zuben7o7

Where the HELL did I say it was my problem? What the hell is your deal? I was simply making an input that is quite obvious: Joe was not as present on MTM. I think Joe being present on the album a little more is CRUCIAL to Linkin Park's signature sound. You're right, I'm not behind the scenes of the band, I don't know anymore than anyone especially yourself. I don't understand what the hell your bitching about. As a fan, I have every right to complain and question. I doubt Mike, as a professional musician and leader of an international band, would acknowledge something like this on his blog because of "accusations thrown their way." What are you, his agent? Joe had plenty to do with MTM, sure, but are there any Don't Stay intro solos? Nasty With You beats, scratches, solos, etc.? Nasty scratch breakdowns in bridges? No. MTM is a different album, sure, but I'd like for the band to utilize Joe more as an instrumentalist and not so much a programmer or "inside-beats man." And I don't care what you say, Mike make most of those beats anyways, and I am very much entitled to whatever the fuck I want to say about Joe Hahn and his role in the band. I don't know what the hell got into you but I was making a very valid point. I shouldn't buy the "damn CD? Its no one's business what Joe does?" Seriously? Joe can do whatever he wants, please be aware I was only stating how I feel. Unless you're a total dumass, I did not say Joe was the "odd man out." I said he has been an "oddity." Ask ANYONE who has been to their live show (or not for that matter) and its pretty obvious Joe was not the same character he was in previous years - so in that case, I found it odd and certainly ironic considering his "less of an impact," shall we say, role on MTM. Certainly not as if Joe was getting pushed out of the band or some BS like that. What a bafoon.

Well, the simple fact Mike acknowledged that Joe is being a bit more present throughout the session is proof enough that Joe simply was not there in his role as a DJ compared to what we have seen on HT and Meteora, and his stellar work on Reanimation and a ton of LP demos/other material. While you're right that Joe is more than just scratching, it's pretty clear he didn't have as much of a defined role for MTM. In fact, on the MTM DVD, he was basically described as a "tech" assigned with putting sounds through different amps - in the weird ass and robotic way of the band assigning certain members to certain tasks. I'm willing to bet most of the non-instrument sounds we hear are more Mike also (in the studio). Fact of the matter is, Joe has been an oddity of this band since MTM came out and the touring cycle began, so he needs to be more involved with the band in terms of how we used to know him with some excellent scratching solos, beats, and unique patterns that were really integral to defining LP's sound. Seriously doubt anything more than a 12 track CD but I wouldn't be surprised if there was a special addition much like Atreyu's last CD that came out last month. There was a Best Buy edition with 2 B-sides AND a Hot Topic edition with a separate B-side. There might have been more, I didn't look it up. I know we will get at least one B-side like we did with NRL for iTunes.

While I agree with you on the Faint track, I think the Figure demo, instrumentally, is much more unique and heavier compared to its original version. I do love the intro to the album version, but I think the verses would have been much better with the way they have it on this demo. The bridge is nasty - on both versions.

Kudos to the cat who wrote they take too long for a 12 track CD to come out and kudos to Mike for a professional answer. The album PROBABLY will be out in 2010, the question is when. Chester has mentioned June the past few months but I don't see that as being realistic. Maybe this time next year - which is a tremendous amount of time away considering they have been in for already a full year as we speak. Also, I like the subtle "Joe has been a little more present." I'm glad MS realizes Joe is an integral part of the band and just was nowhere to be found on MTM for the most part.

Figure is just nasty. I absolutely love it. I really wish they would have kept this version of the instrumental and bridge. I do like the chorus better in the original though. It sounds like they took the bridge from this demo and used it for Mike's part in the chorus of Lying from You. "No, no turning back (now)." A-Six, Across the Line, and Drawing are excellent.

140 private messages (still continuing), about 35 FB friends/messages, and about 25 AIM chats later, I have returned to wonderful LP Live land. Astat hit the fucking nail on the coffin with his review. I have listened to the CD a few times now so I can give the review a better spin. A-Six Excellent way to start the CD. The riff and drums feel a bit "My Own Summer" like. Gets right to business. Definitely a lot rawer but the riff is one of Brad's best work. I'm a big fan of the original but everything about this track kicks ass. Love how the guitar comes in on the "first chorus." It's definitely "song ready" - I'm willing to bet there were some type of vocals at one time or another. You can certainly make out the verse-chorus-bridge parts along with all the in between (no pun) parts. I really enjoy this track, got my head bobbing from the beginning. If they laid down some nice lyrics, I could have seen this being maybe competition for Don't Stay on Meteora. Faint Interesting track. I like it a lot but, as most everyone else has said, wish Chester was on it. I'm not that big on Mike's raps here and all the action going on in the verses - I definitely prefer the cleaner version we hear on the album. While I love Faint's original guitar work, its neat to hear this in a more toned down sound. Sounds like some harmonic work in the bridge that becomes "stops" in the original. I prefer most everything about the original but there is no denying Mike has some talent with the raps. Definitely one of the more listenable tracks on the album. Sad Not a bad instrumental but I feel a bit mislead because I thought we were getting demos that were actually songs. While its neat to hear how the guitar riff came about, its short with no lyrics and just not much to it. I don't mind the sounds to it, I just feel we should have been given a more structured demo of this or another song. Fear Not impressed. I am definitely not like most of you on the "OMG MIKE SINGS FTW" bandwagon. NRL left is good and I give him kudos for In Between, although the track is a dud. But this demo just doesn't work for me. At this point in time of listening, I realized we are not getting "more polished" and structured demos which disappointments me because I wanted more tracks I could actually jam to rather than songs that are mumbled, and filled with the ridiculously annoying "donnas." The rap line caught me off guard, I think it would have added something to the song. Nothing really different instrumentally, I don't think there is a rhythm guitar at the end. I'm just not a fan of LOATR and not a fan of this. Figure Excellent track. Heavy as hell, I wish they would have kept everything instrumentally about this piece. I love the guitar/bass additions to the verses, lot more action. As all the demos are, it' certainly more raw with the guitar dominating. I'm neutral on Chester's chorus, its definitely better on the original but the bridge kicks ass. Why they thought they had to go back and mirror what they did with By Myself remains to be seen, and don't get me wrong I love the bridge on the original, but this track kicks it. Sounding like more harmonics in the bridge. I wish LP would get back to making a track like this meshed with something like ATL. Wish it was more complete though, but certainly a song I could listen a ton. Stick N' Move What a waste of space, true disappointment of record. I don't understand why they could not just put something else that was a bit more completed and longer right here. Again, like Sad, its not bad to listen to, but its just like an interlude piece if you look at the album as a whole. The "Egyptian" sound goes along with the weird sounds they messed with a lot in this day, that kinda of sounded like from a particular culture or something. However, another misleading track. Across the Line Mixed but certainly very interested first time I heard it. After a few more listens, its definitely a great track. I absolutely love the way Chester sounds and how he gives a "narrator" type delivery of this track. Sounds like he is actually talking (singing) to YOU. The intro instrumental is neat, has LP MTM era all over it. The lyrics and structure (first verse - about guy, second verse - about girl) remind me of some of Three Days Grace's work. The bridge (wish it was more drawn out) is a nice surprise, nice little scream and cool build up guitar work. Very similar to In Pieces in structure but its superior. Definitely better than half of MTM. I don't think this song sounds any more or less like LP than LOATR, V-Day, LTGYA, or IB. I will say its a bit more out there than the others but the lyrics are great. And even though it has a poppy feel, it has a nice groovy beat that has some edge to it - unlike LOATR or V-Day. Chester sounds GREAT on this track, super unique delivery method. Could see this in a live show in 2010. Drawings Absolutely epic for the first minute and half then the samples and beats get real distracting. LOVE the super loud "cannon-ball" intro, very epic. The way the first part flows and all comes in together, I think it would be a great intro to BTH like Krwlng has become to Crawling in their live show. I love the strings and I love when the guitar comes in, gave me chills. The beats are cool at the end, nice to see them playing around, but it would have been better suited for another track. Had they let this get real drawn out with the strings and bass, this would be just awesome as hell. But the beats at the end get a bit out-of-hand. Still love the track though, definitely one of the best on the album Drum Song See Fear. Hate the "donnas" and I'm not a big fan of the piano on the intro. The drum work at the beginning would have been neat on the original, but I prefer the original. I like what I hear when Mike sings in the DVD and such but this is just too incomplete to be a "listenable" track. I liked playing the guitar solo in my head at its part in the bridge but the "donnas" and imcomplete nature of this track make this disappointing for me. While Mike kicks ass, I just really don't see why everyone is having orgasms over this track and Fear . Best Tracks - A-Six, Across the Line Worst Tracks - Stick N' Move, Sad

I certainly think NRL and ATL (love the acronym) could have and should have been in the album. They are much superior to tracks such as Valentine's Day, In Between, and such. Thing about both of those tracks are, they are very, very unique. I really, really enjoy the delivery of Chester's vocals on ATL. The bridge was a very pleasant surprise. But, they really sound nothing like LP's sound at all (which can be said for MTM in general, but those tracks certainly are on the boundaries). Overall, this certainly is a bit overhyped but only because I thought we were getting more "polished" demos and not 50 second instrumentals and tracks with "donnas, donnas" on it. Those really just don't do anything for me. I'm not a fan of LOATR in the first place (for the most part) and I can already tell I'm in the minority, as I usually am around here, but Fear is not very good. Just don't like it. Drum Song either. A-Six is just great though. Love it. Certainly sounds like it was going to be a legit song one day. The riff is mesmerizing. Faint is great, I certainly love the finished version better, but its cool. Wish there was more Chester on the demo. Figure is awesome, and Drawings is cool. Just wish there were more polished, more real vocals, and all the tracks were actual "songs." I'm glad I could help out so many tonight though, I have talked to hundreds of you tonight! Sorry if I couldn't get to everyone, still working on a ton. Haha. AIM: zuben7o7 FB: facebook.com/preston.bonner

I'm trying to help as many people as I can thru PMs, Facebook, AIM and all that!

My Lord I had no idea I would have such an outcry! Literally like 200 people from the LP nation have contacted me since I initially told Mark I had it! That's cool. I know my file is in .wma but you can get that file to work in iTunes, just drag the file over it will convert. A-Six is definitely bad ass! Chester on Across the Line is great, I really like the style of the song. Fear is terrible, and yeah, who is that rapping with Mike?

You're welcome!

I'm glad I could help out. I got literally bombarded with calls, texts, Facebook messages, and literally about 100 PMs from here. However, I don't mind, I'm just glad I could be of use! Overall, the CD is pretty good. I'm real disapointed with Sad, Fear, and Drum Song. The "Donnas" just don't do it for me when I'm trying to listen to a track. Nice collector pieces but just no "listenability" after the first few "awe" times. A-Six is exquisite, almost 4 mins long. Wow. What a damn track! Really, really enjoy this. The track was totally set up to be a song with lyrics in this form, not telling if they actually might have had some in mind or not. Faint is very interesting, it's not AS different instrumentally as I thought it would be but Mike's verses are much different than what I was anticipating. Bass is significantly louder. I do like Across the Line. I agree, I think this could have been a single if it was on MTM. It fits MTM style, but in a much more "good vibish" way. The bridge and ending are similar to In Pieces. I really like the delievery and sound of Chester on this track. It's not EPIC but its a good track. Drawings is not as different as I thought either but I do like the subtle differences mostly the louder cannon-intro and the strings in the "verses." I like the more ambient sounding guitar. Overall, not bad, but I feel a bit mislead with Fear, Drum Song, and Sad at only 50 seconds long.

I just bought the CD here at my local Best Buy in Atlanta, and thank God the LPU has gotten back to its roots. Excellent shirt. Nice font and the packaging is the best yet. Those stupid insects and designs of the past few years were terrible. $30.

That's a great video, but does anyone happen to know why he was so particularly emotional at this show? This was getting towards the middle of the World Tour and they had played the song at least, what, 10-15 times before this performance? I wonder what made this performance so much more, passionate so to speak?

Well, I'll admit I didn't go to his blog to see that but its still misleading. Maybe just take the "you" out concerning you, its still misleading. Unless the text is misleading from the title. Either way, it sounds like they are really looking hard at 5 songs but doesn't mean there done. For a complete year in the studio, they should have tons of readied material. I don't understand this album process. First, the band was talking after PR 08 they could have an album out within a year because they had done so much writing in tour. They have been at NRG for a year now and only 5 "maybe, somewhat, almost there" completed songs. That is unacceptable. I also, as I will probably repeat in every remaining post I make on this forum, why DBS is going on right now in the middle of Linkin Park's biggest album to date. I also do not understand bringing in Rick Rubin when they had been in the studio for so long. Perhaps they weren't as "far ahead in the game" as we thought. You people just crack me up when you slam people, such as me, for saying we should be content with LP taking their precious time and that more time equals better quality. I can almost guarantee LP could wrap something up today, throw it down, and release and it would be instantly gratified as one of the band's best songs. They know how to do that (release super-hits) but they do like to think out of the box, which is why I respect the band. But they could do it at a faster rate. Sure, MTM showcased a more mature band with some better musicanship in some areas, but overall, the songs weren't nearly as dynamic and the singles (outside of WID) nowhere near as popular as Meteora's... two things that clearly made the band stand-out when it first came into the scene. As for the person who mentioned 100 bands and people too focused on LP, I do believe everyone hear listens to music outside of LP as well so I'm not sure what you're getting at. This is particular forum dedicated to LP so of course we are going to be bickering about LP. I do the same for 10 Years or Dave Matthews Band, as I am a fan, in their forums. Point is, we want a new LP album, it has been 2.5 years since MTM. Hard to believe, but. Some big-time movies get made it shorter amounts of time that LP albums these days. Point is, take some time to come up with some good material, but I mean how much time do you need? They don't tour, at least on the MTM cycle, nearly as much as some bands do, especially for their size.

Good update, nice to know something is going on. However, the title is misleading. You make it sound like there are 5 songs already shelved and packed and thats not what the blog from MS says... it says they have 5 they are trying to get finished. Big difference. Either way, its good news but considering they have been in the studio for a complete year, I'd say thats pretty unacceptable. Also, if ANYONE thinks Chester is able to put 100% to LP right now with all these DBS promotions/shows around the world thing is smoking some serious cannabis. I'm not downing Chester and I'm sure he's doing everything he can, but he is gonna be milking the DBS cow for as long as he can. Either way, good update from MS but they should be way further along. And with New Divide and seeing the maturity of the band, it makes sense for them to be straying into longer songs.

I guarantee nothing has been confirmed as far as this stuff goes. Still 7 months away. LP may not even have an album out, in fact, I think its very likely to assume there won't be an album out at this time. I know, doesn't mean they can't play there but that is a simple list to see what bands you would want. Nothing confirmed or anything. Talk about split-up bands, how about the Aerosmith deal today as well? I wouldn't be surprised in the long run if they hit this show but nothing would be confirmed right now.

I could see something like this, that would be pretty good. Muse is great, and are no where near as big in the States as they are internationally. However, they bring a massive, and according to many including CB, the best show in the business, so LP would really have to step up their production to match. Rise Against would be a great fit. I could see Paramore headlining the Rev. stage too.

I don't think we will be seeing an album in June. August, September, maybe even this time next year. If anyone thinks Chester is not going to milk the DBS cow for as much as he can right now, you're wrong. He could be touring with DBS until June or more! I don't see an LP album coming out while Chester is on the road; way to much conflicting at one time. June is possible but I seriously doubt it.

Haha, I have always wanted to know why magazines do that. I was like DECEMBER. WTF?

Good material. Obviously, as you said, Warner was the biggest reason and most definitely the non-stop schedule the band had since HT was dropped. But I do think Chester's falling out had at least something to do with it. When I say "clean" in describing the other members, I wanted to say that very loosely. Obviously, we don't know all the real nitty-gritty backgrounds of the other members because, in reality, they are pretty private outside of CB. I'm sure they all have done there fair share of the goods, but they certainly seem like a band that has music and progression and "doing the right thing" while making good alternative music. I just don't see Phoenix coming in with a bag of weed, saying "Let's all get high before we write this song" like they describe CB as doing. In the end, CB probably indeed had very little to do with the grand hiatus between Meteora and MTM. However, I'm sure it played a role in somewhere down the road in the early phases of writing and such. On a side note that is referrenced to this, as I have mentioned, one of the biggest reasons I dislike this DBS project is that this "sideproject" is taking away directly at time that should be spent on LP's record. There is very little way right now CB can be helping LP out at a crucial time on a crucial record when he is out with another 6 piece outfit playing international shows. Hey, more power to him, I just think he could have found a much better time to introduce this "sideproject" to the mainstream world and prepare for what could amount to a year or more of touring.

I'm not the biggest fan of DBS around but I still find the band intriguing. Sorry if its already news, but just bought Dec. edition of Revolver magazine mostly because the hottest girl in rock - Lzzy Hale from Halestorm - is on the cover. Went looking through to find a nice full page pic of the band and an interview with Chester, mostly the same old stuff about how he was really bad off in 2005. They compared DBS to a Stone Temple Pilots meets Depeche Mode sound which is pretty accurate. Anyways, did anyone ever really realize how bad Chester was back in 2005? This is some pretty hardcore stuff he's talking about, Layne Staley (Alice in Chains) in early 2002 type stuff. Also, a bit off topic, but Mike Shinoda and some of the other band members seem a bit... "clean" so to speak. Chester mentions coming to the studio to work on MTM early on doing nothing but smoking weed and bringing beer in while the others were working. Do you think the rest of the band condones this, especially Mike, who has the best relationship with Chester and is the mechanics of the band. Just like an opinion, we all know LP is not your typical rock group in the sense that their all smashed on drugs all the time.

For some reason when I got into LP a few years ago, all their studio material from HT and Meteora clicked with me except for.... Runaway. There are parts of Runaway that are alright. I'd much rather listen to Runaway than, say, any of Green Day's best work (I absolutely hate GD FYI). I just really don't like the riff, and it is a whiny song... of course, a ton of LP and rock songs can be placed under "whiny" but Runaway seems to hit the max for me. I just flat-out don't prefer the song.

Um, how in the world is it a problem? Its the absolute point of the thread. However, I knew only some of the more well-known would even attempt at it. Please don't think my list is fact - because its only my opinion and thought it would be fun. And I said I cheated on OSC. When I went to this for HT, to be honest, I thought more about how their live show is done than the actual CD a la the reason for ITE for Hahn and OSC for "worst rap" even though he doesn't rap - its just technically I like all his raps on the album so I couldn't choose.

Yeah Ill probably do the other albums tonight. I thought it was an interesting topic - but let us know what your favorites are. When I put "signature" in there, I'm not really asking for your favorite but what you think stands out most individually. Astat - I think a few years ago on LPU I made a thread how I thought APFMH was the best overall track from LP, and I probably still agree. But I guess I went a bit more mainstream and went with ITE for this thread, haha.

Yeah - I'll be making one for Meteora and MTM and probably one of just some random things I always think about when I'm out, but never bring up in a forum.