Linkin Park - Iridescent

Linkin Park have a long history with the Transformers films; contributing What I've Done and New Divide to the soundtracks of the previous two movies. It's a strategy that's worked well for the band with What I've Done becoming the band's highest charting UK hit when it reached Number 6 back in 2007.

Iridescent was one of the standout tracks from their most recent record A Thousand Suns and is now being released as the album's fourth single in a new remixed form in conjunction with the latest Transformers movie; Dark Of The Moon. With its epic chorus and dramatic build-up to an intense crescendo, the track is rounded off with lyrics about letting go of all the pain and hurt in life. A song that talks about the 'cataclysm raining down' is suitably fitting for the scale and action-packed nature of the Transformers movies.

This mix of the track adds a new beat, giving it a slick, glossy feel, following in the vein of Leave Out All The Rest from the band's previous album Minutes To Midnight. Essentially a lush piano ballad, Iridescent shows that Linkin Park really are just as apt at the subtle, slow stuff as the all out 'loud' tracks. The new mix elevates Iridescent out of the far more intense, almost gothic feel the original album version had with its touches of church organ in the verses. In its place is something that has been cleverly trimmed and streamlined.

The big guitar solo is still every bit as epic, as are the chanty shouts of 'LET IT GO!' in the anthemic finale. In the final chorus singer Chester Bennington's vocals reach a real grit and passion; the kind of texture he's always done so well; conveying the lyrics with utter sincerity and emotion. It's all actually rather moving - which is precisely what you want on a Hollywood film-fronting track like this.

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (nothing to do with that legendary Pink Floyd album...) is out in the cinemas on the 1st July.

Iridescent is released on the 16th May.