Hybrid Theory EP Discussion

[JZLP-Benningstrong]

I was looking for an HTEP discussion thread and couldn't find anything.

 

Just wanted to talk about this EP your thoughts about it and some random questions.

 

I recently said in the shoutbox that this album doesn't have live drums, i read that somewhere but im not really sure if its true, can you explain it please @Astat

 

I love the unique vibe of the songs, seems like the band didn't really liked them, i remember some old interviews in which they said that they were having difficulties to play headliner shows when HT got big and they only played Step Up, why the band disliked the songs? 

 

I love the quality of the recording for basically being a demo tape it sounds so fucking good, crystal clear vocals and the guitars are so freaking heavy.

 

Chester's vocals are so fucking amazing, he was very young how was he able to sound like that?  insane.

[Stranger]

"this is my personal takes on HTEP"

 

my first time listening to HTEP was from the bootleg LPU 2.0 cd (features 20 tracks including fake tracks like "I Just Want Your Company", GD tracks and more). that's how i discovered HTEP and i thought it was bootleg or fake songs due to the titles like "Carousel", "And One" (there's a basketball brand name And1 at that time, a bit confuse). back in the days, internet is still slow in my country. to get information bout it seems impossible. 

 

what i like bout HTEP is that it's raw, dark, indie production (freaking contrast with HT which the album is perfectly perfect. the songs, the lyrics, the production.). but i totally get it why HTEP wasnt pushed much during their HT tours because the songs wasnt really fit (at that time, unlike now). HTEP songs have too much breakdown part (which kinda lose the momentum) song like "And One", the part "It's too late to love me now, You have never shown me" really pull the momentum of the song away (reminds me of Limp Bizkit songs, yes they have tons of it). 

 

Mike's rap energy really hard, young and passionate. Chester's proved that he's fkin beast, eventhough this is his first releases with LP/HT at that time, he gave 1000% of his efforts for it. they doesnt know yet whether they'll make it or not.

 

1 hour ago, JZLP-Benningstrong said:

I love the quality of the recording for basically being a demo tape

 

not sure if HTEP is considered as "demo tape" because to me, as it's an official releases for HYBRID THEORY as a band. it's like an indie band released an EP. but when the debut album came out, this EP instantly looks like "demo" to us. idk, what do you guys think bout it? unlike XERO demo tape, that's considered a "demo" (look at the quality 😂).

 

having HTEP on vinyl is such a great move. i mean, for me, i didnt managed to get a copy of HTEP CD back in the days (still in school, lack of money). but now i'm owned it on vinyl, plus it's considered rare (because you need to buy the boxset to get it). i'm so grateful for it. also, it's available now on DSP, that's a blessing!

 

[GoodCarpet]

As far as the EP not having any live drums, I strongly doubt that. Half of the EP doesn't: Technique, Step Up, and High Voltage (and Track 7). Neither do the later demos of Carousel and Part of Me that appear on later demo CDs. I listened again after seeing your message in the shoutbox, and my thoughts:

 

The other three songs have drums that sound way too realistic for them to be programmed by 1999 standards. Nowadays it'd be a lot harder to tell with how realistic drum samplers like GGD and Superior Drummer are, but in 1999 those programs didn't exist and there was nothing like them. Also Mike's drum programming was not good for "natural" sounding drums at the time, they always sounded very stiff and fake. For an example of what I mean by stiff and fake, listen to the Carousel demo on Forgotten Demos and compare to the EP version. You can hear how the EP version's drums sound significantly more real, especially the cymbals and hats. That "stiff" programmed drum feel still exists in most of the Meteora demos too - similar to the Hybrid Theory demos, similar to the Xero demos - and I doubt Mike got crazy skilled at programming super realistic sounding drums, did it on three songs, and then never did that again until realistic sample libraries became a thing.

 

There is one weird part - at about 2:55 in Part of Me, there's a snare roll that sounds like it comes in on top of a tom roll, which would be impossible to play with two hands. But also double tracking drums wasn't a new thing - Foo Fighters did it on My Hero two years prior.

[Astat]

On 7/14/2025 at 7:02 PM, JZLP-Benningstrong said:

I was looking for an HTEP discussion thread and couldn't find anything.

 

Just wanted to talk about this EP your thoughts about it and some random questions.

 

I recently said in the shoutbox that this album doesn't have live drums, i read that somewhere but im not really sure if its true, can you explain it please @Astat

 

I love the unique vibe of the songs, seems like the band didn't really liked them, i remember some old interviews in which they said that they were having difficulties to play headliner shows when HT got big and they only played Step Up, why the band disliked the songs? 

 

I love the quality of the recording for basically being a demo tape it sounds so fucking good, crystal clear vocals and the guitars are so freaking heavy.

 

Chester's vocals are so fucking amazing, he was very young how was he able to sound like that?  insane.

 

The songs they did with Mudrock (Carousel/And One/Part of Me) have live drums, the others don't.