It’s only been a day since the pre-album session and even less since the reviews have been shared- and the excitement from our fellow Soldiers is addicting.

You’ve caps-locked your tweets to us and pointed out exactly what part of the review gave you goose-bumps and you have the countdown until the album release down to the exact minute, and that’s without us even giving you any explicit details!

Isn’t it fuckin’ exhilarating?

I went into The Attic on Friday vulnerable, doubtful and unprepared. I was scared I wasn’t going to be impressed by the so-called aggression they’ve created. I personally had not liked “Guilty All the Same” so I probably only had five listens at most, and as much as I loved “Until It’s Gone,” I only heard it twice; and I think that was exactly what let the album attack my senses.

Like the forums in Linkin Park Underground, we have both professionally and personally not supported leaks. However, this delves deeper- you need to hear this album completely off-guard and fuckin’ loud.

The Hunting Party is exactly the predator the band made themselves into in search of the specific, exact aggression and I strongly urge you, just how Mike urged himself to make the statement the album screams into your face, to let yourself be hunted.

Hold on to that teasing snippet and weak recording of “Wastelands” as if it’s your only defense, and run. Run from any teasing clips or shots from the concerts and run from the inevitable leaks of the album’s blood. Run from them as long as your body can stand and let The Hunting Party come after you.

It will be worth it.

And allow me, Lizzi, to interrupt- like Shinoda, we want to wake that kid in you.

Back in the day when leaks were no option. When you waited (im)patiently for the release day. When you took your bike, cycled to your favorite record store and bought it from the pocket money you had saved especially for this. When you held it in your hand and had the “fresh plastic” smell in your nose.

Over the past years, with the help of the ever so growing possibilities, we’ve been getting what we want sooner than ever. Sooner than it’s healthy for us. So we just give in and look for snippets anywhere possible – despite the probable low quality of the audio. And I have to admit that I’m no saint.

I had my wake-up call not long ago, when Linkin Park released a snippet of “Until It’s Gone” on Instagram. I was stoked! Relying on what others said about the song building up and that the snippet didn’t do it justice.

But when I actually heard the song for the first time on BBC Radio One, I was underwhelmed and disappointed. Almost devastated. The thought of not hearing what you expected to hear is horrible.

That’s the reason why I’m not going to give in anymore. I want to have the experience again of not knowing what’s coming to me. Not relying on snippets. Not giving in to leaks or even official streams.

I want the eleven year old me to be amazed again!

That could be your challenge. To be excited again. To be a kid again and be blown away, off-guard, hunted. To listen to it from start to finish and be amazed. Surprised. Speechless.

Do yourself a favor – wake that kid in you.

If you need a date to circle on the calendar, to slash off the days as The Hunting Party draws closer and closer upon you, mark the 17^th of June as your release. We’ll be having a worldwide Listening Party to announce the end of the hunt.

You can survive longer if you just #SayNoToLeaks; remember, don’t hunt the album- let it hunt you.

Related Images: