Casualty

"Casualty"
Song by Linkin Park
from the album From Zero
Format:	Digital
Writer:	Linkin Park
Label:	Warner Records
From Zero tracklist
From Zero (Intro) The Emptiness Machine Cut The Bridge Heavy Is The Crown Over Each Other Casualty Overflow Two Faced Stained IGYEIH Good Things Go

"Casualty" is the sixth track from Linkin Park's eighth studio album, From Zero. It is the shortest full song on the album coming in at two minutes and twenty seconds.

Background

The band began working on 'Casualty' rather late into the From Zero sessions. At this point in the band's return, Brad was still hesitant to return to the studio and begin working on music again, even though he knew that sessions were happening between Mike, Dave, Joe, Emily, and Colin. They kept the door open for him, not pressuring him to join back but also expressing the value in his perspective. Once he finally entered the studio, he was fully on board and, according to Mike, said "I think we can write something heavier. Like, way heavier."

The song begins with Emily screaming as the song transitions into a heavy instrumental. Emily wrote the lines in the chorus, surprising Mike with the intensity of her delivery. Emily said she took inspiration from her live performances with Dead Sara when performing on the track.

Mike's delivery on the track is unlike anything he's done on a song before, bringing a hardcore yell (rather than a scream) during the verses and bridge. Mike sang similar vocals for live performances of 'One Step Closer' (namely in 2003 and 2004 when they performed the extended '1stp Klosr' bridge) and 'Cigarettes' in 2015 and beyond. On the decision to record aggressive vocals, he said, "I was like, 'I have an idea for how I can do this verse, but it might suck and I'm not gonna be able to do it that many times,' and then I did it, and Joe was like, 'I feel like we unlocked a thing that Mike needs to do a lot more often? Can you do that all the time?" Mike said he drew inspiration for the song from the hardcore scene with bands like Strife, GEL, and Speed. He also mentioned his gateway into the genre was Helmet, whose lead singer is Page Hamilton who featured on 'All For Nothing' from 2014's The Hunting Party. He added, "I never thought I could do that! I think when I tried to I was younger and my voice was higher and it didn't sound good. So now that my voice is older, it sounds cool now. More authority."

The body of the track's instrumental was created by Mike, Brad, and Colin. The vocals and lyrics were all done in one day, with Emily figuring out the screaming parts and lyrics. Mike had a few ideas laid out for his verses, and Joe suggested to deliver them in a different way which birthed the idea to try out an on hardcore delivery. He laughed, saying "I've never done anything like that before, it was weird for me... I think I did it, and I was so like, 'I don't have any idea if this is any good at all,' and I look around the room and they were all cheering, basically."

'Casualty' was premiered to the world live, being performed for the first time in Arlington, Texas on November 8, 2024, a week before the album came out. Once fans had heard the song, it was discovered that the band used lyrics from the track ("It's only a matter of time") to promote the September 5, 2024 livestream countdown promotion in August.

Versions

Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.

Studio

Title	Album	Length	Recorded	Released	Notes
Casualty	From Zero	2:20		November 15, 2024

Live

Speaking to press in Asia in September 2024, Emily Armstrong said she wanted to perform 'Two Faced,' 'Casualty,' and 'Overflow' live, saying "Those three, I think, were the ones we've kinda been talking about... like, really wanting to explore live. I think we're gonna do some rehearsals when we get home and, you know, put it into our live set."

'Casualty' received its world premiere at Linkin Park's show on November 8, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. Mike addressed the crowd before the song, saying, "Earlier, I kind of fibbed and said we had one surprise for you tonight [that surprise being the live debut of 'All For Nothing' with Page Hamilton], that wasn't exactly true. We do have a second surprise for you tonight, because you get to find out - Dallas gets to find out what happens when Em puts her screamy pants on." Emily responded, "I'm so shy," before launching straight into the song. The band extended the bridge to the song, with Mike once again speaking the crowd: "If ever there was ever a time at a Linkin Park show to show us the biggest pit that you can... Some of you motherfuckers haven't been in a pit in like ten years! Don't you miss it? You gonna show us you still got it?"

Personnel

Linkin Park is

• Mike Shinoda
• Brad Delson
• Dave "Phoenix" Farrell
• Joseph Hahn
• Emily Armstrong
• Colin Brittain

Production

• Written by Linkin Park
• Produced by Mike Shinoda
• Co-Produced by Brad Delson, Colin Brittain
• Recording Engineering by Mike Shinoda, Ethan Mates
• Vocals by Mike Shinoda, Emily Armstrong
• Guitar by Brad Delson
• Bass by Dave "Phoenix" Farrell
• Programming by Joseph Hahn
• Drums by Colin Brittain
• Mixed by Rich Costey
• Assistant Engineering by Jeff Citron
• Mastered by Emerson Mancini

Lyrics

Album Version

Let me out / set me free
I know all the secrets you keep
I / I won't be
I won't be your casualty
 
I got too complacent
Bleached in the eyes
Put through the paces but I
Got left behind
But I'm not running
'Cause something's coming
It's only a matter of time
 
Let me out / set me free
I know all the secrets you keep
I / I won't be
I won't be your casualty
 
You drew the first blood
Like playing god
Closing the doors up while I'm
Fed to the dogs
But I'm not running
'Cause something's coming
It's only a matter of time
 
Let me out / set me free
I know all the secrets you keep
I / I won't be
I won't be your casualty
 
It's only a matter of time
It's only a matter of time
It's only a matter of time
It's only a matter of time
 
Stop
Telling me you're something that you're not (Not)
I can see the greed right in your eyes
Hanging on a barefaced lie, it's only a matter of time
 
Let me out / set me free
I know all the secrets you keep
I / I won't be
I won't be your casualty
 
I won't be your casualty
I know all the secrets you keep
I won't be your casualty