator) on August 22, 2010 at 2:09am

Well, i think Ryan has summed it up very nicely for all of us here. But i will try to add my thought on what i think the song is about.
First to start of the song is moody & redundant to some extent at the start until the electronic beat kicks in. About the name The Catalyst, it literally means a person or thing that causes a change of some sorts (at least this is the only logical definition that band can has related to the song i think) The chorus of the song as you can decipher it’s an outcry of some sort & i can figure its begging for a change of things & that change kicks in when mike comes in with "Lift me up...Let me go" there you go that’s the change in the song Hence The Catalyst. Mike starts it & than Chester takes it to a different level & another extreme dimension of vocal prowess, mike is singing in the background provides stability and a structure to the song. Than chorus comes in with whole of the band singing it definitely makes for an awesome spectacle somehow I feel like this song is like an improvement over The Little Things Give You Away. I don’t mean lyrically because both of them are entirely different songs but I feel like you can relate to the structure of the both songs with how the whole of the band finishes TLTGYA & the Catalyst. That’s the new add-on of the band that Dave is now singing too along with Mike.
I know some fans might not relate to the new sound that band has developed but I will say Kudos to the guys for changing because I know people say we needed Hybrid Theory Part 4 & not a sequel to M2M, but I beg to differ cause seriously those people who say that won’t have liked it one bit the quadrilogy of HT & than they would have been saying “it’s the same old crap & they are not developing as musicians”. As far as the Catalyst goes & what could I make up with reviews of ATS the band has definitely grown leaps & bounds & they have reached to the point that they always wanted with M2M (which was as it seems now was a transition record) they have finished what they started with M2M. That’s my 2 cents, Thank you for reading.

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Permalink Reply by God of the Godless (Jana) on August 22, 2010 at 3:20am

When I first heard the song, I thought it was just average. Nothing special. But the more I listened to it, the more it grew on me. Now, I think it's a good song. Yes, it's different from what we've heard from them before. But every band has to change, and their music has to evolve. Whenever I hear a new song by a band, I never compare it to the band's previous works.
I maybe can't write such good review like the rest of the people here. I am not someone with deep knowledge about music.. To me, if it sounds good to me, it's good. And that's it. This song does sound good to me. I have nothing more to say about it.
Now the meaning. I honestly don't have anything to add. I think everyone before already explained it well enough, and already expressed my interpretation of the song.

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