So take this with a VERY VERY tiny grain of salt, and there is no real source but just throwing this out there. It's very left field of this particular station (the top 100) to be even posting about this but if the band are truly aiming to have the new album out this year, Q4 sounds about right.
http://www.hot995.com/pages/toby.html?article=9557040
LINKIN PARK have been in the studio and they're almost done with a new CD!
According to sources close to the band's label, WARNER BROTHERS MUSIC GROUP, the iconic band has about four more songs left to master before being 'mostly' finished' with a new CD for the label which should be released in the fourth quarter of 2012 - meaning close to Christmas.
Labels like Warner Brothers are into their first quarter now, which began before the holidays.
Additionally, the Warner Music group, which consists of REPRISE RECORDS as well as the WARNER label, are expecting new releases from GREEN DAY in 2012, and they're excited about the profile of one of their new artists - NEON HITCH - who is currently featured on ASS BACK HOME by the GYM CLASS HEROES.