I, for one, am really digging this one!
Musically, it sounds like STP recharged! It does sound like a logical progression from S/T, but it sounds more "alive" than that album. I know some have compared this to DotW. In the interest of full disclosure, I will say that I personally love Days of the Week. I love its upbeat rock energy, and it's just a fun tune. This song does remind me of DotW, but there's also a sense of added urgency. These guys definitely have something to prove, and if this song is any indication, I think they are going to prove it.
Vocally, I'm impressed. Here's the thing I like about Chester: I trust Chester. I trust him to be faithful to Scott's legacy while tastefully weaving in his own contributions. It's a HUGE challenge. To do this right is going to take a ton of care, not to mention a ton of talent. I like Linkin Park. I'm not a diehard fan like I am of STP, but I know their hits and rock out to them on the radio. Chester has already proven successful as Linkin Park's singer. This will be Chester's moment to prove he is a truly great rock singer. Out of Time is a good song, and vocally, it was close to what I expected from Chester in this role, but I'm starting to hear a different side of him on Black Heart. He's stepping outside of his comfort zone, and it's working! The vocals on this song sound are uniquely STP and they're uniquely Chester... which is the thing he needs to accomplish to truly make this new incarnation of STP work.