Linkin Park 'Challenge' Themselves On New Album

[ThePretender]

Forget all the talk of "concept records" and "grandiose insanity." On their new album, Linkin Park are going back to their roots in order to make the most challenging record of their career.

 

On Tuesday, MTV News spoke to LP co-frontman Mike Shinoda about his band's just-launched Download to Donate for Haiti project and, in the process, we managed to get some new information about the band's much-anticipated follow-up to 2007's Minutes to Midnight, which has been in the works for more than a year now. And while he still maintains that LP will be doing their fair share of growing on the new record, it's important to know that they're also not ignoring their past — quite the opposite, in fact.

 

"The album is going really well — we decided to go with Rick Rubin again, he's been in the studio with us. And we've been working in a different studio than we did the last record in, we decided to go back to the studio we did Hybrid Theory and Meteora in," Shinoda said. "It's been going great, I feel like it's an entirely different process and an entirely different style of music than anything we've done before. It's hard to place. People keep asking me, 'What does it sound like?' and it's hard to describe. When people hear it, they're going to have a tough time saying that it falls into a category."

 

Full article here

 

Thoughts?

[Geki]

Pretty cool article...I didn't know they were recording in the same studio they recorded Hybrid Theory and Meteora in. This record is going to be interesting...I hope it isn't all soft songs and electronic songs though. I'd like to see some rapping and screaming but I doubt it will happen.

[AudioNick]

Five words come to mind right now: "This album will be epic."

[ChuckCheese]

Man, there is no way of telling how this album is gonna turn out haha. They've said so many different things on it by this point. The only thing that has remained consistent is that they say it won't sound like anything else before it.

[LPSebi]

They pretty much say the same thing over and over when they talk about the new album, no real information...

 

It's kind of annoying...

[VavourasLP]

They pretty much say the same thing over and over when they talk about the new album, no real information...

 

It's kind of annoying...

 

yes! we want a release date

[rav0k]

This article contradicts itself with the "Linkin Park returning to their roots" and then it goes to Mike talking about how it's going to be completely different than anything they have done before. It's not really returning to their roots if they are making a whole new approach with themselves and the music. If the music is good though, that's all that matters to me.

[lparcshinoda]

This article contradicts itself with the "Linkin Park returning to their roots" and then it goes to Mike talking about how it's going to be completely different than anything they have done before. It's not really returning to their roots if they are making a whole new approach with themselves and the music. If the music is good though, that's all that matters to me.

that's what I thought

[Masterli]

Thoughts?

Now I'm afraid that new album would sound like U2 or something...

[iamsatan]

They've always recorded at NRG, they even did a couple songs from Minutes to Midnight at NRG, I think "What I've Done" was one of them.

[LPFreak64]

And while he still maintains that LP will be doing their fair share of growing on the new record, it's important to know that they're also not ignoring their past — quite the opposite, in fact.

 

And we've been working in a different studio than we did the last record in, we decided to go back to the studio we did Hybrid Theory and Meteora in," Shinoda said.

 

This article contradicts itself with the "Linkin Park returning to their roots" and then it goes to Mike talking about how it's going to be completely different than anything they have done before. It's not really returning to their roots if they are making a whole new approach with themselves and the music. If the music is good though, that's all that matters to me.

 

that's what I thought

He means roots as in going back to the studio they did the first two albums in.

[auburntiger]

This article contradicts itself with the "Linkin Park returning to their roots" and then it goes to Mike talking about how it's going to be completely different than anything they have done before. It's not really returning to their roots if they are making a whole new approach with themselves and the music. If the music is good though, that's all that matters to me.

I think the article title might have been a little misleading; when one returns to one's roots, it can also mean where they began, physically. This is what they're doing in recording at the old studio. For those of you in the States who watch NFL football, you'll hear it ad nauseum this weekend with the Vikings/Saints game and Brett Favre returning to his roots, since he's from that area (albeit Kiln, MS).

[GraDoN]

same old "new genre, hard to describe"

damn waiting for it makes me nervous, i want a release date :/

 

'Nobody else is making a record that sounds like this, only we can do it.'

but if thats true and they succeed in doing that its going to be an awesome album Edited January 21, 2010 by GraDoN

[Blackened_Deather]

i hope there will be more influences or elements of the hybrid theory and meteora sound in the new album!

i don't want them to sound exactly like in those two albums, but a bit more influenced by the heavier sound would be pretty great for the new album =)

[LPSebi]

He means roots as in going back to the studio they did the first two albums in.

Hybrid Theory number 3? Anyone? 

[hahninator]

Hybrid Theory number 3? Anyone? 

If only. I pray that'll be what it is but I know it won't be

 

I'd do anything for another HT or Meteora. I'd rather have that again than the band redefining their sound after every album lol. MTM was good, you know, but I got into LP on HT because that's the sound I liked. U2 and Coldplay sounded like MTM, obviously I wasn't into them as much as I was LP during HT/Meteora days. That's the sound I got into them on so obviously I will prefer that more than the experimental stuff. I never said the MTM stuff was bad, it's just I prefer the older material.

[Michelbeats]

Mike is right!

It's really hard to describe how the album may or going to sound like

Mike posted last year some updates on what type of seeds he's been working on

one of 1 kinda sounded like Santigold meets Postal Service meets At The Drive In.

He and Joe has been making beats, he's been writing raps also all of them have been coming up with something.

I really like reading interviews regarding LP's new album, it's like a puzzle to me haha, figuring out how the album will sound like.

[LinkinParkHotspur]

He said that the challenge this time was to make a record which no one else could make. A record which only they could make. In my opinion, they already did this with Hybrid Theory. I honestly believe that overall, there wasn't any record that sounded like Hybrid Theory before Hybrid Theory came out. Even with Meteora and M2M, I don't believe anyone else could have made a record like that but them. M2M was obviously different in a way and influenced by a couple bands but it was still their core sound to me. It had enough LP in it for me.

 

Anyway, I agree that we've all heard so much information about this album and definitely some contradictions. This is the first Linkin Park record where I have absolutely no expectations. And to be honest, it might be a bad idea to have high expectations for this album. That doesn't mean that I don't have faith though that it will be good. It just means that if it does somehow turn out to be suck, I won't be devastated. They've put out 3 damn good albums and I can forgive them if the next one is mediocre. Somehow...I have a feeling it won't be though.

[arbiter]

And that is why Mike refused to tell us the song names. Even at that, all the speculation and misreading and misquoting are still happening.

 

Lets face it. Fact, the moment of truth will only be known as in relation to what style and what all the band has been saying mean when the album drops.

 

There is no way we will figure out what direction they are going from that song on download to Haiti or anything. I honestly doubt they would release anything yet.

 

And when Mike said they were going back to their root, the only thing i see is that they are going back to the studio they made Hybrid Theory and Meteora in. I find my sanity stays intact better when i don't try to speculate and decode every word the band alters from now till the album release. They could just as quickly change their mind and go in a whole different direction. Just like MtM.

[LinkinParkHotspur]

And that is why Mike refused to tell us the song names. Even at that, all the speculation and misreading and misquoting are still happening.

 

Lets face it. Fact, the moment of truth will only be known as in relation to what style and what all the band has been saying mean when the album drops.

 

There is no way we will figure out what direction they are going from that song on download to Haiti or anything. I honestly doubt they would release anything yet.

 

And when Mike said they were going back to their root, the only thing i see is that they are going back to the studio they made Hybrid Theory and Meteora in. I find my sanity stays intact better when i don't try to speculate and decode every word the band alters from now till the album release. They could just as quickly change their mind and go in a whole different direction. Just like MtM.

Amen. I know I've said this before...but even if New Divide and Not Alone fit the vague description which the band has given us for the next album, I just have a feeling that the new album isn't going to sound like either of those songs. There's just no real way of knowing what it's going to sound like though until something leaks or we get a real detail. I don't need to remind myself of what happened with Qwerty. M2M sounded nothing like Qwerty. And I think there's a good chance the new album won't sound like Not Alone or New Divide.

[hahninator]

That's just NRG, LP always records at NRG. Every album LP has made has been worked on in some way or another at NRG with I BELIEVE an exception for Reanimation. I know for sure Hybrid Theory, Meteora, Collision Course, Minutes To Midnight and the new album were all worked on at NRG.

[Biggiee2180@aol.com]

If only. I pray that'll be what it is but I know it won't be

 

I'd do anything for another HT or Meteora. I'd rather have that again than the band redefining their sound after every album lol. MTM was good, you know, but I got into LP on HT because that's the sound I liked. U2 and Coldplay sounded like MTM, obviously I wasn't into them as much as I was LP during HT/Meteora days. That's the sound I got into them on so obviously I will prefer that more than the experimental stuff. I never said the MTM stuff was bad, it's just I prefer the older material.

I agree. Before LP broke grown in 2000 I really didn't have any love for a specific type of music. There was no sound around that just grabbed me and made me love it. When Hybrid Theory came out I was 10 years old and I was instantly hooked. I was listening to them non stop, reading the lyrics in the album booklet as I went along, LP changed my whole perspective on music with that album. Then Meteora came out and I was blown away. People say it was just a "copy & paste" album but in my opinion it was better. They proved that they could truly own that sound and not have a sophomore slump of an album. Hybrid Theory's a classic and I'll always love that album, but Meteora has so much more growth and maturity than HT did. With the lyrics and music you could really see how much they grew and how they were here to stay. I didn't get that with Minutes To Midnight. I love the album, but it took more time to grow on me, while the 1st 2 albums had be from the 1st listen. I hope they in some way go back to their roots on this next album. Weather it be less songs like the latter tracks on MTM, or more verses from Mike, I'd just like some old LP back. And I know they're good enough to bring some part of their old material back while at the same time delivering a kick ass album complete with something new. Like Mike and Chester singing back and forth together. That's something new. I have really high hopes for this album and I think if they deliver it right it could be up there with their best

[hahninator]

I've never agreed so much with one post before. Wow. You have EXACTLY the same thoughts as I do. Very nice.

 

Meteora is just...wow. Such a good album, I love it start to end. LP really proved themselves with it.

[JoeyLP]

This great, now I am even more excited about the new album!

Hybrid Theory and Meteora where great, and Minutes to Midnight while being great didn't have as much "rock" in it as the other two albums. I so hope they go back and do some Meteora and Hybrid Theory music again.

[gtrnowak4tkd]

I agree. Before LP broke grown in 2000 I really didn't have any love for a specific type of music. There was no sound around that just grabbed me and made me love it. When Hybrid Theory came out I was 10 years old and I was instantly hooked. I was listening to them non stop, reading the lyrics in the album booklet as I went along, LP changed my whole perspective on music with that album. Then Meteora came out and I was blown away. People say it was just a "copy & paste" album but in my opinion it was better. They proved that they could truly own that sound and not have a sophomore slump of an album. Hybrid Theory's a classic and I'll always love that album, but Meteora has so much more growth and maturity than HT did. With the lyrics and music you could really see how much they grew and how they were here to stay. I didn't get that with Minutes To Midnight. I love the album, but it took more time to grow on me, while the 1st 2 albums had be from the 1st listen. I hope they in some way go back to their roots on this next album. Weather it be less songs like the latter tracks on MTM, or more verses from Mike, I'd just like some old LP back. And I know they're good enough to bring some part of their old material back while at the same time delivering a kick ass album complete with something new. Like Mike and Chester singing back and forth together. That's something new. I have really high hopes for this album and I think if they deliver it right it could be up there with their best

Yeah i agree. it took a really long time for me to like Minutes to Midnight. but slowly as i started to listen to other stuff i went back and listened to it and i realized the songs are truly amazing when you think about. Im really looking forward to the new album because of the fact if they are able to successfully combine the HT/Meteora sound with the MTM sound plus add in more new stuff that album is gonna be the greatest that comes out this year.